Saarema

When people listen to the word “Saarema” they may think on the island, maybe on the water brand, maybe about vodka… But when I listen to that word I only think about our trip to Saarema.

The trip was organized by the EBS during the time we were taking the Estonian language´s lessons. It was still August when we went to the island and we had a really nice day. After visiting different places (windmills, some amazing landscapes closed to the sea, some churches…) we were hosted in a hotel.

It was more a rural place than a hotel itself because it was formed by three or four cottages separated by a huge field, BUT (yes, there was a huge "but" for me…) the place had no facilities. It was a rural place, without electricity or running water. So… I was gonna spend some hours without any kind of light, any water in the toilet… How was I gonna survive?? From my shared-hut to the dinning room I had to cross through the “garden” full of stones…, I could not brush my teeth…, I had to put serrín into the toilet after using it… I was, and I am, a city girl!!! What could I do?

At the begining I pass through a “crisis” moment but after the shock I decided that I had to survive, and going to the sauna we had with the rest of my friends was a good idea.

The sauna… I really enjoyed it!! It was so warm inside (it was my first time inside a finish sauna) and when I went out to the “not so cold but starting to become cold” night I did not feel the low temperature, the sensation of the warm sauna continued in my body during some minutes, so it was a nice and pleasant feeling that I recomend to feel at least once in someone´s life.

After the sauna moment, I calmed down and I decided to start enjoying the new situation (the psicological support of my friends was essential to take that decision).

At the dinning room we had a great dinner. We were all together, including our teachers, and, as we were a bit crazy, we had lot of fun while we tried tipical estonian food.

However, the best moment of the night was going to arrive. After the dinner time, the teachers left us alone. Some of us went into the main house, where there were some desks, chairs, warm drinks and board games,however, the rest of the group we decided to stay outside drinking and chatting. It was then, when we were outside drinking, when I changed my mind about staying in a place without electricity.

Why?

Because that night there were shooting stars, and it was the first time of my life that I could enjoyed it so much. We all stayed out from our cottages watching the stars moving across the sky, thinking our wishes, chatting… And we could all see the stars shining on the sky, we could see them so clear because there were just the stars and us, nobody else, there was no traffic, no noise, no lights… Nothing but a group of friends talking under the shooting stars…

I survived, I had fun, I enjoyed the nature… But the trip did not finished with that experience. Next day we continued visiting more places such as castles and museums. We also fighted a bull (Ok, it was my bro who fighted a bull but the rest of us felt as if we all were trying to fight the animal) And… We ate the best white chocolate´s cake I had, and I have, ever eaten!!

This is why every time I listen to the word Saarema, I just think about that trip… And I can only recomend to everybody to visit the island, at least once.

Photo gallery