Hello again

In what I suppose is a not so surprising turn of events, Albanians like fudge! By which I mean they liked my b-day cake, after all it did have a fudge base. Still waiting to go talk to the school director. The weather is beginning to get warmer, and with it my days nicer. I go to a local cafe sometimes to study, and it appears I have gone enough for them to know my order (granted there are not that many to choose from). I am starting to plan a trip to the Balkans, which is of course not until August, but I love having things to look forward to!

It's my birthday! And other happy news...

Ok, so no luck yet on the whole getting pictures off my camera thing but yes luck with things looking up around here! I finally got my heater to work, and while it does appear to put lots of slightly smelly/smoky, gas/smoke into my house... it's warm (well as warm as a drafty house can get)! It's my b-day today, so I spent last night baking a cake, I'm not really thinking the ladies in the Bashkia will be all that impressed, but hey the more and more I live here the more and more I'm taking the saying "it's the thought that counts" to heart. 

I found a similarity to the US... about every other woman I meet (esp those over the age of 40) has some variation of the name "Susan" (Suzan, Suzana, Suzi, ect), who knew cultural similarities would span to things like this?

I finally worked up the nerve to go talk to the health center. If we remember my old fear of making telephone calls (I used to cry, until I took that series of Hillel telemarketing/ Cornell phone survey jobs) we might realize why this going to talking to people (it's like a cold call but in person) has been so difficult for me. But I did it! It may or may not have resulted in people thinking I'm pregnant though.... you would think by now that I would realize you shouldn't go up and ask "to see the women's doctor," aka the pregnancy doctor. I did clear it up with the doctor that I was only going for a project. Shijak is a small community though and people talk, I promptly went to the Bashkia and said if you hear any rumors... not true! It's good that I'm beginning to make friends there enough that we can laugh at incidents such as these.  I was told by the doctors to "come back on Monday" and I wasn't sure whether I would be leading a fitness class (the project I went to talk to them about), if I would be doing things w/ pregnant women or just women from the community (I don't really know enough to be leading pregnancy fitness classes), or just talking to the doctors. Needless to say I prepared for all three, and luckily enough it was the last (just talking to some doctors). It was one of my first times since I got here that I got an actual "yes" to something I asked (not just a yes to appease me so I would stop asking). I'm hoping I can keep moving in this positive direction, I got a confirmation from a women at work that I will be going to talk to the school directors today. 

I went up North this weekend to Shkoder for another one of our Northern potluck dinners, There was an awesome abundance of Chinese food to celebrate the new year. I however chose to be lazy and cook root veggies (Chinese food isn't exactly my specialty). I am working my way through endless Moosewood recipes and should be a much better cook when I return to the States. 

My dad found a journal I kept when I was 11 and went to Alaska, I'm beginning to worry that this particular blog entry is sounding scarily like that 11 year old writing...

Various little tasks are keeping me busy, we're working towards the outdoor ambassadors (oa) camp, I'm trying to plan some hikes for this summer to get up on Bunker trails, trying to start a fitness class in town, design a newsletter for the Bashkia (they didn't ask, but maybe if I just show up with it they will be pleased), and trying to actually start an oa group in Shijak. The new group comes in a month so preparations for that are starting to hit full swing (I can't believe it's been almost a year). 

I have already completed 2/6 New Years resolutions (learn to control the mane known as my hair and apply makeup), what are the other 4, you ask? Well I would like to make a banjo and learn how to play it (1), travel to 3 more countries (2), read 20 books (3), and lastly ace my GRE (4). Sorry this is useful info, I'm not really sure why I'm sharing it, most likely the combination of coffee and the fact I'm pretty excited to learn how to play the banjo....

Anecdotes

I am very sorry about the long time no talk, I just haven't really had all that much to say. Things are becoming much more mundane, which I view as positive. So here I offer you, as I usually do, a series of unrelated stories, thoughts, opinions, and happenings. I hope you enjoy! Oh and I'm working on getting the program to get pictures off my camera on this computer, so pictures will come soon.

