Susan in Albania

Staying warm...or not

2012-01-05T18:17:00.002+01:00

So, it is COLD in Albania in January. I know I'm not in one of the coldest sites by any stretch, but that doesn't mean it isn't cold. Plus, being in only a mildly cold place, we are less equipped to deal with it as we don't have wood stoves in every home or classroom. My little electric heater doesn't do much in my rather large house.

I have a few strategies to keep me warm:

I now have SmartWool socks to keep my toes warm (Thanks Mom and Cindy!)
Bringing the Snuggie was the best packing decision EVER (thanks, Peter, for stuffing it in there last minute)
I keep my blow dryer near me so I can blow-dry my fingers from time to time when they get super cold.
I bought some finger-less gloves which help.
Hot water bottles to sleep with are a time tested method.
I head to my neighbor's where more people+more heaters (even a gas one without electricity)+playing cars with Artioli=warmth.
On REALLY cold days I sequester myself in my little room off my kitchen, but that is neither fun nor comfortable.
On no electricity days (sadly, those happen often in the winter) I sleep under tons of blankets, as I don't know what else to do with myself in the dark and cold. I do, however, refuse to sleep in my sleeping bag...that is meant for sleeping outside only.

Still, I look at my strategies and they are nothing compared to others'. (LD has outlined her very effective ones here.)

On the whole, I don't mind the cold. My main method is the one Amy takes on the West Wing, luxuriating in the cold:

*The focus is on :20-:35, but hey! who doesn't love some additional West Wing footage!

2012: an exciting new year

2011-12-30T13:33:00.007+01:00

What a year of expected changes! I have been thinking about 2012 for a LONG time now*, and it is crazy to think that it is here.

I’m circa 83% finished with my service, and this year will finish it off. It will be the year that:

I meet with the 43 of us PCVs remaining for the last time as a big group.
I finish up projects, start new ones, and set up hopeful sustainability/consistency for the next PCV.
I have my final moments with these AMAZING Albanian people that I have met and to whom I have grown attached.
I MOVE BACK TO THE USA! I really can’t get over this one. People ask me often “What is _____ like in the US?” Honestly, I can’t remember, but soon I will find out.
I find a job…like a real one. It will be the time to move past “jobs” to a “CAREER.” That’s what 26 year-olds do, right?
I will get a roommate. I have learned that I do NOT like living by myself.
I maybe find a boyfriend. After all those hundreds of Albanian wishes for me to find a good man, something has to come true!
I celebrate holidays with the blood-line family again.** I think my mom is even more excited for this one than I am!
I visit everyone I miss and not only see faces in Skype but see them in person.
The world ends...yup, that's what that Mayans tell me.

Happy New Year to you!

* I checked, and my first reference in email to 2012 was back in April 2008.
**I still like celebrating these in the makeshift Albania style, too.

Merry Christmas (post-Christmas)

2011-12-28T21:27:00.008+01:00

I hope everyone had the merriest of Christmases!

Mine was quite wonderful, spending it in Permet with good friends. We talked a lot, ate A LOT, and had loads of merriment. LD was the greatest host.

Here are some photos to explain:

Permet's winter village*

Snow on the mountains in Permet...wish I had something more picturesque, which Permet definitely is.*

Santa "magically" goes up and down the chimney...I totally want one!*

Molly and Laura making frosting

Christmas snacks...except that popcorn was a TOTAL, fumey disaster, tasting nothing like the strawberries and cream it was supposed to! Sorry, Laura and Molly, if I took a day or two off your life!*

Laura bought a nut cracker, and I maybe had too much fun.*

Christmas "palm" with presents underneath (There were more, but I photo-ed after the fact.)

One of my contributions to dinner (not as good as my Aunt Susie's)

Laura, the charming hostess, with her delicious chicken

*Photos taken from LD and AD.

Catching up!

2011-12-05T20:38:00.011+01:00

So! I am super-far behind on my updates.

Here's a picture-heavy post of what I have been up to:

Hike in Valbona/Thethi, Albania and trip to the North of Albania

Ferry ride in Koman

Valbona

Between Valbona and Theth (about 2 hours into the 7 hour hike)

Looking into the valley

Group, hanging at the high pass

Made it to Thethi!

Summer Cinema implementation

After being on TV

Yup! It was happening!

Watching the romance film

Trip with Dad in Albania, Bulgaria and Romania

Dinner with the Bashkia +

Meeting the host family

Sofia, Bulgaria

Brasov, Romania (Probably the best city in the world...I didn't say it; the umbrellas did.)

Sighisoara, Romania

Sibiu, Romania

Bucharest, Romania

Mommy and Me (Finally!)

Listening to Miffy

Trip with Florida to Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia (where over 1,000 photos were taken over 5 days)

Belgrade (I saw Florida like this A LOT.)

More Belgrade, Serbia

Skopje, Macedonia (Alexander the Great was Macedonian, FYI.)

Ohrid, Macedonia

More Ohrid, at the lake

Every day Bashkia work and teaching English 1 day/week to 8th and 9th graders (The photos of these activities would NOT be exciting.)
Oh, and watching WAAAAY too much Gossip Girl. (Yes, Mom, I know this is embarrassing...almost as much as when I listed Dawson's Creek as my favorite TV show on Facebook.)

I have 6 months to go and lots more photos to take!

Sisters

2011-08-26T23:23:00.004+02:00

I am one of two children, one boy and one girl. I had always liked it that way. Things were even.My brother and I got equal attention from each of our parents. We were able to sit comfortably in any kind of car. I was the little one, too, and let’s admit it-I often got my way. I was (am?) a great whiner. I never had a sister, and I never really felt I needed/wanted one.[1]

And then I met Xhuli…As written about before, I lived with Xhuli’s family for 10 weeks during Pre-Service Training. Xhuli, then 16, and I bonded right away. We practiced English, exercised, played a LOT of cards and Sorry!, got annoyed with each other sometimes, and talked about our lives. She is now 18 and a high school graduate. She has grown up so much, and I am glad to be a part of that process. We refer to each other as sisters, and I feel like that is what we are.

Xhuli leaves for Greece to live for at least the next three months. I am, in one word, devastated.This is partly for selfish reasons because I liked seeing her every 5 weeks and playing cards, going for walks, and having sleepovers in the living room. I liked talking to her on the phone once a week and sending one rings[2]. I am sadder though because she is moving to live with her 28-year old fiancé, a man who says he is still unsure whether he wants to marry her or even loves her. This bright, energetic girl wants to go to university but is not being allowed the opportunity. Her engagement at 15 is keeping her from so much that she wants.

There is much more to this story, but the details are hers to share. I wish there was something to really do about it.[3] In the meantime, we stay positive! We talk, confide, and laugh. I just want my sister to be happy.

Me with Xhuli, the sister I never knew I needed

[1] Sister-in-laws are a different story. My brother chose a good one.

[2] One-rings are great! If you don’t want to make/pay for an actual call, you just one-ring someone. They one-ring you back, and it is the equivalent to saying “Hi, I’m thinking about you!” It can also be used to notify someone that you have arrived or the answer to his/her text is “yes.”

[3] I’ve tried talking to her parents. I have encouraged her to talk to her parents. Supposedly, this is a “problem without a solution.”

Week-long Beach Vacation and I’m as White as Ever

2011-07-21T12:07:00.002+02:00

“You were at the beach, Susan?”

“One week in Dhermi? Really?”

“Are you sure you went to the beach? I/she/he/your mom is browner than you.”

Yup! I was at the beautiful beaches of Dhermi and Himare for 6 days.* My good friend, Florida, very nicely invited me on her Albanian family vacation. I also stayed with 2 different Volunteers who live along the Albanian Riveria. I went for the fun of being with my friends, NOT for being at the beach. This girl is NOT meant for the sun.

I spent a good share of my vacation with my t-shirt and shorts still on, crouching under the umbrella, moving my towel every 10 minutes to stay out of the sun, and used a whole bottle of sunscreen. That didn’t stop me from burning my back so much that I was on Advil for 2 days to dull the pain and was still peeling over a week later. Again, this girl is NOT meant for the sun!

I am still relatively white, too, hence all the questions listed above. Admittedly, these questions are pretty annoying. I want my response to be, “Do you want to see my stomach? Now that is white.” I know better though. And the reason my stomach is so white? I wear a one-piece swimsuit. And the response to seeing the one-piece? “Sa gjynah!” (What a pity!)

*I wish I had pictures for you, but I don't. My camera cable is lost somewhere between Crystal Lake and Fier.

Summer Internships…Albanian Style

2011-07-20T14:34:00.004+02:00

From June 20 until 8 July, the Bashkia hosted 9 high school students as part of a summer internship program. This might qualify as my favorite project thus far (though the One-Stop-Shop Information Office is still REALLY awesome).

