For those who didn't know, I just got back from a 12 day trip to Vilnius, Lithuania and Zakopane, Poland for a week at the 90th Universal Convention of Esperanto (UK) followed by four days at the 61st International Youth Convention (IJK) (also of Esperanto). The UK had about 2400 participants from about 70 different countries and was geared for adults, though there were both youth and children's programs, too. The IJK was geared toward adolescents, 20-somethings, and people with a young mindset, and was about 600 strong across about as many countries as the UK. Both towns were incredibly happy to have the conventions (foreign money?) and put up Esperanto flags and advertisements everywhere along with television, radio, and newspaper announcements.

I didn't have the ability to imagine how amazing my experience would be; my mental framework just wasn't big enough. I was able to sit and simply talk with people from all over the world in personal one-on-one conversations that concretely demonstrated how amazingly similar people are while still living according to their own culture. This was absolutely my favorite aspect of the entire trip, though both conventions included an unbelievable variety of dances, classes, concerts, art, theater, films, and meetings. If I ever had my doubts about continuing with Esperanto, or I ever thought that the results of two years of language learning weren't worth it, these conventions blew those doubts and appraisals away. Just as an example, I took an improv theater class in Esperanto with Belgians, Germans, Russians, Canadians, Spanish, and Portugalese (and others I can't even name) and absolutely laughed so hard I had to clap with my feet as well as my hands.

I also have to say that I fell in love a little bit at the UK. Her name is Ramune, and she got to me in a way no one else has since my ex-fiancee. She's incredibly attractive, stubbornly positive, giving, caring, open, and we had great chemistry. Maybe it was her, maybe it was the fact that I was only there for a week, maybe I was drunk on Esperanto, maybe it was that I was ready for new experiences and therefore open in ways I haven't been in a while, and maybe it was a combination of these and others I haven't thought of, but regardless, I felt like I shared myself more completely and intimately with her than I've been able to recently and we created a valuable relationship. She gave me a hope that I haven't felt in years. (NOTE: The phenomenon of having a relationship during an Esperanto congress is so common, that the phrase "dumkongresa geedziĝo" (during-congress marriage) is well known in Esperantio.)

significant events

- absolutely and completely living, breathing, thinking, and dreaming in Esperanto
- dancing at the random concert by a Cuban guitarist in the convention hallway
- the improv theater class
- meeting Greter, Akvile, Kaja, Roĝener, Marek, Petri, Aiste, Indre, Martin, Tali, Neringa, Agnieska, Normando, Peter, Heidi, Paŭlo, Beatrix, Karin, Joao, Anna, and too many others to name
- Grutas Park (history park about the Soviet times in Lithuania)
- viziting the village where Zamenhoff (creator of Esperanto) lived
- 18 hour bus ride between Vilnius and Zakopane
- leaving 4 Russians at the border between Lithuania and Poland due to visa problems
- romantic battle-dancing with the crazy Polish woman who didn't like Esperanto (though she was at the convention)
- watching the play "How to Kill Your Wife"
- being told to stop subtitling Star Wars because I wasn't a good enough Esperantist yet
- suddenly needing the music, a costume, and rehearsal so I could perform in Lithuania
- performing my dance "Why I Wear Big Pants" in front of 2400 people from all over the world at the International Art Evening at the UK (to rousing applause, I might add)
- having Normando be my manager and work to get me a dance performance onstage at the IJK
- watching the "Akordo" concert
- participating in the Conversation Round about beauty and it's role in world society
- eating more bread and cheese than I ever have before and loving it
- breakdancing to a traditional Lithuanian band
- having the guts to walk up to Ramune and invite her to sit with me
- watching Esperanto Desperado's concert (even if they were kinda jerks about a couple of things)
- the discoteques in the "crowd-house"
- watching the play "Family Ethos"
- the cat lover's meeting
- dancing at "the ball" (which was basically a funk-r&b-dance night)
- acquiring a complete "dum-kongresa" family: wife (Ramune), two daughters (Kaja and Indre), a son (Greter), a granddaughter (Agnieska), and a sheep (Greter, again)
- saying goodbye to Ramune as she left on the bus for her city
- the two hour taxi ride to the Krakow airport with a Pole who spoke no English or Esperanto
- watching "My Neighbor Tortoro" in Esperanto