I went to Istanbul about a month ago now. I enjoyed the trip and had some interesting experiences. Yes the Turkish baths are just as entertaining/scary/funny an experience as they're cracked up to be. Nothing like being all up in an older Turkish ladies business (or her being all up in yours).

I came home to New Years, a huge holiday in Albania, which I spent sick in bed. Luckily here in Albania everyone lights fireworks so I was able to drag myself outside to see a show without infecting anyone or scaring the young children by how disheveled I was.

The other day I was relaxing inside and periodically heard a commotion. I thought nothing of it until I stepped outside to find myself in a stare down with a turkey on my patio wall. I don't think I won, but I made it to the bathroom without it attacking me, so I suppose it might have won the battle but I won the war. I'm starting to think I'm actually going crazy though and it was just in my head. If anyone could confirm either way that would be nice.

Turkeys aren't the only thing hanging around these days. I'm hearing the termites again, and the cats are back on the roof. I really understand why they call them cat fights after the scrambling and sounds (most likely weasly) that I hear from the roof. Really starting to feel like an old cat lady.

I asked my mayor if I could lead an exercise class in the community. She responded by questioning whether I had interested people. While my plan had been to post a flier this seemed to be not good enough, so instead I will be leading exercise classes in the Bashkia. This image might not be as entertaining to you as to me, but trust me, it will be entertaining and I will take pictures.

And a real one

Sorry, I also wanted to put out a real post. For those of you who have talked to me recently you might have realized that I'm having a pretty tough time here. Sometimes it feels like I just can't go one full day without something bad happening (4/7 days this week). I could lie and tell you all that it's easy to keep in high spirits and value every minute-- but yes, that would be a lie. So what does keep me going?

Recently I've had more luck integrating into my community. I am starting to make a few friends, and even though most of our interaction occurs over facebook I have high hopes that it will migrate to the real world. New store owners are starting to get to know me as I venture into new places, or meet other people who work at the same ones. Yesterday while buying cheese cloth I had a conversation (which I only 1/2 understood because I can't understand most males when they speak Shqip) about universities, studying and Eskimo culture. Just the other day an old friend and shop owner invited me behind the counter to have lunch with her and her 2 sons, yes one of her sons thought I was 19, but it was a quite enjoyable lunch.

And then there's the hope that I'm learning and gaining. Sometimes I do worry about the negatives that I will bring home (here I am sometimes less considerate to others in public places due to the lack of organization and need for pushiness), but there are many larger lessons that I hope will carry on. For instance, approaching organizations and communities at home should be easier, after all most of them will speak English. Surely now I am more able to roll with the punches (blender breaks, no problem! I'll hand grind, that doesn't work? Ok I'll try mashing, still no? I guess I'll just make an apple pie instead), I am forever learning that things will NEVER work out the way I plan (you think I would have learned this lesson a little better during my evacuation from Katrina but hey). I will take away patience which will be endlessly important in my future career (planning has lots of bureaucracy too).

Lastly there might just be a little bit of my personality involved. We all know how long I'll follow through on things (I was a phone survey person for 4 years, took piano lessons for 8 even though I wasn't ever really going anywhere with that), and I've always enjoyed a challenge. This challenge has yet to bring out the best in me as they usually do but I do believe in time.

Some of my faveorit sites which I have not yet shared

Just some things I've seen along the way

- The auto school car parallel parking with half of the car accidentily on the sidewalk.... with nobody but the driving instructor in it

- My neighbor putting a flower into a toy gun

-A car getting fed up with the traffic on a round about and deciding to just drive through the middle

-A woman begging for money while smoking a cigarette

-A woman in her 40s wearing a shirt that read in large sequins something along the lines of "too slut"

-Countless young boys trying to look really tough while riding around on hot pink scooters

-"Obama Pens"

- A man telling a poor unsuspecting tourist all about how he was once a drug dealer/trafficker, just because the man spoke English (ask the parents about this one)