Here is the project’s plan… and then how it went…

Plan	Actual Implementation
1. Convince the Bashkia this is a good idea	1. Convinced them…only after I said we’d apply for a small grant to get $3,000 for the Bashkia (this has since improved, and more people think it was a good idea!)
2. Collect applications and choose 10 high school students	2. Chose 10…which fell to 9, back up to 10, and back down to 9. I think, though, we still chose the best!
3. 8 office visits	3. We had 9! The kids asked really great questions and the Bashkia staff who hosted them did a GREAT job. I was very impressed by all parties.
4. 3 trainings: work styles, ethics, and career development	4. Sukses! (Success!) The kids were interested and the trainers hard workers.
5. Give seminars on project writing	5. It happened…just took longer than expected. The girls could understand my Albanian most of the time…the boys not as much, and they weren’t afraid to tell me. Luckily, my co-workers can understand me and translated.
6. Write the project!	6. The kids picked a topic: a youth summer cinema that would be in 4 different parks in Fier during the September 2011 and then May-Sept of subsequent summers. Writing this, too, took longer than expected. As we progressed, I would write things and the kids would correct them. But still, the kids came up with their ideas all on their own and worked super-hard.
7. Students’ final presentation to Bashkia administration of what they learned and the project they wrote	7. BETTER than expected! I was super-proud of the kids. They spoke for 30 minutes, congratulated everyone who helped out, and got people interested in their project. Two of them translated for the Peace Corps staff member who attended. Administration attendance was high. Kristen came, too. The kids got Armida and me flowers. I shook for an hour after, but it was worth it.
8. Promote our project within the Bashkia	8. We did this AND promoted our project in the media. We gave multiple interviews. We also were on TV Apolon for ONE HOUR! People on the street stopped me and said they saw us. (They even said they understood my Albania!) Again, the kids did great.

All in all, it was above and beyond what I could have expected! The kids did great, and we built a good rapport. I worked my butt off for those 3 weeks following up with stuff the kids just couldn’t do (budgets, etc.). However, I received a ton of support from staff. People have already started talking about doing this again…in the fall and again next summer. They would even do it without me, which is always the goal.

If you can’t tell by now, this project made me happy. Being in Peace Corps has been a challenge and hasn’t always been fun. Luckily, projects like these make me feel accomplished. It also makes me realize the support and friendships I have here and how I shouldn’t let my frustrations overtake my appreciation of them.

I could leave now and feel good about my service. I won’t though…have 39% of my service left, and there’s a lot to do!

Some photos of the project:

The kids getting their certificates at the final presentation.

The opening of the final presentation. The students went on to do a GREAT job!

On TV Apolon!!!!

Back home after being home

2011-05-25T22:16:00.003+02:00

For 15 days I was in Crystal Lake, IL, to celebrate my brother and new sister-in-law’s wedding.

I LOVED being home. There were so many things I had missed that I got to experience:

Public transportation that wasn’t a death-defying bus or van trip: Chicago Metra trains are AWESOME.
Driving: While I would never want to commute hours to work by car or even drive to have to get to a grocery store, getting away in a private vehicle was a great thing.
Eavesdropping: My Shqip is good but not so good that I can pick up tidbits of conversation when I walk down the street which can be isolating. I got to be as nosy as I wanted in America!
Feeling 1000% comfortable: I got to be back in my Midwestern America culture with the people I care about the most. In connection with the point above, it felt great to completely understand everything that was going on around me.
Calling on the telephone and not worrying how much Leke I had on it
Food! I had 3 chicken salad sandwiches on a plain bagel from Panera because I could. I ate some real cheeseburgers and enough Hersey’s Kisses to last a while (thanks, Mom!). Sadly, Taco Bell didn’t do much for my stomach, but I’ll build my resistance back soon.
HGTV: LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of watching people buy and rent houses...loved it!
Target: ‘nuf said

And while CL felt exceptionally and oddly normal, there were still a few moments when I realized how long I had been away and where I had been:

I almost asked Alia if I could throw toilet paper in her toilet. I got half-way back down the hall to ask her when I realized that question didn’t apply in the city of Chicago.
I was asked a yes/no question, and I sat there paralyzed, not remembering which way I should shake my head. (Remember, in Albania, a “no” shake is an American “yes.”)
People spoke to me in Spanish, and I replied in Albanian…sure, like that helps.
One of the groomsmen gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I turned it into a double-kiss, Albanian style. And that was the one trait I did NOT want to pick up! (See blog post 10-Jan-11, point 5)

While I can’t say yet that I’m LOVING being back in Albania, I’m sure after a few days of a regular schedule I will be fine. It has been nice to see Albanian friends, and I am looking forward to seeing my American PCVs friends, too!

I have less than one year left, and I am determined to enjoy my Albanian home as much as possible before I go!

Gëzuar Pashkët

2011-04-24T22:32:00.005+02:00

He wishes you a Happy Easter!

Albanian Furgon and Bus Trips---Cross-Culture at its Best

2011-04-12T20:17:00.005+02:00

I am a HUGE proponent of public transportation, and having never owned a car, I have very much relied on it.[1] Four years of my life I spent traveling on Pittsburgh Port Authority buses. A year and a half was spent surviving MARTA (oh, Atlanta, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I will ever appreciate you as a city). I loved traveling on mini-buses when I lived in South Africa, being squished in a 9-passenger van with 20 other people and being hollered by the money-takers who hung out the open door. I have ridden it in other domestic and worldwide cities. I have seen and heard much using this transportation (one-sided ridiculous phone calls, fights, making out, flirting (both wanted and not), drunkenness, the list goes on). Yet, no other public transportation experience has been more social than an Albanian furgon or bus ride.

Take today for example: I spent 3.5 hours on buses and furgons to see a friend for 5 hours. (Though not related to the social side of things, my concept of what is a “long” trip has completely changed.) The bus ride there, I asked the man sitting next to me if we were near the town in which I wanted to get off the bus. I often am mistaken for an Albanian, that is, until I open my mouth and my Midwestern accent mixes with my Shqip. Well, the girl in the row ahead heard me and figured I spoke English. She offered the seat next to her to me, and we sat for the next 30 minutes speaking in English. On the way home, I sat next to a woman and her two children. I talked to her briefly (hellos, etc.) and then went back to my one-ear-bud strategy I have adopted.[2] A few minutes later, she said she didn’t want to bother me, but she wanted to ask me questions. We then talked on and off for the rest of the 1.5 trip home.

This happens often. And by often, I mean, 90% of the time. Also, 40% of the time I run into someone that I know, whether it be someone I have sat by before or someone from the community I have met.

And do you know what we talk about? Well, the same thing we talk about every time.

Where am I from?
Where do I live?
How long have I lived in Albania?
With whom do I live? (usually followed by a look of shock that I am a 25-year old woman who lives by herself)
What do I do?
Oh, you work at the Bashkia. What do you actually do there?
What did I study in university?
How many siblings do I have?
Where are my mom and dad?
What do I think about Albanian people?
What do I think about the Albanian landscape?
Where is better: America or Albania?
Where did I learn Shqip?

With women I often get these questions, as well:

Am I married?
Do I want to marry an Albanian?
What do I cook?

Sometimes I get more in-depth and/or insightful questions:

Today I was asked by the woman who was also wearing a head scarf what I thought about Islam.
If I work for the "Peace Corps", am I doing religious work?
What would be the one thing I would suggest to make Albania a more developed place?
What do I usually tell my friends/family at home about Albania?

Sometimes I get asked more random questions:

Do I want help finding an Albanian husband?
Do I know his/her cousin in Chicago/Boston/Cleveland/etc.?

I enjoy these interactions (usually). My answers to these questions and my follow-up questions back to them showcase my best Shqip. The interactions also help me to also appreciate the immense kindness that I see in and feel from Albanians. People are interested and open.

I will return to the "El" in Chicago in May 2012, attempting to strike up conversations with fellow riders who most likely won't adopt the one-ear-bud strategy. I bet, though, that I could find an Albanian and engage in a conversation. When this happens, I plan to run through the gamut of questions, too!

[1] I have never owned a car, but boy, do I miss driving! I am not allowed to here which makes me want to do it even more!

[2] I want to be productive as I travel, and as I cannot read and ride in a vehicle, I listen to podcasts (or let’s face it, sometimes the Glee soundtrack). I don’t want to be too closed off (usually), so I put only one ear-bud to still seem approachable.

Sign project---CHECK! (+ more updates)

2011-03-12T22:57:00.004+01:00

It finally happened! Last Tuesday, a company came from Tirana to post all the signs in the Bashkia and the Rajon. It was a crazy but WONDERFUL day, running around trying to find all the best places to post the signs, finding some printing mistakes, and trying to take care of other things in the process.

People in the Bashkia seemed to like it, though, and MAN, were people interested! Everyone seemed to have an opinion of how things were hung, where they were placed, whether or not they were a good color, right size, etc. Every time I would walk by to check in on things, there would be multiple people standing in front of the signs, pointing out the mistakes (which have been fixed, so that isn’t a problem) and making comments. I like to see people enthused about things, so I was often able to laugh at all the attention. Admittedly, sometimes it annoyed me because you can’t have a negative opinion if you weren’t part of the process. If you could have thought of something better, then I hope you would have done it.

Check them out!

The sign at my office door.

The full directory on the Bashkia main floor.

This day came after the inauguration of the improvements in the theater. I sent that report off Tuesday, too. The projects I have been working on since OCTOBER are finally coming to final fruition, and it really just feels GREAT! We also finished the training for the One-Stop-Shop, and that should be finished by March 18. The new group comes right then, and I just CANNOT believe I have been here for almost a year. I am 45.0% done with service, too.

So! March 15 is Summer Day, and I am celebrating in Elbasan with Xhuli and Peace Corps friends. The 16th is Tirana before I head to Shkoder and then Puke (both northern cities), and then I'm back in Elbasan on the 18th to meet the new group of peeps. After a weekend in Pogradec, I'm back to Fier to start my break from the 8-hour Bashkia work day and work instead with Terres Des Hommes. Things are moving, and I like it! It has been a rough month, and I see positive changes on the horizon!

