Selonija – How it all begins!

Nearly 6 years ago, when I was 2-nd year student and went to Riga by buss one day, I met Dzintars and we start talking about student corporations. I had no idea what was that, and with Dzintars I also not being acquainted well.  But he started talk with me in such a way he nearly was my best friend  . Of course initially I hardly could understood things what Dzintars was talking about, for instant i had a sparkle in my mind that all that is bullshit or  some sort of  Sect. But we arranged that we encounter some day in  his student corporation,  Selonija.  After day or two Dzintars called me and invited me to “guest evening”. One man (oldermanis) explained for all guests what is Selonija, about traditions and so on. I didn’t like this all and pretended that I am a busy man,  my priority is university,  and i’ll have no time for such things.

After year my room-mate in student hostile Groovy asked me if  I know everything about student corps. He already attended many guest evenings of different student corps, so I remember my encounter with Dzintars. And for fun i agreed with Groovy and Reaalais attend another guest party, because bear is for free . So, in that year i changed my mind about student corps and join to Selonija, because there was few my acquaintances from Vecpiebalga. Groovy and Reaalais joined to corporation named Patria, because i think there were a lot of bear parties rather that other corps including Selonija.

In first year after I joined my status was “new one”,  called also as godson, freshman, fellow and so on. So my tasks was quite simple singing, dancing, fencing,  uncorking bear bottles, and studying history and traditions of Selonija.  So it was as it is in restaurant where you are waiter and others is owners of the restaurant, and quite often there comes restaurant clients from other student corporations. There are a lot’s of grades and professions of members of the corps. As i mention i was “new one”, after one or two years you become a comilton (com!) and after a while a filister (fil!). com! are being putted in professions. Each profession take care of different tasks, for example olderman (care of new one members), senior (main face of student corp) fencing master, and so on.

After i become a com! in same time i become a fencing master. So I realy loved fencing and with excitement I taught younger members. There was a lot’s of activities for example travel to Germany and Estonia to visit student corps there. A lot’s of friends and so on. But then i loose a special feeling and soon decided to leave. This was about 2 years ago, but few days ago I chated with Māris from Selonija  in skype, and he asked me “Where i have been lost?” And soon decided that I wonder to bee taken back.

…(to be continue)