-A "Cars to sell" dealership

Well, it appears as if I've improved

A few weeks back I wrote about my difficulties in communicating Jewish holidays to those around me (in my defense, they are slightly difficult and use lots of words that don't really come up in daily conversation here). Well today I think I at least 1/2 managed to communicate the story of Hannukah to my Bashkia members. Well at least they understood that it had something to do with oil and it lasting longer than it should have, and something to do with G/d. I suppose it was probobally close to my translation of the man in the castle in Berat to my Parents...
Him: "Shqip, Shqip, Shqip, Shqip, Shqip"
Me: "Um, earthquake was there and did... something... and then... flying monkeys?"
No but really, I think they actually understood. They also for the first time actually enjoyed my cooking, but of course it was latkas. I mean even I was thinking to myself as I was cooking them that latkas are more proof that Jews have at least a few things really figured out. Well except the health thing apparently, but pshah. While the latkas were a hit, the mixing them with apple sauce was not. Turns out I have something in common with Albanians; they like their salty food salty, their sweet food sweet, and the two are not to mix.Well we'll work on the trying of new things with them, after all I still have quite some time here.

Even more uselessness

First I would like to start off by saying I really enjoy the word "throwables." Thank you once again teambuilding for making this world a better place.

I type this on a new computer which I bought for myself (yay!) which for those of you who know me well know how exciting this really is. Let's recap:
 Toshiba was born in 2005, where it was bought for Architecture work at Tulane university. It would suffer a rough childhood, as it was accidentally neglected as it's mother fled to Cornell university to escape the floods. It would never recover from this neglect, and would punish it's mother (me for those who have not caught on) henceforth. It accomplished this by: 1. randomly deciding that when I would press a key it would type a letter it would instead complete a command, leading to the keyboard and hard drive needing to be replaced (multiple times). 2. Getting a virus which would be there for years and my friends spent totals of over 10 hours trying to remove "you know that email saying 'enable harder erections'? That's YOUR  computer sending that out... 3. receiving 2 or 3 other viruses which would do things like make the internet not work, or type letters backwards in words 4. randomly deleting the Ethernet connection. Yes it was a very angry computer. It's still around, but I just wanted to share my immense happiness over this new one.

I had a good weekend to escape some issues (see below) that I have been dealing with. I went into Tirana to spend some time with friends, and was able to see Harry Potter in theaters (yes I know it came out a while ago for most of you, but some of us have to wait for the subtitles to be available). The movie was very enjoyable, but a different cultural experience going to an Albanian movie theater. We got kicked out of the seats we were sitting in, learning that the seats were numbered, only to go to ours to find people sitting in them. There are no "remember to turn off your cellphone" reminders, and that showed throughout the movie, and many people felt it great to talk through the movie. Reminded me more of what you will see in older movies about cinema in Italy, which is maybe why it did not annoy me quite as much as it usually would, or maybe just because it was HARRY POTTER.. Ahem sorry about that. It was amazing how excited we all got over processed cheese and nachos (both things we never really ate at home, but exciting in their novelty and Americanness). Later we went out for Chinese food (again super exciting, y'all don't understand how amazing it really is and most likely won't until you don't have access to it). Later we drank some imported beers (the first good beer I've had since being in country, which has in fact been a little difficult for me). Really it's the small things that rock my world right now, and I can't even imagine how grateful I will be when I return home.

I write this useless information to take my mind off of the more unhappy things that are going on around me. I had a WONDERFUL visit and travel with the rents, but upon arriving I began to wonder if I will ever catch a break. Friday, as my parents flew out, I awoke to find water dripping from my ceiling, oozing down my walls, and streaming in from the floors. Although the flooding was minimal, it was annoying to say the least, and in combination with the other problems that I have been having with my house has prompted me to look for another place. This unfortunately does not look like it will happen (I asked around today and people generally thought there was no other place for me to move into). So I payed for 2 months more internet and settled into the idea that I will continue to live in this house which has caused so many problems.