“Turp”-ed out

2011-02-21T20:26:00.000+01:00

“Turp” = shame, and, goodness, have I been noticing it more lately. Albania has so many wonderful characteristics that I am continuously grateful to be here. However, there are certain things that frustrate me, and what I consider to be an abundance of “turp” is one major thing.

Things that I have noticed that are “turp”:
(Please note that this is not universal, and some places/families are more progressive than others.)
-Sex education in school or in home
-Women traveling by themselves
-Women out past a certain hour alone
-Women ending an engagement when they know it is a wrong match
-Women getting divorced
(These last two are connected. You cannot get un-engaged to someone, yet you cannot divorce someone. Some women are betrothed at 15…what do they do then?)
-Women having more education than their husbands
-Women past the age of 30 not being married (supposedly no nice girl is still single after 30)

While I try to respect cultural differences, there are things that I still see as wrong. And that is what makes living in another country (and especially trying to effect change in one) is difficult. What things can be pushed and what just shouldn’t? Where does my value system stop and acceptance of another begins? Some of these things affect me personally, as girls and women I care about have to navigate within the “turp”-filled system. I am more grateful for the life I have been given the freedom to lead, and admittedly more frustrated with women here and in the US who take that for granted.

And of course my motto of “don’t complain; make it better” kicks in. Starting in March, we are working to start a girls’ group here in Fier. The plan is to discuss issues with high school girls, from relationships to body image. My plan is to work with Albanian teachers so the Albanian context is integrated into lessons, but I want to be able to move beyond that and share experiences of women throughout the world.

Things have grown a little somber

2011-01-30T16:51:00.000+01:00

You may have read on the news about the January 21 protests in Tirana. Three people died and more (civilians and police officers alike) were injured. On January 28, the Socialist Party had a memorial demonstration, and we PCVs in country were put at “Standfast” where we were not supposed to travel from where we were until further notice. (This was lifted Saturday around 11am.) The demonstration was peaceful, as promised. Yet, everyone still seems so sad. At training this past week, Albanian staff all commented on how the 21^st brought back memories of 1997 when there were riots after the pyramid schemes fell. It reminded me that our history is our history, and it never fully leaves us.

I hope, too, that affairs in Tunisia and Egypt are resolved quickly and peacefully. It is painful to know that people are so upset that they are pulled toward violence.

Winking (and other social habits I might not want to pick up)

2011-01-10T19:19:00.000+01:00

There are five social habits that I notice the most in Albania, ranked in my order of enjoyment (1: enjoy the most; 5: enjoy the least):

1. Wink: Albanians wink a lot, and I love it. It makes you feel special from across a room. It is more subtle than a wave and gentler and more direct than a head nod. Both men and women wink, and they share them between the genders, too. There is nothing provocative and/or creepy about it, but it is only a sweet gesture.

2. Tsk and finger wag: I just love this one. You want to tell someone no? You don’t need to say anything, just make the face, say “tsk,” and move your pointer finger quickly from one side to the other. Feel free to throw your head back a little while you do it. I often engage in the practice (minus the head throw…I still can’t get down the different headshakes), but I know making that noise or even just using the finger wag would be considered rather rude in the U.S.

3. Linking arms: Two women or two men might walk down the street with arms linked (even sometimes hands held). While I normally don’t like to be touched, I consider this soft gesture rather nice. It can make you feel connected with someone while doing something as simple as walking. I also like it because you can get out of it, as quickly as you’d like! Just step around a slower walker or see something in a shop window you like, and you can easily let go. (Rarely though, would you see a man and a woman interact like this in public.)

4. Casual touching: Someone might also lean against you when you are talking. My female co-worker has put her hand on my leg more than once when we are working on a document together. It proves to me that she and I are friends, not just co-workers, and I like that she feels comfortable around me. Sometimes, though, the unexpectedness of it startles me more than I want it to.

5. Kissing on the cheek: Here is the one social habit that I like the least. Here my non-enjoyment of being touched really kicks in; I don’t like being that close to someone. Plus, there is this question of 2 kisses or 4. Two kisses is for everyday greeting and 4 is for when it has been a long time. What constitutes a long time?! No idea. I did figure out that you go to YOUR right first, and that has made it better. The kiss also bothers me because if you really are excited to see someone, don’t you want to hug them?! Like full-on bear hug? Albanians do hug sometimes, too, but they are side hugs after a kiss or maybe 2. I really haven’t figured it out.

All of these have become parts of my Albanian everyday life, and the first three listed are ones I wouldn’t mind becoming part of my American everyday life, as well. However, I realize that under the current American social norms, few would be appropriate. Plus, I hope the kiss never comes to America. Please, don’t let it come to America.

Istanbul for Christmas

2010-12-31T13:23:00.005+01:00

Seven of us spent the Christmas holiday in Istanbul, Turkey. Everyone thought it was strange that I was going to a Muslim country for Christmas, but I had my reason: if I could not be with my American family for Christmas, I didn't want to believe it was Christmas.

Istanbul was great! We saw the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace and its Harem, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, Asia!, and Taksim Square. Oddly enough, though, one of my favorite parts was the sleeper-car train that took us from Thessaloniki to Istanbul. It was built circa-1980. My room had a sitting bench and two beds that required a ladder to get to.

Pictures of Istanbul speak louder than words:

Hagia Sophia

Inside the Hagia Sophia

Blue Mosque

Basilica Cistern

Entering the Harem

Grand Bazaar

Spice Bazaar

Black Sea from the Asian side of Istanbul

Taksim Square

Waiting to go back to Albania

Happy New Year!

(More photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/Istanbul#)

And then it snowed!!!

2010-12-17T19:59:00.004+01:00

For 5 minutes and didn't stick. BUT hey! It snowed in Fier, Albania!

Snow fall from the Bashkia window

For the 5th day in a row, electricity was out in the Bashkia. It was also out in my house till 7pm where my only sources of heat are an electric heater and a hot water bottle that can't have hot water till I boil it on my electric stove.

Luckily! I have the most wonderful neighbors who have a propane heater and candles. I was there for 3.5 hours today and was fed lunch. Tomorrow morning, they are taking me to buy a "boombula," (a small gas camp stove) so I can at least boil water when the electricity goes out.

Wonderful neighbors entertaining my mom and brother (minus the mom)

If it is this cold, I want to see some snow!

2010-12-14T17:43:00.006+01:00

Friday officially marked the first day of the cooooold season in Fier. I woke up but could barely convince myself to get from under the covers in that 35 degree weather! I even returned home at 10am to put on my long-johns (and have yet to take them back off) and grab my hat before heading out to Permet to visit my friend Laura.

You drive a good 30 minutes to get to a base of a hill in Fier. In Permet, you can get to bases of mountains with snow on top after a 10 minute walk. It was cold in Fier, but it was frigid in Permet. Laura has staying warm down though. She knows when and where to put a space heater in a room to make it the right temperature. She utilizes the hot water bottle strategy to get the sheets warm before you climb in and then keep your feet warm all night. She finally has a stove/oven and leaves the door open after baking tasty things. (If only she could heat the outside.)

I returned home (after a non-heated bus ride) inspired! My space heater that emits a ridiculous amount of light is never more than 2 feet from me. My hot water bottle has become my newest snuggle-buddy, though my actual Snuggie is a treasured companion.

Now, I really should stop with this cold talk. I have a heater in my office. Some Volunteers have been building fires in their wood-burning fires for almost 2 months now. Some have snow in their sites and aren't as able to travel. We all live in cement houses without central heating that do not stay warm. And while I had wanted to be in the North in a smaller, more secluded space, I can really see the extra challenges the weather alone would bring a site like that.

Yet, I can look forward to temperatures in the low 50s on Monday. I will bask in the heat!

Family Visit, Athens, and Back to Work!

2010-12-05T10:51:00.005+01:00

Tara has requested another blog post, so here it is!

The last bit of November was just wonderful! Mom and Peter came to visit Albania before we all headed to Athens. Though Athens was fun, the real highlight was the time my family spent in Fier getting to meet the people with whom I spend my Albanian life.

While it was great for my American family to meet my Albanian ones, it was also really important for my Albanian families to meet my American one. I think they feel closer to me as they have a better sense of where I come from. (I returned to work last week with everyone telling me that I have a wonderful family and now they need to meet my dad.) I feel closer to them too, as they showed such wonderful hospitality and kindness to the people I care the most about.

Group photo with the Bashkia

A night with the host family, Thanksgiving in Tirana, one last visit with Bashkia people in Tirana, and a quick flight, we were in Athens! The Acropolis is quite the site (though I think that it looks neater from the base all lit up than actually on top). After four days of good company, good food (including a 4 Euro bottle of Coke Lite for Mom), and good sites, I was back by myself. One overnight bus ride later, and I am back in Albania.

Dinner with the host family

Parthenon

Honestly, I missed it here when I was gone. I like my job, I like my house, I like Fier, and I like my neighbors. I like the life I have built here. I’ve done this before in Pittsburgh (a little in South Africa) and then Atlanta, but it feels much different here. It is for obvious reasons (new culture, new language, being physically farther away than before), but also for more subtle ones. I’m 25 now and put myself solidly in the “adult column” where my life is my own and the decisions I make now really influence the path my life will take in the future. (I have always known this, but I’m starting to really “feel” it.) Mom used to tell me that before I got married, I should live by myself and own something of my own, so I could be independent, think for myself, and trust myself that I could handle many situations. I think living as a Volunteer in a foreign country for 2 years of my life should count toward that!

