Week 1 of 104 in Fier!

I have now been in Fier for a whole week! I’ve gone to the office everyday from 8am to 4pm, unless to follow-up with a connection I had made the last time I visited. Things are getting off to a semi-slow, but good start! My counterpart has been finishing up the budget, so I haven’t seen too much of him. Instead, I sit in my office down the hall with 2, sometimes 3, other colleagues. I read the development strategy book and try to find opportunities to talk to my co-workers (who are all very friendly). Already, one of them and I have made a pact that the air-conditioning should stay at 27, instead of down at 25.

I have also been meeting with a woman from a local organization who sometimes worked with my predecessor. In the next three weeks, I will be presenting on local government in the US for 20 people from the Democratic party and some other, smaller parties, and then for the Socialist party. When I was taking the local government class in graduate school, I would think, “What in the world am I going to do with all of this information?” Well, I am going to use it to present to Albanians while serving in the Peace Corps!!!

I’ve also had some learning experiences, including:
-When you do the double-kiss to greet or say good-bye, you go to your LEFT first! Otherwise, you have some awkward encounters!

-Be careful of pronunciation of some words because many of them sound very similar but have different meanings! Go to Laura’s blog at http://bluerhighways.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/languages-shqip/ for a good description of some of the intricacies of the Albanian language.

- Ardenica is a beautiful place, and when you all come to visit, we will go! If you want ANY information about Fier, I will be like my co-worker and point you directly to the website: bashkiafier.gov.al

-I need to stop liking cereal so much! It is expensive, relatively. Per shembull (for example), I can buy one onion, 2 peppers, and 2 cucumbers for around 100 Leke ($1). One small box of generic corn flakes is 160 Leke ($1.60). In the US fresh foods are typically more expensive than packaged, so I do appreciate that it is easier to eat healthier here. Yet, I have been living off of cereal for 24 years, and this will oddly be hard!

-Even though I was away from other volunteers for only a week, I missed them more than I expected. On Friday, Kristen and I went into Tirana for an Outdoor Ambassadors fundraiser. It was soooo fun to see everyone and to explore the city a bit. I have also sent 200 text messages in a period of 7 days.

-Life will be at a slower pace here. I remember a girl in college asking me how I survived life in South Africa because I am “well…rather…uptight.” I remember telling her that I was fine when I lived there because I adapted to the culture which I knew was slower. The same will be true for me here. I will have to wait for busses that will probably be running late. Going to the tregu (outdoor market) to buy something will be a morning event, not just something you do on your way home from somewhere else. I’m sure I will still get frustrated, but when in Albania!

-I am quickly growing an intense distaste for car honking. Wedding parties honk as they drive down the street; people honk to say hello to another car or a person on the street; honking says “I am passing you when I shouldn’t;” honking means “don’t pull out because I will probably hit you if you do;” furgon drivers honk when they think someone just standing along the street obviously doing something else wants to wants a ride in their furgon; and it happens, I think, just because people want to honk. Shhh!

-Graciousness is so abundant here. Definitely learning something from that.

I am still working on getting internet and showing my still slightly-disorganized apartment. BUT! I do have an address, so if you want it, let me know!

Missing you!
Sus