I am also deeply saddened by the passing of my neighbor, tutor, and friend Rovena. She was a wonderful woman, and although I had not seen her in months due to her sickness, I still  considered her my closest friend in this community. Rovena was an intelligent woman who was doing great things for her community (teaching about recycling, working hard to ensure the highest quality of education for her students, just to name a few things), and her loss is a blow not only to all who knew her but the entire community.

Not that I actually have anything to say (a series of rambling thoughts)

I remembered how Eastern European I really am. My diet for the past week and a half has consisted of all things cabbage: cabbage salad, stuffed cabbage, and most recently cabbage soup. The last is also known as "blue soup" as I used purple cabbage thus turning it a lovely oh so appetizing color of blue.

Sometimes men here will check you out or give you that ever so disturbing look of undressing you with their minds. Recently I've just started to smile and think to myself "if you only knew how hairy my legs are."

I woke up this morning to find puddles of water on my floor, it appears as though water will seep into my house after heavy days of raining. It's ok, it's like a natural mopping system.

Sometimes I think that my computer is trying to save me from myself. I'll be in the middle of a conversation with someone from home and it will just decide "nope, it's time for you to go to bed, I'm going to shut off now." This theory might have more validity if it didn't shut off at all other times of the day as well. But a broken computer means an excuse to buy myself a new one.

My parents are visiting in 11 days, and I couldn't be more excited. Neither could the entire town of Shijak. This might be partially my fault for telling to many people, but I don't think my parents are fully aware of the high amounts of coffees they will be attending with Albanians who speak no English.

I'm thinking of wearing a flea collar around and telling everyone they're really fashionable pieces in America, that feels like I'm abusing my status as only volunteer in Shijak though.

Sometimes I pretend not to understand what people are saying to me. So when I get told "how do you maintain having so much weight when you're a vegetarian," I ignore the fact that in truth I'm being called fat, and respond with the values of eating beans and vegetables.

Be the change

"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Ghandi

It bothers me that this quote is taking on an angrier, reactionary, and accusatory role in my life than it used to. Say it to me a few months ago and I would have talked to you about why I joined the Peace Corps. I took whole courses on "connecting your voice with your touch," aka "putting your money where your mouth is," or simply "not just saying, doing." When I left the quote had such a positive ring to it, a call to charge, true inspiration. And now? Now after being in this country for a few months it has a different tone -- it is the words that I don't want to say calmly to those around me but sometimes scream. I'm not accusing anyone of anything, history can leave hard scars that take a long time to heal, but even though I know this fact my personal emotions and feelings are much different. I will live in this country, in this community for two years, those around me likely their lifetime. So why is it that sometimes I find myself putting in 80% of the effort or even more? I struggle sometimes here as a person who is focused on process and teamwork, in a place where I am really forced to focus on end result (it's not about how the park is made, just if the community gets a park or not). I am having a hard time putting my heart into my work when it is not the work I really believe in. And I think that has to be my answer, process. How can I change my work to understand that no matter what I do or do not accomplish here the process becomes well worth it? I will just have to get back to you on that, but I promise that I will!

Crazy Cat Lady

A long long time ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, or more accurately around 5 months ago when I first moved into my house I found the following items;

• A black trash bag which I was too afraid to touch but was pretty sure held the contents of an old Christmas tree
• A man's leather jacket, still hanging in the front hallway
• A baby crib
• A baby stroller
• 2 small round fuzzy long sheep hair mats
• Various combs
• Cats living on my roof, for a long time I thought that they were rats but then when the noise stopped, and I began to see 2 little kittens around (now named Dimer [pronounced "dee-mer" and meaning winter], and Weasly, Weasly who as you may remember was the cat that spent a brief time living in my house), I realized they were cats
• A creepy backyard complete w/ shed filled with odds and ends, overgrown grass, and a little child's seat in the middle next to a tree (later I would use the shovel and it would end up leaned against that tree creating an even creepier image)
• Various little sculptures made out of shells and what look almost like bones
• Small black and white portrait photographs tucked into the corners of picture frames
• Moldy walls
• Termites in the furniture
• Dust everywhere
• A strange rusty cleaver like thing
• A small dresser filled with shoes
• A lamp of the bust of a woman made out of white plaster with strings hanging down for the hair

Well, I as well as some other people pointed out that I lived in a "cat lady's house," and recommended that to deal with the craziness/creepiness I find a way to incorporate them all into a party, or that I should just frizz out my hair and learn to embrace them. Today I feel as though I have taken that later piece of advice.