And now, too, I am back to work! We are submitting a grant for a “one-stop shop” information office at the Bashkia , we had a Volunteer Day activity with a kindergarten for Roma children, and I start my first English course tomorrow with people from the Bashkia. I am still determined to start a “Mommy and Me” class for women here and their young children. I find that many women who do not work have limited social circles, and I think it would be great to have a venue for women to meet and for their babies to interact. Crazily, though, I leave for Turkey in 2.5 weeks and feel I have lots to finish before then.

Volunteer Activity in Kindergarten

P.S. My birthday was wonderful! It started out with a sparkler, flowers, and a present delivered by my neighbors at 12:05am. The Bashkia people put on a nice party for the celebration, and I got to spend time with wonderful sitemates and another Volunteer. I also received many wonderful birthday wishes from the people I love and miss so much from home! Thank you!

P.P.S. I made a highlight album of the big trip. It is here: http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/HighlightReelTripWithMomAndPeter#

It is November!!!!!

2010-11-06T15:19:00.002+01:00

November has long been my favorite month. My birthday, Thanksgiving, and everyday sweater weather in this month help it to encapsulate many of my favorite things. This November is EVEN better than normal because it is the month my mom and brother come to visit me in Albania. They will be here for both my birthday and Thanksgiving. I’ll get to show them my city of Fier and my host family (including my absolute favorite Xhuli), and then we will travel to Athens, Greece. I can’t think of any better way to spend November!

And thank goodness it is November! October was a rough month; I’m not going to lie about that. It did end on a high note, though, with Language Refresher. Group 13 was back together again (including a Bishqem reunion)!

And that high note has continued into these early days of November. I had my first day working at a school for children with physical and mental disabilities, and I’ll be there once a week. With a woman in my office, we’ve been writing a project for the theater. In December, I’ll start English classes for people at the Bashkia.

Hoping you are all having wonderful Novembers! Miss you all back home!

October updates, in list form

2010-10-10T21:38:00.005+02:00

Mom encouraged me to write another post, so here one is!

My recent lack of posting is not because things aren’t happening. October has been as eventful as September. Things are definitely picking up at work and socially though sometimes not always for the best. I think the lack of writing is that it is all becoming so normal now, and I don’t know when an event is something to “write home about.” But here we go!

Things I am crazy about in Albania

The people. From my neighbor/co-worker who is constantly looking out for me (and has the CUTEST grandson), to my other co-worker who gives me whatever chocolate he has, to my new gal-pals with whom I talk about boys and go out to lunch, to my mayor who hugs me each time he sees me, to the dyqan owner who greets me every time I pass, I know I am surrounded by good and caring people.

The parties. So many things are cause for celebration. For example, after the final night of Fier’s 9^th Annual “Apolon” Theater Festival, I attended the after party. It was nice to be with people from work, meet some famous Albanian actors, dance a little bit, and start feeling like I am with friends. I have been to quite a few parties since being here; I will return to the US and wonder where my social life went!

Fresh produce. It is currently pomegranate season, and I am in love! While I still opt for pasta and cereal for most meals, the availability and the low cost of fruits and especially veggies is tempting.

Public transportation. I can travel anywhere in Albania for not that much. 500 leke (about $5) will get me to and from Tirana (140 miles total) in 5 hours. Think about traveling in Chicago: how far could I get on a bus for $5?

The diversity of projects to work on. We are writing a grant to help us better manage the theater, I translate more stuff than I like to mention, still working on the sign project, and planning a Halloween event and kindergarten art activities.

Things that drive me crazy in Albania

Pace. I have yet to find an Albanian woman who walks as fast as I do.

Pace. I think sometimes that could write some of these projects much faster on my own. However, that isn’t my job. I help other people do their jobs, maybe adding in a few ideas and increasing the efficiency of the work being done. I just keep reminding myself this and taking breaths.

*While these things may drive me crazy, they force me to work on my patience. I admire people who are patient (my father, for example), and I want to improve that part of me.

Things I miss like crazy from the US

My family. Don’t need to elaborate much on that, though I am excited Peter and Mom should be coming soon.

My friends! While I am making friends here and keeping in touch with my friends back home, it isn’t quite the same as watching HGTV with Alia.

Taco Bell. Chris (my site mate) had an activity between his high school in MD and the high school he works at here. One of the questions the kids asked back and forth was about fast food. Flamur (now another vice mayor) who is recently back from the US was there, and I asked him if he had gone to Taco Bell. He said yes! Ah, it had been a while since I was that jealous!

More things. But I won’t list them because it is better not to dwell on them!

And my usual count-down-self can’t forget to add in:

We are coming up at 7 months in Albania. Crazy! This puts me at over than one quarter done, and I just can’t get over that!

1 September 2010...A life-changing day

2010-09-10T21:49:00.005+02:00

Seriously...it was. On 1 September, the Bashkia was FULL of people, I was busy with work, AND the weather cooled down to where I didn't need my fan or to sleep with frozen water bottles.* It was a MARVELOUS day, and those are nice to have!

In work news:
•We are working on a project to number doors, put signs on doors, and build a main directory for the Bashkia. While it is a simple project, I hope it will do a lot for the organization and professionalism of the Bashkia. The project has kept me busy and has forced me to work with lots of people and get over my turp (shyness).**
•Flori, my co-worker (the one who lived in the US for 6 years), was promoted to one of the three vice-mayor positions. It is a BIG deal to everyone, and we are all SO proud of him. People ask me if I am mërzitur (worried/sad/nervous/upset…that word runs the gambit), but I’m not. As much as Flori and I have become friends, he is really only 2 floors down and will be working on new projects with which I hope to help.

I made a cheesecake to celebrate Flori's promotion

•I am just so HAPPY that everyone is BACK! I still find myself alone in my office sometimes, but I think I’ll just have to get over that.

In fun news:
• I spent 3 days at the Ksamil beach with some wonderful co-Volunteers/friends. While the weather wasn’t quite beachy enough, I had a really great time. I also got to wear socks, and that made me really happy.***

Friends at the beach
Corfu, Greece is the mountain in the back with the cloud over it

• There was no work Thursday because it was Big Bajram, a Muslim holiday. Klodi told me that we should have “fun” because we always work so hard. I really adore her (as I adore most women I work with here), and it is nice to have a good friend who invites me for things.****
• I got to see an opera at Apolonia and an art presentation at the Byllis Theater. It is kind of fun to attend these events in Fier with my co-workers. I have always enjoyed cultural activities, and I’m learning to still enjoy them even when I understand almost nothing.

Opera Silvano
Flori, me, and Shaqir before the opera

• I will be attending wedding no. 2 tomorrow. Let’s hope it isn’t till 5:30am!
• Mom and Peter intend to arrive in November, with Dad coming later in Februrary. Get excited!

Let's hope September keeps this good stuff up!

*I think I might move to Siberia. I'm a MUCH happier person when I'm not hot!
** Here, turp means both shy and shameful. I don’t know how I feel about that combination.
***Refer to Siberia comment.
****I’ve been making more friends, but I usually do the inviting. Therefore, being invited is extra special.

Vacation! Pushime!

2010-08-25T01:22:00.010+02:00

I just returned from my August pushim (vacation) of 4 days: Pogradec for 2.5 and Bishqem for 1.5, with a train ride in between. And they were FULL days…needing many days of recovery.

Pogradec:
I got on the Thursday 5:15am bus to take me to Pogradec to visit quite the beautiful city with quite the wonderful volunteers. Coming down the mountain and seeing Lake Ohrid is amazing. And walking along the lake in the public park in the evening with the cool, fresh air with friends makes it even better. Visit included a trip to Tushemisht, a visit to a place where Enver Hoxha would vacation, dinners out, and, of course, a circle dance. The highlight for me though was a paddleboat: my affection for those won’t die.

Train to Bishqem:
Matthew and I took the train for a 4.5 hour, $1.60 trip from Pogradec to Bishqem (Matthew had a wedding, too). The train probably didn’t go over 40mph, giving us lots of opportunities to stand with our heads out the window watching the scenery. We have determined that to ride on that train comfortably, you should be 5 ft, 10 inches. When we got off at Bishqem, at least 3 people asked us if we really meant to get off there and about 30 more gave us some strange looks. Why would these 2 Americans get off in a village? Well, we had weddings to attend!!!!!

Ah, the wedding…
Sunday
8:30am: Leave my house to go to the hairdresser where Xhuli was
9am: Arrive at the groom’s house to loud music, circle dancing, and lots of kisses; get a chocolate

9:30am: Leave the groom’s house to go to the bride’s house, including swerving cars, videographers hanging out of sun roofs and loud music in the car
10am: Arrive at bride’s for more loud music; get a chocolate
10:30am: Bride and groom go in one car BACK to the groom’s house to see their new bedroom (they’ll move to Italy next week though) and dancing resumes; get a chocolate
11am: Return home

…9.5 hour break at this point included a trip to the aunt’s to visit (life is a lot easier now that I understand Albanian more), conversations with my host mom, feeding the turkeys, and a long nap in the heat; Xhuli was in Elbasan with her fiancé so no quality “sister” time got to take place…

8:30pm: Picked up by Nardi and arrive at hairdressers where Xhuli is AGAIN (awkward conversation with Nardi begins)
9pm: Arrive at groom’s house; get a chocolate
9:30pm: Arrive at reception hall
10:00pm: Allowed in reception hall
10:15pm: Receive a plate full of food

10:30pm: My family’s turn to dance the circle dance, and I felt honored to be an honorary member…other families continue
11:30pm: More meat and some potatoes

1am: Bride and groom finally dance
1:05am: Get more meat and told it is impolite to say no

1:30am: Dancers in traditional outfits arrive…time comes to a c.r.a.w.l.
2am: Fake snow sprayed on bride and groom (happens repeatedly throughout the evening)
2:15am: No, I will not eat a shish-kabob at 2:15am

2:20am: Bride and groom dance alone but don’t look that happy
2:25am: At one point the bride’s family got to come (their big wedding was Saturday night), but now they leave…this can’t be much longer for me, can it?
2:45am: the bride comes out in a new dress…I guess I will be here for a while…
2:55am: Photos take place. I take photos for Xhuli and the cousins. Groom asks me, “Po ti?” (and you, don’t you want a photo?), and I get in the photo but am surprised as to why-I don’t know them and they don’t know me. (The head videographer was my host brother Eri who filmed the ENTIRE, really the ENTIRE thing.)

