In common with many first generations born outside Latvia, I have always had a longing for Latvia.  I visited a few years ago and felt a strong emotional attachment, sort of like this is where I should have been.  Still time moves on but now by daughter and son-in-law are seriously talking about moving to Latvia.  As she is my only child and I have no other relatives in Austrlaia she is talking about me going with them.  Of course this is still talk but it has made me dream a bit. 

I can speak Latvian reasonably well and read it to some degree but can’t write Latvian.  Is it really madness to even think of moving there at my age??  I am in my early 60s born in Australia so would not need to work fortunately.  Part of me feels very excited about the possibility but the other part is just afraid.  After all I have spent my entire life in Australia.  From what I have read and seen, I do realise the Latvia of today is very different from what it was and hope that I don’t have too many romatic ideas about life there.  Still can’t help wonder.  Has anyone made the move?  Did it work/not work.  IF after much visiting and thoughts any areas that could be most welcoming to newcomers? 

Any ideas, thoughts, experiences both positive and negative would be very much appreciated.  It may all come to nothing but remain just a lovely day dream. 

Many thanks.
Aija

I know a few people in their 60’s who moved to Latvia from Portland, Oregon, after retiring and seem to be living happily ever after.  I also know a few people around my age who feel they ought to take a swing at living there but aren’t free to pull up stakes and go.  Good luck to you, and I hope someone with first-hand experience posts on this thread.

Thank you Peteris, that is very encouraging indeed.  I really thought the whole idea was madness but maybe not.

Go with a commitment of, say, 3 months.  or 6 months.  Don’t sell your house yet, rent it out if you like.  Go see Latvija; travel around the country.  Take the opportunity to travel elsewhere in Europe - lots of latvians do this.  Look at the possibility of a permanent move AFTER you have scouted out the situation.  See how it feels to 1) change cultures 2) change finances 3) not have any close friends around for 3 months 4) etc.

I moved from the US to Germany and lived there for 2 years;  then to France and lived there for 4 years.  Culture shock every time.  When I moved back to the US, culture shock a 3rd time!

That is good advice, I should have thought of that.  Probably just getting caught up in the moment.  I agree it will be culture shock but hopefully will turn out to be a very positive one.  I don’t expect a land where everything is wonderful, like all places there will be good and bad.  Wow, all those moves, you must be pretty much shock proof by now.  Thank you.

Getting a driver’s licence in Germany was overly traumatic for me.  In France, every shopkeeper corrected my speech every time I asked for anything.  That got old fast.  In Latvija, shopkeepers might never smile at you and that still bothers me.  Sometimes it’s the little things that wear you down.

But then again, I have fallen in love with March-April (spring) in France.  In France I think every citizen has a wine cellar of some sort, and many of them will invite you in for tasting.  I learned that “oo-la-la” , “tres bonne” and merci beaucoup” go a long way!  I fell in love with Holland,  Belgian chocolate is the best, the Swiss Alps are breathtakingly beautiful.  The the cows there still wear those huge cowbells.  Germans are feisty - and lovers of everything in its place.

Go, explore, live in the moment.

Oh dear all sounds pretty traumatic.  Non smiling shopkeepers would also probably get me down.  Surely there are some that smile.  When I was there a few years ago for a pretty short visit it did vary, smiles in lots of Riga shops, mixed reactions in Ventspils and Balva.  Good point though, I agree it is probably the small things you take for granted that get you down.

I say get your papers in order, pay your bills 4 months in advance,  buy an open ended ticket good for 1 year, pack your bags & go.  You may become the touchstone for your daughter’s family when they arrive.

If you never go you will always regret it.

Aija,

I hope you do make the move.  It’s no secret that I encourage trimda Latvians to move here - so few have it is sad.  I moved here permanently from England in 2000 and I have had no regrets at all.  I live in the countryside near Limbazi.  It will be a culture shock because Latvians are different to Australians/British/Americans (and have, I have no doubt, always been).

One observation - isn’t it strange, given that Latvia needs inbound Latvian immigration, that none of the trimda Latvian community websites give any advice whatsoever on moving to Latvia. :)

Džons

Sveiki!

Džon, I’m not sure that émigré organizations should attempt to duplicate the info that is available from the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (in Latvian : PLMP).  (Just my 2 cents. : ) )

Aija, if you haven’t already seen it, you might want to take a look at the English language booklet that you can download from: http://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/pakalpojumi/useful_information.html

Some of it does seem geared to those repatriating from Russia, and a few things (e.g., ticket prices for public transportation) are out-of-date, but there is general information that might be of use.