Currently I am sitting on my couch (my own personal island) in a sea of floors covered in salt (hey the analogy works quite well, oceans are salty). My hair is a little frizzy as I now have to go through a process of checking my clothes for fleas, showering, drying hair (where the frizz comes in) speedily, rechecking my clothing, getting dressed, re-entering house as little as possible, then leaving. And as far as the crazy cat lady thing goes, this whole process (that and the feeling of having bugs jumping/crawling all over you) is in fact making me go a little bit crazy. As for the cat part, Dimer and Weasly still hang around, as well as their mother "Narcissus", and her new kitten "Ginger," the father "Gandolf" also hangs around some times as well. 

Oh please let me get rid of these fleas soon...

Things you can make in a blender

I bought a blender when I first got here. It cost me an arm and a leg. People gave me a surprised look when I said I bought a blender and wondered "why on earth would she spend her small stipend on a thing like that?" Well here is why (a lovely list of what I have been up to in my blender, completely silly information I will share anyway)

1. Apple sauce
2. Bread Crumbs
3. Smoothies, which I have perfected
4. Gazpacho
5. Hummus
6. Creamed spinach soup
7. Nut, ginger, carrot soup

In other news, I have fleas. They are not fun. I have ranked it in my head of insects that annoy me and this is my list:

1. Lice, these ranked highest due to their constant annoyance and their long process of removal
2. Fleas, Below lice because while they are a constant nuisance, they are not as itchy as lice, removal is just as annoying
3. Mosquitoes, they buzz, they bite, they itch, but at least they're not just interested in you, and they are not super hard to kill
4. Flies, annoying and buzzy but they tend not to bite, plus with a fly swatter they provide me with some good old fashioned entertainment.

wherever you go...

Wherever you go, there’s always someone Jewish

You’re never alone when you say you’re a Jew!

Ok so this song might be true, but what it fails to recognize, or at least tell us little children that listen and take in the meaning of the song is that while they may be there, they might be ridiculously difficult to find. This is my opening to my post about my experience with the high holy days in Albania.

I had always planned to maintain my Judaism while in Albania. I also realized how flexible I needed to be to make this work. Soon after I arrived Passover began and with it my first challenge; how to maintain Passover dietary laws while living with a host family who was already confused about my choice of vegetarianism. At the time my Shqip skills were still slim to none, but at least my heart was in it. I learned a few words to help me out; Jew (which was actually the wrong word Hebreo is the most known here, and truthfully I’m not sure even that word would have helped me in the small village I lived in), bread, slave, and religion. I tried to explain my even more complicated eating rules than usual to my family, my stammering I’m sure came out a little more like this:

                “Because I faith (we hadn’t learned possessives yet). I am the Jew. Before are slave, then are not slave. We leave fast. Don’t eat bread.”

Needless to say this was generally met with looks of confusion from my Jysh (grandfather)—considering that we usually resolved these looks by playing our own little accidental games of charades (Bleta “buzz” says jysh accompanied by flapping of the arms in fast motions, can you guess, that’s right bee. Dele is accompanied by two horns and a scrunching of the face, uh-huh that would be sheep. Yes charades usually were about farm animals, so it goes when you live in a farming community) I decided trying to act out the story of Passover would not be all that productive. Giving up on trying to explain Passover I decided my best option would be to follow the dietary restrictions strictly while out of the house, but while in the house eat one serving of whatever was served to me even if it broke laws and avoid unnecessary items in the house such as bread.