3:15am: Ok, I still won’t eat the shish-kabob but I will have a bite of meat
3:30am: Friends of the groom are really drunk, making them even more excited about the dancing
3:40am: Xhuli and Nardi leave…I would ignore me too if I only saw my fiancé 3 times a year

4:10am: I start to dance again so I can stay awake
4:30am: Hopa Hopa is one of the many songs played at least 15 times

4:45am: Everyone dances and throws money at the bride and the groom
5:00am: Bride and groom cut the cakes and leave…no one else eats the cake
5:25am: Wedding is OVER, and I have helped clean up which includes packing up the uneaten meat (most of it) to be taken home by groom’s family; at some point the bride and groom leave (they have had a LONG weekend)
5:45am: Home to get my bag before leaving again to return to Fier; I had forgotten that Bishqem has beautiful sunrises.

Back in Fier from my break and ready for September!!!!

5 months in!

2010-08-15T22:31:00.004+02:00

I can’t believe it is true, but it is! I have lived in Albania now for 5 months, and I am already finished with 18.5% of my service. I am really settling into life here, and I like that it is becoming my new home.

I’ve had a few adventures since my last post, and I hope to just list them here. Other blogs from my friends offer insightful commentary, but today I lack some of that today.

-Trip to Gjirokaster for Katie’s birthday: quite the beautiful city and quite the workout getting to the top of the mountain up the cobblestone streets! As much as I like other people’s sites, I really am starting to like mine even more!

-Trip to Gjirokaster cut short because Volunteer was forced to move homes: this meant Katie and Kim came to stay with me! Luckily a new pump had been bought by the time we returned and I had running water (had been without for a week).

-Going to Apolonia: I had been to the Ancient Greek ruins once for an event, but it was nice to go just for fun. Katie, Kim, and I had a nice time exploring. We also met some nice furgon drivers along the way.

-Wedding season is going strong! Constant honking fills up Saturdays and Sundays, and now even Thursdays. At Apolonia, we needed to avoid the 4 brides who were there having their pictures taken. Many wedding attendees were on the Monday morning buses, and I think the honking frustrated them too, because they supposedly weren’t the models of hospitality and respect that we have grown accustomed to in Albanian culture. My first Albanian wedding will be on the 22nd, and I’m excited!

-Working with UNDP: It was kind of neat to be in a UNDP van as we drove to different villages that have Roma people doing fieldwork. I am still very excited to be working with her and getting a chance to work with UNDP.

-Being on TV: I am either part of, or invited to, press events that happen at the Bashkia. Because of that, I have been on Fier TV! Now, I still don't have channels on my TV, so I don't regularly myself. However, I have seen one tape, and it the clip includes me sitting there looked confused because, well, I am! I don't always understand Albanian.

- Adventures in cooking: I don’t enjoy cooking, and I am pretty sure that won’t change. Therefore, I’m a lucky gal when my friends who like to cook come over! Katie and Kim made us curry chicken and cheese naan bread, and Libby and I made flour tortillas to make black bean and corn quesadillas. Tonight, I’m on my own though, and cereal it will be! (I am also craving some Taco Bell, but I’m pretty sure that is just a constant craving.)

- Pushim month: Albania takes the month of August off. Yes, day-to-day things are still open, but there are probably 10% of all workers in the Bashkia each day. I’ve had a few days now sitting in my office by myself for multiple hours. In a way, it is annoying, but in another it is forcing me to study my Albanian again, meet people in other offices, and actually get some other personal work done. I’m also doing a bit of traveling, and it is a perfect month to be doing it.

- End of camp: Camp in July ended with 3 parties- 1 for the kids at the camp; 1 for the kids at the Bashkia as a press event; and 1 for the counselors who participated in the Bashkia camp and the other TDH camps. Only two of these parties had circle-dancing though, and that was a bit surprising. I got in on some of the circle dancing at the counselor party. People are usually surprised when I can do it, though I think all those years of ballet helped me find some sort of rhythm. (Thanks, Mom.)

I’m rather excited for what the next 81.5% of service will hold. Maybe my blog-writing skills will improve in that time!

As always, miss you and look forward to your updates and letters. Good luck to all of you starting school again! I can’t lie that I took a major sigh of relief when I realized that I have no school to go back to.

(More photos are added, too!)

Working 9-5?...Let's try 9-12

2010-07-28T22:23:00.004+02:00

Working 9-5 by Dolly Parton is oddly one of my favorite songs, partly inspiring the message of this post.

I have quickly been finding that if you want to find anyone/meet anyone/get anything done, you must do it between the hours of 9am and 12pm. (This phenomenon is pretty true in the US, too. It is just more obvious here, I believe.)

I run around crazily during those 3 hours, but then noon creeps, and I end up at my desk till 4, working on the projects that I have collected between those hours of 9 and 12 (though admittedly, sometimes I sit and read BBC News).

My (and others) thinking behind why these 3 hours are so pivotal:
-8 to 9 are regular working hours, but people arrive late sometimes and they meet their friends for the morning coffees.*
-12-4 is time for another coffee or perhaps a short lunch. Some do not return to work, so they can’t be found in the afternoon. Some only leave for some amount of time, but you are not sure when that time is or how long it will last. And maybe yesterday, they were gone from 1 to 2, but today, they are gone from 2 to 3.
-4+ women are mainly at home and men go to their families and sit outside at lokals (bars for both coffee and alcohol) and meet with their friends. Aside from the work at lokals and dyqans (small shops), work is often stopped by now to start the next day at 9.

Luckily though, I have great co-workers who I (usually) can find in the office between 12 and 4, and there is working happening during this time. They are also exceptionally patient and encouraging with my broken Albanian, and sometimes I consider practicing listening and talking as work!

My 4pm+ time is often spent, admittedly, too much on the computer, but I also try to get out once more (grocery store, coffee, etc.) and learn one new thing about the Albanian language.

All of this will change in August though, when I don’t think I’ll find anyone anywhere (even between 9 and 12), unless I went to the beach. Luckily though, I will be working with a UNDP Volunteer during the month of August, and that is quite exciting, especially as I think working for UNDP one day would be AMAZING!

In other news:
• It finally rained, so it is no longer 90+ degrees!! (at least for a few days)
• My name is in an Albanian publication. That’s kind of neat! It is for an action plan integrating more women in local government.
• I was told by a 12 year old that because I am single, he has a nice boy in mind for me if I want to meet him. Thank you, but no.
• My two favorite quotes in Albania so far have been:
1. It’s not a compliment; it’s the truth.- Armida telling me she liked the cinnamon rolls I made
2. I am so sad you are leaving, but I am so happy to sleep in my bed. –Xhuli, my host sister; I slept in her room for the 10 weeks I lived in Bishqem (sorry, Sweetie!)
•I no longer notice when my Albanian music comes on my iTunes. I guess I am really integrating into Albania!
•I haven't seen my lizard in a week; I think he is gone!

*”Coffee” here doesn’t have to mean coffee; it can mean tea, soda, water, etc. It is just what you say when you want to go out. Many important decisions are made over coffee!

Lists!

2010-07-17T19:19:00.005+02:00

Those of you who know me know I am a big fan of lists and make them regularly. And since I’ve been a slacker on my blog updates, I think some lists are in order! Living in a foreign country is exciting and interesting and fun, but it is also stressful and frustrating at times. So here are some lists detailing all that.

The exciting things!
• I HAVE INTERNET IN MY APARTMENT! This has included some Skype dates, making it all worthwhile (cheesy but true).
• We had a GREAT 4th of July party at my house (pictures below). Amberlee who was down from Divjak, and Flori from my office who lived in Alabama for 6 years joined the three of us from Fier for some black bean burgers, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad (I carved a watermelon to look like a basket), and an ice cream cake (thanks, Kristen!), including a sparkler. While it wasn’t quite the same as a family outing, I’m making a PC family, too!

• I’ve made friends with the kids from my pallati (apartment building). They are very sweet, and it is super-nice to have smiley faces to come home to, especially because I’m not really used to living alone.
• My counterpart is now a grandfather! His granddaughter Klea lives in Massachusetts, and he is the proudest papa from across the ocean! He also celebrated his birthday, and I made some cinnamon rolls.

• I met up with Laura, Jeff, and Matthew (my site mates in Bishqem) in Tirana for ice cream. It was just so fabulous to see them, as they are some of my closest friends here. What made it the best was that it was as though we hadn’t been apart.
• Libby had a game night at her house which was a good time. The social-ness of Peace Corps continues to surprise me.
• I went back at the end of June to visit with my host family to celebrate Xhuli’s birthday. As it is probably known by now, I really do adore my host sister, Xhuli. Yet, my 18 year old host brother, Eri, is quite the guy and I haven’t given him enough attention in my writing. He just graduated from high school and continues to work his two jobs and be incredibly sweet to his mother and sister. He will be quite the catch!