Visu labu,

Elizabete

PS Btw, I strongly agree with Ilze:  go for a 3-6 month stint and see how you like it! : )

Paldies to all -

Ilze - Definitely a good idea for me to go for an extended visit and see how it all goes.  You are right I would always regret it if I didn’t try.  I am sort of prepared for a culture shock but it will be good to get an idea of how much this would be.  I don’t know why I didn’t think of this, probably caught up in the emotion.

Dzons - Oh I really hope that I can make the move as well.  I am so glad to hear that you have no regrets.  I didn’t know about the booklet that Elizabete sent me the link for and it really good but agree some more informal general information on the community websites would be wonderful to get a feel of life in Latvia.  When I visited people must have thought I was some sort of savage because here when you buy something you put the money/card directly into hands of the seller, took a bit of thought on my part to put it in the little plate.  Just things like that.

Elizabete - I will read the booket with interest it does seem to have a lot of information.  The more I can get the better.

So, it doesn’t seem to be a totally mad thought - how exciting.  The current plan is to go for an extended visit in about 2 years or so but before that to practice reading and writing Latvian so I am not so totally ignorant.  If it does all work how I would be so happy, like a dream finally coming true.  Any recommendations of the best ways to do this?

Aija

AijaM et al.,

When you go to Latvia plan to spend some time there in the middle of the winter, and see how you like it.

Visu labu,

I endorse Bruno’s advice.  One important thing for me (apart from falling in love with Latvia on my first visit) was and is the real seasons we have here, unlike England.  I love all the seasons, but my brother, who lives in Brazil, hates the cold, and has said that he won’t visit in winter again.

Ahh winter!  Yes, this is definitely something to experience before any final decision.  It was early December on my only visit and the short days were actually sort of nice.  Still being from Australia the coldest weather probably the lowest consistent temperatures I have experienced are nights of between -2 to -7c with days about 10c.  How long are the winters, or really I mean how many months of grey skys and dim days. 

Thank you all for the encouragement and good advice.

Sveiki AijaM!

You sound exactly like me!  No daughter though! LOL!  My brother moved to Latvija in 1991 and has NEVER regretted it!!  My parents bought an apartment building in 1995, and that is where he lives now in Agenskalns district.  My mother moved over in 2002 after my father died, but unfortunately, she just passed away this past August at the young age of 91! 
So, I too am seriously thinking of moving there - I too can not write in Latvian, or read it too well either, but speak Latvian…  because of the economy here in the U.S. isn’t that great - looking for a job for 4 years isn’t fun either, so have semi-retired and living on Social Security.  But the only problem is that my husband’s asthma really acted up when we visited back a few years ago; solution for that - I thought might be we travel somewhere else during those months!  LOL!
Yes, some of the shop keepers aren’t that friendly, but I believe it’s getting better…  not like in Soviet times! LOL!
Are you a Latvija citizen?  If so, you don’t have to worry about medical needs, as they do take care of you there, as I unfortunately, found out the last time I was there - only paid 5 lats to see a doctor and have x-rays done!
Also, it depends on ‘where’ you want to live there too - the countryside is really nice - like Sigulda and Valmiera!  Good Luck!

Sveika, Aija!
I have been following the discussion about your desire to relocate to Latvia with your daughter and son-in-law. I encourage you to do what your heart says, but also explore potential pitfalls. You say that your Latvian language skills need brushing up, but you imply that your daughter and son-in-law do not speak Latvian at all. If that is so, how do they expect to make a living in Latvia? One really needs to be trilingual (Latvian, English and Russian) to get the better jobs, especially in the service industry. How many times have they visited Latvia to be able to make a decision to move there permanently? Do you have close relatives and/or good friends that have moved there recently who can assist you in the first months until you establish yourselves? Where do you plan to live – in Rīga, in some other city or in the countryside? Each has its own pluses and minuses, but they are not alike!
Just a personal note: I have visited Latvia more than a dozen times, most recently this September, and have stayed there between two weeks and two months at a time. I have many relatives and good friends living in Latvia, but unless my children and grandchildren move there, I do not plan to move to Latvia, my country of birth, permanently.
Good luck to you!
Lauris