While in pre service I dreamed of moving in on my own to celebrate Shabbat each week. Yes, I would bake challah, light candles, and bless wine. I must admit I have not been all that great with this as Fridays often became about traveling to meet friends to combat the overwhelming loneliness I felt in Shijak. It wasn’t really until the high holidays that I realized that keeping Shabbat was in actually an important part of maintaining my sanity.

With the high holidays approaching I developed a plan; my parents sent me a prayer book and I would do what services I could on my own. I looked up a recipe for challah, and bought some candles (well actually they were given to me as the word for candle is only slightly different from a dirty word and my coworkers were very afraid that I’d mess up on this one thus bringing turpe aka shame upon myself). I was ready.

Soon though I realized all that would be missing; the sound of the Shofar, the feeling of community, and being with family for the most important part of the year. Plan one was to stream services. Obviously there are some inherent problems with this mainly the time zone. After talking to another Jew in the Peace Corps I found out that she had set up bringing some Rabbis to Albania. I will admit I was much relieved to be spending Rosh Hashana with others instead of alone. Unfortunately these plans did not pan out. The Rabbis missed their plane.

While part of me was relieved I did not have to go into Tirana (this was in the height of my giardia), the other part of me broke down. After a quick cry I quickly called my mother who told me she knew this would happen and then offered to skype services with me.  Despite the time difference I saw this as a good option. While it was strange to be part of something and yet alone, it was nice to be with family on this day.

Aside from the unconditional methods of celebrating Rosh Hashanah this year there were aspects which made it incredibly meaningful and special for me. This year Rosh Hashanah fell on the same day as Bajram, then end of Ramadan here. Rosh Hashanah was accompanied by drums, calls to prayer, and my neighbor ringing my doorbell in the middle of my skype service to bring me sweet cake and byrek. I returned the food gift with a bit of challah with raisons. At the risk of being overly sentimental there was something incredibly nice and special about this sharing of food, and the intermingling of songs from my canter and calls to prayer over the loud speaker of the Mosque.  I suppose it’s just that feeling of universality we sometimes, although rarely, feel.

I suppose what I am trying to say is this, my celebrations might be different, my community might be different, but I still have them.  Sometimes it can be overwhelmingly good to feel that I am in the right place at the right time, and I am having a unique experience for myself.  

Until next time, wishing everyone a late shanah tovah, and hoping everyone had an easy fast.

Hi again!

Hi all, sorry for my long absence. So what do I have to report?
1. The stomach problems turned out to be giardia (oh so fun), after 4 pills that issue was taken care of!

2. Work has picked up a little, I have started work at the library updating their paper record copy to being electronic, I also received books for the library which I am very excited about. There are two organizations working in Shijak with women's groups, both which I have become involved with. One is a training, done by an organization where another volunteer in Durres is helping. The other is a women's project to do a "cleaning project." Both of these things were kind of sprung on me, but I am doing my best to roll with the punches and not get upset that I am constantly being told "neser, neser" or "tomorrow, tomorrow." Additionally I should start teaching English lessons at the Bashkia tomorrow, but this too has been postponed on me many times.

3. I bought "pipi corapegjata" or "pipi longstockings," to practice my Albanian. I actually had to argue with the man at the store about paying him. He tried to give it to me as a gift, which I would have been happy to accept had I not accepted his gifts of postcards the week before (given because I am out of town). I told him that it wa for his business and I should pay, and he finally accepted my money. The kindness of Albanians never ceases to amaze me.

4. I realize that I have not written about my neighbors and their awesomeness. My neighbors have temporarily adopted me into their family. Sometimes the mother will ring my doorbell and just hand me plates of food, it is really kind and I try to reciprocate by also giving them food I cook. Unfortunately most of the food I cook is not all that loved by Albanians.

I will update soon with an entry about the High Holidays and Albania but for now I just wanted to say a quick hello!

Not Much to Report

Hi all. My life has been a bit mundane lately. Really all I have to report is that I have been having stomach problems and they are what are ruling my life. These with a combination of the high holidays are once again causing a slight twinge of homesickness. I suppose I feel around the high holidays the way most of my friends are telling me they will feel around Christmas. They are all leaving to go home, having visitors, or leaving the country for it to be special.