• On that same trip to my host family, I stopped at Laura’s, Jeff’s, and Matthew’s families too. I came home with 20 eggs, giant squashes, 20 peaches, 30 potatoes, and enough spetz (green peppers) to last a few weeks. I appreciate their kindness and how I have been taken into their famiies.

The frustrating things:
• I had 3 weeks of camp, at 2 different locations. I’ve better camp experiences, but I’m trying to chalk one of the experiences up to the fact that going from 5 to 7 after a full day of work and a 30 minute walk there was a bit too much. Camp 2 is going more smoothly, and I’m learning to like 12 and 13 year olds a bit more. Peace Corps is my opportunity to challenge myself, so here we go! I am finding the way children behave here is differently than in the US, and what I see is a lack of consequences for certain behaviors. My lack of language skills doesn’t make things any better why trying to communicate that something isn’t right.
• Summer is a big break time. Some people at work will leave at 9am and not return till the afternoon. Why really come, I ask? I do believe that Americans do get too caught up in work, but I think there should be a different balance.
• It is hotter than no other here, and it is a humid hot, too. I sweat sitting down. My concrete apartment keeps the heat, so I sleep with frozen water bottles and the fan right on me. Unfortunately, the heat makes me get frustrated faster.

The random things:
• I had to call my coworker to my house to open a jar for me. I felt more than a little silly, but it also felt good to know I have people here I can call about things like that.
• My co-workers have learned how much I like chocolate. If everyone gets a piece of chocolate for something (a wedding announcement, etc.), I get a couple of extra pieces from my co-workers. While it is exceptionally sweet, I need to slow my chocolate intake. (Who would think I would admit something like that?!)
• I have a lizard in my bathroom, and I’m too afraid to get rid of it. When I don’t see it in there, I get freaked out and wonder to where it has moved.

I’ve been realizing too that it will be a LOOOOOOONG two years if I don’t let myself have more fun and focus on the positive parts of life here. Here’s hoping the next lists have even more GREAT things!

As always, miss you!

FAQs

2010-06-22T13:48:00.006+02:00

Thank you to everyone who continues to read and send me emails, too! I realize sometimes when I post write emails, I leave a lot of the context out. So, I figured I would add some of that context back in and post some answers to some FAQs.

Who are all these different site mates?
My “satellite site” Bishqem during training had 5, then 4 of us. My full-time satellite site mates were Jeff, Laura, and Matthew, and my part-time mate (though full-time friend) was Libby. I grew really close to everyone, and it still feels a little strange without them.

In Fier, I have 2 site mates: Kristen and Chris. Kristin is in my group (13) and works at the health center. She is loads of fun, and I am happy to be near her for 2 years. Chris is from the previous group (12), has one year left in Fier, and works at a school teaching English. He is very supportive and is showing us around. We get together for dinner or “coffees” from time to time.

Where do you live?
I live in an apartment by myself. I live on the 4th floor of a communist bloc apartment building built in 1975. Pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/ApartmentInFier#. I also live a 5 minute walk from Kristen and Chris in one direction and about 12 minutes from my office in another. (On my walk to work, I pass one of the TV stations, and it blasts American music from the giant screen out front. It makes me happy to walk by!)

What will you do?
The nice thing about being a volunteer is that I get to work on the projects that interest me. With my primary placement, the Bashkia, I will get to work on programs that help Fier accomplish its development goals, from building a website, building parks, and surveying citizen satisfaction with the city’s services. With other organizations, such as the women’s organization here, I can work on including women in participatory budgeting and hosting a breast cancer walk. The UNDP volunteer here works with the Roma community, and an Italian school holds a summer camp. There are so many other opportunities that I just don’t know about yet! (I will also have days where I am bored out of my mind.)

What is a normal day?
I don’t think I’ll have many of those! I do go into my office every day, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm (minus a lunch-no one else eats), unless I have a meeting with someone for a different project. I work on my projects, talk with my co-workers, and enjoy the air conditioner! I also learn new words every day at 12, and my co-worker Armida quizzes me on them and the words I learned the night before. I’ll walk home and stop to buy some fresh veggies because every 10 feet there are places to buy food or walk to the Euromarket and by my favorite food: cereal. I have a cloth bag from the bashkia that I carry around with me for groceries/items, and people don’t look at me too strange when I refuse a plastic bag. In the evenings I’ll meet someone for a “coffee,” make something for dinner (I’m experimenting and determined to be a half-decent cook by the end of this), study, write a letter or a blog post (!), watch episodes of Glee over and over on my computer, or clean my apartment (because it is always dusty). I bake every Thursday night for work on Friday (even though I don’t cook well, at least I can bake well). Other random things come up, too.

What do you do on the weekends?
This is definitely a FAQ, and I definitely don’t have an answer at this point. When I lived in Bishqem, I would have class on Saturday, study, meet with my site mates, or meet bigger groups of trainees in Pajove or Elbasan. I would definitely study and spend loads of time with Xhuli (still my favorite Albanian) and my family.

I have only had 3 weekends in Fier, so I can’t say what a “typical” weekend is. To be honest though, I don’t think my life here will be typical; it just seems so random. Weekend 1 was my first, and I ate dinner with my site mates and got my apartment ready. Weekend 2 was spent partly in Tirana, dancing the night away, only to return to Fier exhausted (with enough energy only to make French toast for my site mates for dinner). Weekend 3 included another fundraiser party, 10 hours of trainings that I barely understood for camp, an event at Appolonia* that I barely understood as well, as I heard Shqip be translated into Italian,** and Skype dates with my parents and a good friend. Weekend 4 I visited Libby in Shijak and Durres for a good time, and I hope to travel to many more places in the weekends to come.

Do you like Fier?
The answer is absolutely. It is a clean, easy to get around city that is a good hub for travel to other locations. People are nice, and my co-workers are hard workers. I will have a lot of resources here to get a lot of projects done.

What do you like best?
Definitely it is the people I like best. It motivates me to study more, so I can actually communicate with them on a deeper level. As my friend Lesley astutely pointed out, we have the language skills to only talk about ourselves.

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In addition to the FAQs asked by you all, I have FAQs asked me by Albanians. The answers are short, but I respond in Shqip.
Which is better: Albania or the US?
Well, both are different, and I like them both. Both have good and bad aspects.

How many people are in your family?
4 (Family and relationships mean so much here, and people want to know everything about your family. I don’t mind though, since I like talking about the people I love!)

Are you married?
No.

Why aren’t you married?
I want to wait until I’m older to get married.

Are you going to marry an Albanian?
Kismet! (That’s the way to say we’ll leave it up to fate.)

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Now, just I like I said that I can speak only about myself in Shqip, I don’t like the feeling that I speak only about myself in English, too. I want to know what you all are up to! Thank you for keeping me informed. Thinking about you!

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*Historical places in Albania interest me. They are difficult to get to (no real structure of tourism), but when you do get there you get free access to touch things and really to take things if you wanted (you should NOT do this!!!).

** The party after the presentation was fun though! I got the leg of the turkey because I am American and got to be in pictures with the mayor.

Week 1 of 104 in Fier!

2010-06-07T14:11:00.001+02:00

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

Swearing In and Moving to Fier!

2010-06-01T08:14:00.000+02:00

More pictures of swearing in and some circle dancing are uploaded to the folder in Picasa titled “ Last Weeks in Bishqem.”
http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/LastWeeksInBishqem#

I am now a Peace Corps Volunteer (instead of just a trainee). We had a ceremony with the ambassador present. Momi, Babi, and Xhuli came to the ceremony, and Xhuli was excited because she had an invitation with just her name on it. I said good-bye to them right after the ceremony, and about 2 hours later after lunch, I said good-bye to the friends I have made during PST. I didn’t cry, surprisingly, but by that point it didn’t feel real I was leaving AND I was slightly stressed out about taking the bus by myself. (Now, taking the bus by myself was not my original plan, but I won’t get into all of that!) It was hardest to say good-bye to the original 4 other Bishqem-ers. I already miss our morning debriefs and the inside jokes we have.

The bus to Fier became an adventure. For all of you wondering, there actually is NOT a 2:30 bus to Fier from Elbasan. I found this out at 2pm standing in the bus station wondering where in the heck I should go! Well, a man pointed me in the direction of the Lushnje bus, and the Lushnje bus driver said he would somehow get me to Fier. Now, this experience is my motivation to learn Albanian geography because I had no idea where Lushnje was or how far it is from Fier! I texted Jeff, my Albanian dictionary, and asked him what the word for “through” was (neper, in case you were wondering). I could then ask if the bus went through towns that I knew the name of. Luckily it did, and the turn-off to Lushnje is right before the turn-off to Fier. I became a bit nervous as I started to recognize where I was and where I could transfer, but the driver told me to stay on. I decided to trust him, and at the next stop, he had his son get off the bus and wait with me and my bags until the Fier bus came. That is one thing about this country…intense generosity and hospitality. I tried to pay the boy for his help, but he wouldn’t accept.

I finally made it to Fier, and l was so relieved to see Chris, my site mate, standing there when I got off the bus. He helped me take my bags to MY APARTMENT after I got my keys from my counterpart and other co-worker. After moving bags upstairs, we went for a coffee, and then checked out my apartment. We started without hot water, but that is now fixed. My apartment has a double bed, a couch, a loveseat, and two comfy chairs, as well as an empty room. I think that is by far enough space for you all to come and visit!

