Teenagers ages 13-15 are invited to participate in the second “Heritage Latvia” English-language tour sponsored by the American Latvian Association. The trip is scheduled July 12-27.

The tour is designed to introduce youth to the homeland of their ancestors. It will concentrate on what is “unique about Latvia, including its history, culture, environment and geography,” the ALA said in announcing the tour.

The trip will begin and end in Rīga, and will include visits to a number of landmarks and cities around the country. Youth also will visit two schools in Latvia.

The first “Heritage Latvia” tour was in July 2006.

For further information, contact trip organizer Anita Juberts, American Latvian Association, 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. Juberts also may be reached by telephone at +1 (301) 340-8719 or by e-mail at projekti@alausa.org. An application form in Microsoft Word format may downloaded from the ALA’s Web site.

Most Latvian learning opportunities outside of Latvia are geared towards children. But many adults would like to learn Latvian as well.

Individual teachers in various locations offer private lessons to students of all levels. These teachers work independently and most do not advertise anywhere, so they may be difficult to find. In an effort to help those with a genuine interest in learning Latvian, here is the beginning of a partial list of teachers offering private lessons. This is only a listing of teachers; all further contact—such as negotiation of lesson times and prices—is between you and the teacher.

Another option is to contact the Latvian school nearest you and ask whether they also offer adult language classes. Some schools do, but usually only on an on-demand basis.

If you yourself teach Latvian, editor@latviansonline.com and we will be happy to add you to our list.

Australia

New South Wales
Vija Sieriņa
13 Ellen Street
Ryde 2112 NSW
(02) 98887029
antins@ozemail.com.au

Queensland
Rasma Teichmanis
17 Wellington St.
Brisbane QLD 4000
(07) 3369 2169

Victoria
Baiba Ziedare
jekabs@techinfo.com.au

Europe

Belgium
Ineta Cara
Brussels
carins@tvnet.lv

Belgium
Jana Saudvide
Brussels
jsaudvide@hotmail.com

Great Britain
Daina Vītola
56 Springmeadow Lane,
Uppermill,
Oldham OL3 6HH
England
Home telephone: 0044 (0)1457 878300
Mobile telephone: 0044 (0)7745 398727
dainavitols@yahoo.co.uk

Hungary
Lāsma Ģibiete, mag. philol.
Berzsenyi ter 2
9701 Szombathely
Hungary
Telephone in Hungary: +36 70 283 5892
Telephone in Latvia: +371 29844524
lasmag@navigator.lv or lasmag2007@inbox.lv

Italy
Liene Salmiņa
Varese, Italy
Telephone: +371 2781 2827
lienesalmina@gmail.com

Luxemburg
Jolanta Erlate
erlate@gmail.com

Switzerland
Ilze Schorderet
Mutschellenstrasse 37
8002 Zurich
Switzerland
Home telephone: 0041 44 201 16 77
Mobile telephone: 0041 78 648 86 37
schorderet@inbox.lv

United States

Illinois
Sandra M. Nīkurs
Chicago, IL
+1 (773) 243-6878
sandranikurs@yahoo.com

Minnesota
Skaidrīte Štolcere
4654 Fillmore St. N.E.
Columbia Heights, MN 55421
+1 (763) 571-8680
mstolcers@earthlink.net

Minnesota
Maija Zaeska
3900 44th Street
Delano, MN 55328
+1 (763) 972-2521
zaeska@spacestar.net

Nebraska
Inga Ripperger
12216 Pierce Plaza, Apt. 201
Omaha, NE 68144
+1 (402) 708-0904; +1 (402) 884-9629
miljons3@inbox.lv

New York
The New York Latvian School in the Bronx/Yonkers also has a language class for adults. For more information see this page or contact the director of the school Laura Zāmura at klzamurs@aol.com.

Virginia / Washington D.C. area
Irēna Woodruff
Alexandria, VA
+1 (703) 684-6009
lektore@inbox.lv

Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Latvian School offers a language class for adults. For more information write to Renāte Blennert at blennertre@comcast.net.

Russia

Moscow
The Latvian Cultural Society offers Latvian language courses for adults. Classes begin in September and meet at the Society’s office at Engels Street 21 (next to the Baumanskaja metro station) in Moscow. For more information and to register, contact teacher Leonīds Kotovičs at Kotovich@mirea.ru or tel. 8 (916) 317-0562.

Atzīmējot rakstnieces Zentas Mauriņas 110.dzimšanas dienu, izsludināts Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienības Izglītības padomes konkurss “Zenta Mauriņa un mūsdienas”.

Mauriņa bija pasaulē pazīstama latviešu rakstniece, kura slavena ne tikai starp latviešiem bet arī vāciski runajošās valstīs. Viņa 1969.gadā kļuva par PBLA Tautas balvas laureātu, bet 1971.gadā apbalvota ar Vācijas FR kanclera Konrada Adenauera prēmiju.

Rakstniece dzimusi Latvijā 1897.gadā, dzīvojusi Zviedrijā un Vācija kopš 2. Pasaules kara. Mauriņa nomira 1978.gadā Šveicē, bet ir apbedīta Vācijā.

Mauriņa bija filozofe, rakstniece, esejiste, filozofijas zinātņu doktore. Rakstījusi gan latviski, gan vāciski. Viņas darbi tulkoti angļu, itāliešu, krievu, zviedru, holandiešu, somu un dāņu valodās.

Vairāk informāciju par konkursu var iegūt interneta lapā www.gramata21.lv. Konkurss domāts jauniešiem no 9. klases līdz 25 gadiem. Uz konkursu jāpiesakās līdz 1.martam.