And what am I doing for Rosh Hashana? Well I'm attempting to bake a challah which will most likely fail, eating saltine crackers, and maybe going into Tirana for services if those pan out.

I did get to go to Gjirocaster a few days ago which was a very good time. It was a last minute decision but I had a lot of fun exploring the castle in the rain with my friend, and getting my daily exercise by trudging up and down a large hill covered in bricks (think that nasty road in Ithaca that all the cars slip on but vertical).

Likes & Dislikes

One of my favorite games was one created on Friday night while waiting for drinks at the CJL during Shabbat, this lovely game is called the "I hate game." Now many people have criticized this game claiming that it is too negative, depressing, and disheartening -- those who have actually taken the time to play it know that it is quite the opposite. It is relaxing, relieving, a good way of getting to know people, and a down right funny time (the I hate game is not all that serious, often it is simply items like "I hate when people walk with umbrellas too low and you get poked.") To counter the perceived negativity of this game some dear friends of mine (Stacey, Hayes, and Joe) decided to add the "I love game" as an addition to the game, after playing the I hate game for a good hour while having to pick up vans for camp instead of going to the counselor teambuilding (not at all bitter).

So here is my slight own version, a brief list of what I love, and don't love so much about my life here in Albania.

1. I love how you decide where to buy based on who you know and who you like, it makes me feel like people are getting what they deserve.

2. I hate how it is appropriate to talk about weight here. I am often called fat, accompanied by a motion of blowing out the cheeks and putting out the arms in a round motion to the sides. I have told people twice that this is hurtful to me, but of course my Shqip skills tend to go a little (ok a lot) downhill whenever I am upset.

3. I love my friends and community members. They are awesome, and they take care of me beyond belief.

4. I hate living alone.

5. I love my orange trees in the back yard.

6. I hate my lack of freedom. We all know I've never been all that good at listening to what others tell me to do, but have been conflicted with my need to please people. Now imagine that with cultural differences, much of what we take for granted (walking alone in a place you don't know, going out for coffee alone, going to the park) have become things that I cannot do in my community as they are not cultural acceptable, or people worry about my safety, and I respect my friends and coworkers too much to go against what they tell me to do.

7. I love how hospitable Albanians are.

8. I hate how when I want to walk fast everyone is walking so slow... and in groups... or bobbling back and forth. Yes I accept that this is more of a problem of me and my American sensibilities.

That's all for now!

Trivia Tuesdays (3)... On Thursday

Sorry for the delay folks, I've been incredibly busy napping lately.

First the winner of last weeks Trivia Tuesdays:

There were three entries
1. Leslie
2. Mike
3. Meredith

Leslie had 8 wrong answers and 14.5 correct
Mike had 16 wrong answers and 15 correct
Meredith had one very lovely sentence written in Shqip amounting to the equivalent of “is that a banana in your jeans or are you just happy to see me,” which was entirely incorrect.

So with +1 for correct answers, and -1 for incorrect...
1. Leslie: 6.5
2. Mike: -1
3. Meredith -1

So that makes Leslie the winner, and she has won yes a postcard but also a coloring book for Avital. Oh and since Mike did get the most correct answers I will also be sending him a postcard.

The correct answers were:

1. Kastravec, domate, djathë, qumësht, mish, kos, ujë, mollë, pica.
2. It means a female part of the body
3. It is a not really a pie, it is most like spanikopita, with crispy (and oilly/milky) outers, and a filling inside.
4. Smoothie, or bread and coffeee
5. Italian, Greek, Turkish
6. Melons, lemons, pears, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, okra, zukini, yellow squash, eggplant, peppers.
7. Oranges, and grapes
8. From my neighbors!

And onto this weeks question:

1. What 3 places have I lived in in Albania?
2. Name 3 places I have visited in Albania
3. What are the 3 largest cities in Albania?
4. What is the climate like in Albania?