Other parts of this weekend have included going into work for a bit, meeting Kristen’s host family as they dropped her off in Fier, having a slightly adventurous grocery shopping trip, cleaning my apartment, meeting the volunteer who stayed with my host family last year, getting hand-me-down stuff from the current volunteer who is leaving and the Fulbright scholar living here (everything from a speaker set to a poker set to tortilla chips), and trying to get to know my new city for the next two years. I want to be a productive member of this community, and let us hope that I will be!

Things coming up soon:
-Details on my first days of work
-New address where I can receive packages
-Internet: breaking down and buying it for my apartment. That should be set up next week, and hopefully we can Skype soon. However, if you think I’m spending too much time on the internet, let me know that, too.
-Video of my new apartment; let me put some stuff away first!

Volleyball, dance parties, and sleepovers! (oh, and some work, too)

2010-05-24T13:29:00.000+02:00

I (hopefully) will swear in on Thursday, which means life in training in Elbasan and Bishqem is quickly coming to an end. It is a little bitter-sweet, though, as I am also VERY excited to move to Fier. However, now that training is pretty much over and some of the stress is gone, I’ve had lots of opportunities to have lots of fun!

We had a pretty low-key day on Monday when we got to hear about everyone’s visits to their permanent sites. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in Bishqem, where we ate our last sufflaqe and had our last language classes. The 4 of us here have become good friends, and that makes me really happy. Thursday was a productive day, and I like those. Friday had been a busy day where I gave 2 presentations (one by myself about grant-writing for non-COD volunteers which was a huge success!!!) and my language test (I am now Intermediate-Medium in Shqip). Therefore, Friday night needed to be a good one! At the regular hang-out spot, I learned a card game called a$$hole. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when many of the 50 volunteers are together, but for some reason, Friday was a lot of fun and I was the one who wanted to stay longer. Usually, I’m the one who wants to go home. That night we went to teza’s (aunt on mother’s side) for dinner where I got to spread the love of the games Sorry! and Uno with more Shqiptare children.

Saturday was “Dite e Xhulianes” (“Xhuliana’s day”)! I really do adore my host sister Xhuli, so the plan was to make the day all about her. Unfortunately, we could not go to Elbasan together because her family thought it would be inappropriate for her, an engaged girl, to be in the big city with someone who wasn’t a family member. While I try to understand, it still makes me sad that her options are limited. But focusing on the good… we spent the morning in Pajovë instead, which is the neighboring, bigger village. We had coffee, sufflaqe, and then picked out sweets from the supermarket. She got all dressed up, and we had a good time! Granted, we had to sit inside the cafe where no one could see her, and at lunch we had to leave the restaurant quickly because a distant family member saw her and made a comment about her being out and not being home, but she just beamed through the whole day. On a more somber note, being Xhuli’s “sister” can be a challenge. I don’t want to tell her too much about the freedom I had as a single sixteen year old girl because I don’t want her to feel bad about her situation. Yet, I want her to know that life can be different and she shouldn’t have to be embarrassed to be out in the middle of the day on a Saturday for lunch.

(Side note: here in Albania, the birthday person pays for everyone at lunch, dinner, etc. Therefore, Xhuli thought since it was “her day” she would have to pay. I probably should have made that clear up front.)

Well, Dite e Xhulianes, Episot Një (part 1) was shumë shpejt (very fast) for the reasons mentioned above. That gave me some time then to go to Elbasan and meet up with some friends. Kim had bought a volleyball, so 6 of us played that in an empty school yard. We hid under the awning with some kids as the rain came and went. We then went back to playing, and the kids joined in. One thing I’ve found here is that kids really are curious. The schoolyard in Bishqem is full of kids asking us “What is your name?” and “Where are you from?” in their broken English. Playing volleyball was such a simple thing, but I’ve been making an effort to enjoy the simple things.

Dite e Xhulianes, Episot Dy (part 2) quickly became Dite e Motrave (Sisters’ Day) because 2 of the little cousins were over. We all made chocolate chip cookies together, took silly pictures, and played more Uno and Sorry! I also taught them Go Fish. The culminating moment of the night though was the SLEEPOVER that I suggested! Yup, the four of us girls all slept in the living room together. Xhuli, Selda (age 7), and I were on the pull out couch and Alba (age 8) got a loveseat to herself. More pictures ensued. I won some major points with Xhuli, the cousins, and my host mother when I suggested the sleepover. When we woke up the next morning, Xhuli said she would never forget her day. I’m happy it was a success!

The day after sister’s day included a brief visit to another teza and then a walk up to the radio tower near our town. The 4 of us from Bishqem went, and I’m glad we as a group had our last hurrah! The view from the top was supposedly really nice, but my distaste for both hiking and heat made me care more about getting down quickly than seeing the view!

And then came another big moment of the weekend…the dance party in Pajovë!!! Diana, another volunteer, has made good friends with the owner of the internet café, and the owner offered to let us use her café for a party. There were probably 14 of us Americans (boys and girls), about 20 Albanian boys between the ages of 17 and 25, and the café owner and her husband. It was quite a fun evening, though incredibly awkward! We thought it would just be us, but nope… it was a whole party, including a DJ and blinking red lights! We danced to some techno songs, some Michael Jackson, some old-school Ace of Base, etc., and then there was the traditional Shqiptare music, like the song that was in the last post. This music is accompanied by a circle dance that has ONE step with only slight variations. For being 20-something year old guys, the circle dance is still the biggest hit. I don’t understand how that doesn’t get boring, but the circle dance is just loved. I might bust it out at Peter’s wedding next May in the US! For sure, though, I will be willing to teach it to you; doing so would take about 2 minutes. Anyway, the night was fun, and it did feel quite scandalous to be out late (dancing, not having dinner at a relative or other volunteer’s home), as I usually get home before dark. I also was told by one of the guys there that I circle-dance very well.

The week was quite the success! I’m hoping the next will be as well, as it is my last week in Bishqem and my first few day in Fier, for real!

Please excuse this incredibly long post. Thank you to everyone who is still reading. I really appreciate everyone’s support, emails, and letters. Miss you!

New Photos and a song!

2010-05-20T10:23:00.000+02:00

Hi Everyone,

I've uploaded pictures from the Counterpart Conference week. Photos include Tirana, Durres, and Fier!

http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/CounterpartConferenceWeek?feat=directlink

Here is my favorite Albanian folk music song. Xhuli, my host sister, likes it a lot, too. There is a lot of circle dancing that goes with this song. Don't worry: you'd pick it up fast!

Leaving Fier (for now)

2010-05-14T22:15:00.001+02:00

After these 4 days in Fier, I am ready for more! I've met a ton of people thanks to the current PCV, and I'm sure I will meet more as I go forward. One of the people I have met is the mayor, and that meeting included a huge lunch/dinner at a nice restaurant (where I ate more than enough chicken for one person).

To get ready to return, I want to read through some of the items I have been given and become more familiar with Fier. I also need to practice my Shqip, so I have some more educated things to say than just where I'm from and what I majored in. Perhaps I can convince Xhuli (my host sister) that we should speak Shqip again, and when she comes to visit me in Fier, we can speak English.

I have also been texting some of my friends from training quite a bit. I wonder how long that'll last though, as we live kind of far apart and will start to live our own lives soon. I'm glad to know that so far people are happy (maybe a bit bored but happy) at their sites. Plus, I'm glad to remember that some of my favorite people from training won't be too far away from Fier!

I'm interested to see, too, how it will go tomorrow returning to my host family after having this independence. I've also been eating good food (was introduced to a seafood restaurant Dad would love), so I bet my stomach will be sad when it returns to soup tomorrow night.

Hope you all are happy and enjoying the weather as it gets warmer!

Sorry for no more photos, but I'll work on that soon!

1.5 days in Fier! (for the site visit)

2010-05-13T07:23:00.001+02:00

I am in Fier!!! I met my counterpart on Tuesday morning for the Counterpart Conference and then made it to Fier by Tuesday night. Yesterday (Wednesday), I was introduced to my soon-to-be coworkers, some other people in the community who are movers and shakers who I can possibly work with while I am here, and women at the post office and at a dyqan who are really good people to know! It is all a bit overwhelming, but everyone is very kind and generous and currently enthusiastic. My made small agreements that for the first three months all but my counterpart will speak to me in Shqip, and I will respond in Shqip. This will help me to learn the language. However, after 3 months, they can speak in English if they want to do so. I hope those agreements last. We'll see! However, I REALLY want to learn Shqip so I can reach out beyond those that just speak English.

My counterpart is great! I really appreciated it on Tuesday at the conference when we were discussing fears, expectations, and excitements about our service, and one of the fears someone had written was trying to work in an organization that already had a great volunteer (similar to what I'm doing). PC Staff asked counterparts for comments, and my counterpart said that we shouldn't see it as a fear, but we should see it as a blessing. We are lucky to be following someone who has already paved our way, has created good working relationships, and has helped the Albanian counterparts understand what it is like to work with Americans. I told him thank you afterward. It was thrilled that is his perspective and that he was willing to share it with the group!

I've also seen my apartment! It is on a main-ish street. I'm on the 3rd of 4th floor and will get a good workout walking up those steps and the steps to my office on the 4th floor of the Bashkia. (I will share a table there with another staff member.) The apartment is very big and very nice! I'll have an electric stove to cook on which is a little less frightening than having to light the gas one. There is a balcony off of my bedroom, and I have a double or queen size bed. I didn't take pictures of the inside yet, but I'll get to that in 2 weeks! I did take a photo of the outside, but considering I left my camera cord in my house in Bishqem, I'll get that posted soon!

