70 days to go!

Heads up: This post will be more fun to read if you do so while listening to this.

(It is in Portuguese, but it is popular in Albania (and lots of Europe). Someone please tell me this is on the radio in the US, too. It loses a little of its charm in English, though.)

70 more days! 70 of the 789. One part of me is excited to get HOME (and my impromptu trip to Paris and the world of indoor heating didn't really help that). The other part of me is devastated to leave this place and the people…and a little frightened to start a new life back in the USA. So! Here is my list of things I like so much here and am pretty sure I’ll miss:

• Artioli: When I came here, he was 6 months old. I remember seeing some of his first steps and hearing some of his first words. Now he is this 2.5 year-old kid who constantly says, "Oh Susie! Look at me!" and cries when I head back to my house. Man, is that little kid CUTE!

Artioli at New Years (We play automobiles ALL the time.)

• My office-mates/friends: While working together may be frustrating, I sincerely LOVE these people. They have invited me into their homes and families. They have gotten excited with me and shown tremendous hospitality when my family came to visit me here. They have supported me, even with the small things. These include taking me for my first Albanian haircut, to comforting me when I cried at the post office my first summer, to being excited for me for every package I receive. American office-mates will be great, too, but going through experience with these people is something really special.

Mayor and Chief of Staff…always so kind

Florida, one of my favorite people ever

• Other PCVs: This past week we had our Close of Service Conference which was a lot of fun! I like to think of the 43 of us as a big family. There are some people you get along with great, and there are some people who drive you crazy. In the end, though, there is something that connects you all and there is a knowledge that if you needed someone, he or she would be there for you. When I need to speak Albanian in 10 years, I could call up any PCAL G13-er and do so! This kind of support network doesn’t often exist. There is also something special to be said for my training site mates and my real site mates Kristen and Chris.

G13 at the COS Conference (thanks to whomever took this photo!)

All the Bishqemers made it!

Fierak and 2 Fierake-s in 2010

• Freedom awarded to me by this job: I decided 5 full days at the Bashkia was too much for all parties , so I help teach English once a week at a local school and really like that. It doesn’t make sense for me to arrive at work until 9 (instead of 8), so well, I don’t. I want to Skype with my mom on a Monday afternoon, so I go home at 3 (instead of 4), and that is encouraged. Now, I promise I do not abuse the system and I do wish that everyone held me and themselves to higher standards, but at the same time, the flexibility is nice. Plus! I have gotten to do some incredibly neat things because my job is defined so broadly.

Some of my favorite students...They did an AWESOME Lemur presentation.

• Fresh food: What Albania lacks in variety, it makes up in freshness. You can’t go more than 10 feet without finding fresh fruit and vegetables being sold. While I admittedly do not take full advantage of this, I like having the options.
• Easy public transportation: Stand on the road anywhere and something comes by to pick you up! (There are certain things about this type of transportation that I’m not so fond of, but it will still be strange to leave the furgon/bus system.) Thanks, Nathan, for the video.
• Finding something to celebrate: There is a lot of celebration here. Like a LOT. While again, I wish there was more working, I also like the celebratory mood. Plus! Who doesn’t like a good circle dance from time to time, especially to some "Valle Kosovare"? (Circle dancing is also something special because 95% of people know how to do it, and it really brings people together!)

Circle-dancing at a wedding...gotta love it!

• Being surprised every day: I still am, 719 days later. I'm motivated to keep my American life exciting!