Trivia Tuesdays the 2nd

For some reason whenever I hear "the 2nd, 3rd, ect" I think of dogs named Heidi, yes I do know the reason, damn you family stories!!

Anywhose, and the winner from last week is... drum roll please... .

NAT!

... Granted he kind of knew he won as of yesterday because he asked to be told since he had already made his guess. 

The correct answer was $1.20. Sorry Leslie, you were very close and if Nat had not done the $1.00 you would have won (he was going to do $0.76 but decided he did not want somebody else to do .77 thus beating him in case it was there...)

So congrats, you have won... A POSTCARD!!!

And that brings us to this weeks Trivia Tuesdays, bah bah bah bah!

The theme of this week's trivia is Albanian food, try to get as many right as possible:

1) how do you say the following words in Albanian: Cucumber, tomato, cheese, milk, meat, yogurt, water, apple, pizza.

2) why is it inappropriate to say "peach" in Albanian?

3) what is byrek?

4) what is my most common breakfast?

5) what other cultures influence Albanian food?

6) what fruits and veggies are currently easy to get?

7) what type of fruits can i get from my backyard?

8) where do i get parsley from?

Footnote...

Hey all, I just wanted to add on a little to the last post and say that for the most part the camp was amazing. It was run and organized amazingly, the things which made me upset did not relate to the camp itself but to my perception of Albanian culture. The camp was tons of fun, and the kids played great games (including us making them run after chickens), rock climbed (my hands are completely ripped up but it was worth it), swam (and a few gained some skills), arted, trampolined, and interacted. My frustration comes at a larger level... cheers!

Careful the things you say...

" Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see and learn
Children may not obey, but children will listen
Children will look to you for which way to turn
To learn what to be
Careful before you say "Listen to me"
Children will listen "

- (Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods)

For those of you who don't know me all that well, I grew up with a few things;

1) Watching, over and over, Stephen Sondheim's musical "Into the Woods"

2) Summer camp

3) Being taught that creativity, free thought, encouragement, happiness, and love are the most important things that anyone, especially children, can have in their lives.

I spent three days helping out at a summer camp in Lezhe, ran through the Bashkia for children of poor families, with much help from my fellow Peace Corps volunteers and friends up in Lezhe. Although there were many songs sang this weekend, the one that I have posted is the one which continually played in my head the entire weekend. 
                 

 But why?

A common way of teaching/working with kids in this country is yelling at them and giving them directions of what to do. This weekend for many became about a few colored teams, and gaining points to win the giant competition. Not that I am against competition, I'm just against unhealthy competition. What good are we really doing when we yell at a child who already feels like she can't do much of anything? What are we teaching when we make it all about winning, not even telling the kids to finish if they are not in first place? Why do kids need to be absolutely attentive and quiet and in straight lines, and why do we get so angry if they do their own thing? I watched all weekend as adults stepped in and told the children what to do for skits completely overriding the childrens' original ideas, or yelled at them to run faster, be quieter,  and stand in straighter lines. These actions led me to an extreme sadness at one point, but when I told my friends that it hurt me how children are not encouraged, and creativity is not fostered they just gave me a look and said something along the lines of

"Relax, these kids are having

more fun than they have in a long time..."

Well maybe this is true. Maybe they are enjoying the games, but careful the things you say, children will listen....

1) We say go faster and they can't -- they listen I am not good enough.

2) We say don't finish somebody else already won -- They listen to just give up.

3) We say it's all about a prize -- They listen to only do for themselves and to win and gain. 

4) We say listen -- They listen to rely on other people and not themselves.

5) We say listen -- And they listen but can no longer think.

And these children will someday grow up, these children will become the business men, municipality workers, shop owners, waiters, mothers, and fathers of Albania. 

So Careful the things you do...

Children will look to you for which way to turn

To learn what to be

Ideas

1) you have until next tuesday to finish your guessing...

2) I am working on a people bingo sheet, if anyone has any good ideas as to what should go on it do share!