Fier is a nice city. I hear it takes 40 minutes to walk from one side to the other. It doesn't have public transport yet, but the city has a plan for one. I don't think it has the beauty that some other cities might (lakes, mountains, etc.), but it is a good city to work in and a great transportation hub to get to other cities nearby.

I've also been eating really good food with the current volunteer I'm staying with, and I'm getting to know my 2 soon-to-be site-mates. I'm looking forward to starting here for real soon! At the same time, I miss my friends back from Group 13. I can't wait to hear about their adventures from this week (beyond the random and funny text messages I have been getting).

I think you all will need to come visit me here in Fier!

Alright...signing of...I have to go to work!

Quick update of life in the past 2 weeks

2010-05-09T16:58:00.000+02:00

Normally I write a blog post in my room and then post it when I get a chance. Life has been a bit busier and I haven't gotten that chance. Here is a quick (and incomplete) list of things that have happened since my last post:

-Given a presentation on our community project (a success!)
-Gotten into a little tiff with my host mother over sanitation while cooking (has since blown over)
-Given in and spent another 500 leke ($5) for 500 text messages for one month and gone text message crazy
-Had an camping trip to Belesh with approx. 35 of the 50 of us, which meant sleeping outside under a crazy number of stars, having a bonfire, and watching the sunrise
-Gotten sick on a furgon coming back from said camping trip (not one of my finer moments)
-Found an earwig in my towel in the bathroom (they are EVERYWHERE)
-Pretended I'm not terrified to meet my counterpart, see my new apartment, introduce myself to people in Fier (all activities starting tomorrow)
-Studied like crazy for my Language Proficiency Interview coming up SOON
-Finished out the rounds of having dinner at all my satellite site mates' houses (including one night where I helped cook for 2 hours)
-Made banana bread and grilled cheese sandwiches for my family (they still like chocolate chip cookies the best)
-Polished my black shoes that over the course of the past weeks turned a terrible shade of gray
-Bought and drank 3, 1.5 liters of sparking lemonade in a course of 1 week (also not one of my finer moments)
-Found out where Peter and Stephanie are having their wedding next May!!!!!
-Played endless games of Sorry (travel version) and Uno with my extended Albanian family
-Gotten into my first argument in Shqip with a furgon driver who tried to leave later than he said and charge us more (and was the victor!)
-Called my mom to wish her a Happy Mother's Day!!!! (Only to find she was at work. But, I still had a good conversation with my dad!)

Hope things are great back in the States. Miss you!!!! and continue to love any updates you all send!

(I'll do my best to post some more pictures soon! I'll be in Fier till Saturday though.)

End of Week 6 already!

2010-04-30T16:56:00.000+02:00

I’m through week 6 and things are speeding up. I actually have work in terms of writing up small assignments and preparing a PowerPoint based on our community project! Of course, language is always there. I like being busy again!

On Tuesday, we had our community project in the 9-year school. The activity was to have the children draw why they liked our town and what made it unique. Some of it may have gotten lost in translation, but everyone seemed to like it! My class had 41 kids which was kind of overwhelming. However, the day itself was a chaotic success. Xhuli (my host sister) and her cousin came from school to help me out, and Eri (my host brother) and Laura’s host sister came too. There were great to have along, and they really enjoyed the day, too! I kind of felt like I was back at working at summer camp, trying to make every activity perfect but learning to accept that REALLY good but not quite what I was hoping is great progress. This will be a good lesson as I move forward.

The activity also made me REALLY want to learn more of the language. Even though you can get by without it, you don’t want to! So many things get lost in translation, and you can reach out much farther if you have the language. My studying of vocabulary has been slipping a bit as I’ve moved onto grammar, but I’m determined to get back in the swing of studying both!

In other news, food has been getting better at my house. I’ve started to say when I don’t want something, and I eat noodles instead. When something is made just for me (for example, noodles), I get to put on the oil, butter, and salt, and I choose to put none of any of it on. While I like all these things (butter, etc.), my stomach can only handle a small quantity. However, to get that point across, I choose just to put none on. Also, more vegetables are being bought (as they are getting more in season), and that is nice, too!

I’m starting to get more excited about Fier, also. Though I am still a bit intimidated (as my predecessor has been great), I’m starting to see it as a blessing instead of a curse. Many volunteers go into a town, and the town doesn’t especially know what to do with the volunteer. In my case though, my predecessor has been great and used often, so I’m hoping that people know what a PCV can do and want me to do it! When I tell Albanians, I am going to Fier, I get a lot of responses of “Oh, that’s nice.” When other volunteers tell of their sites, they get an, “Oh! It is so beautiful there” or “They are so cultured there.” However, there have been no negative comments, and that makes it better. My whole attitude with Peace Corps was to send me where I would be most useful, and if that place is Fier, I’m all for it!!!

Last Sunday, the 4 from my town (yes, we are down from 5 to 4 as one site-mate needed to move to a different satellite training site) traveled to Librazhd. Xhefi (Jeff) was going to play basketball, and the rest of us were going on a hike. Well, this hike was going to be 5 hours and rather intense. One of the other hikers was concerned about her asthma, so I returned with her and got to play basketball instead. Geez, I forgot how much I hate running, especially as I am so out of shape! However, we had a really great time. My team won one of the 4-on-4 games and lost the other. I was wearing someone else’s shoes (I had brought hiking books), so I stopped after those two games. One of the volunteers in Librazhd has a mother who is the high school director, and she gave him the key to use the indoor gym. The floor was rather dusty, and there were all these desks at the one end of the court, but it was really sufficient. I held my own, but I had as many bad moves as good. When signing up for the Peace Corps, I never really considered the socialization side of it. For example, after basketball, after people returned from the hike, and after other people from Librazhd came out, there were 15 of us sitting at an outdoor café. One of the things people say after college is that it is hard to meet people, and you have fewer opportunities to spend time together and in big groups (life is not like “Friends” from TV). Well, join the Peace Corps and make some friends!

Also! Last Saturday, a woman Mom knows from her small town was in Albania visiting her son and daughter-in-law who work here. I met them in Elbasan for lunch, and it was really nice! First, it was great to see someone Mom would see soon. It was also really nice to see people outside of Peace Corps and feel a little more like I “live” here and am not just visiting. Finally, since the son lives here, it is comforting to have another connection here.

And finally, Xhuli (my host sister) has had some of the TEFL volunteers practice teaching in her school. Brad was teaching a lesson on vacations, and he asked Xhuli where she wanted to go on vacation. She said Crystal Lake. However, Brad (like many) had no clue where Crystal Lake is. It took Xhuli a few minutes to remember Crystal Lake was near Chicago. I feel really privileged that she chose to come near me! She is also really cute when she is embarrassed, and it was sweet when she told me the story herself.

REALLY going to Fier

2010-04-21T10:36:00.000+02:00

Friday was site placement day, and I am going to Fier! When many people think of the Peace Corps, they may think of volunteers working in small, rural African villages. Well, wipe that idea from your mind! I’ll be in a city of 80,236 people in a NATO country vying to be part of the EU.

I am slowly learning about Fier. It is only 2-2.5 hours from Elbasan, which is where I live now. My host family is excited because I won’t be too far from them. This way, I can come visit and they can visit me! (They are SUPER-excited for Peter to potentially visit and stay with them. By the time Peter makes it, I will hopefully know more Shqip and will be able to communicate better!) Anyway, Fier is in the Southwest of Albania. (Here, I was one of the few not scared of living in the colder North, and I was placed in the South). It is supposedly the most important industrial city in the country and is one of the biggest municipalities. It is 12km from the ruins of the Ancient Greek city of Apollonia.

I will be working in the Bashkia (city hall) in Fier in the Department of Designing Policies and Developing Strategies. A current Community and Organization Development (COD) volunteer is finishing up her service there. Supposedly, she has been a GREAT volunteer, so there is a little bit of pressure to live up to her work. Hopefully, I am ready for it! The town also has a TEFL volunteer, finishing up his first year, so he’ll be a site mate. Also, another Group 13-er will move there with me! She is a Health volunteer. Actually, we were roommates that night in Philadelphia for staging, so I find it funny that she’ll be a site mate for the next two years! Since Fier is such a big place, I don’t know how close we’ll be to each other, but I’m excited to find everything out!

In other news, my 4 satellite site mates came for dinner on Saturday. Xhuli and I made chocolate chip cookies again (Xhuli is learning quickly!), and I made mashed potatoes (potate amerikane). Mamai cooked byrek me fasule (or a bean pie), pula (chicken), buke (bread), and sallate (salad). There were a few awkward silences due to a lack of English/Shqip understanding, but all in all, it was a good time! I can’t remember if I mentioned that my house is a bit farther from the others. Therefore, it was especially nice to have them come over, and they all liked the view from the balcony! Here is a picture of Gjushi (grandfather), Xhuli, and my 4 site mates in the inside kitchen. We all played Uno with Xhuli. Xhuli is a huge fan of the game, and I am glad I brought it. Even Eri, at age 18, likes to play, but when he plays, for some reason each game lasts at least 30 minutes.

In other-other news, I have had a cold. I skipped out on a culture day because the last thing I wanted to do was get others around me sick. My host family thinks I got sick because I took a shower with warm, not hot water. Luckily, I’m doing fine Ok now, though.

And finally, I got some letters from some of you. I CANNOT tell you how HAPPY they made me! Thank you for thinking about me, reading my blog, and sending your best wishes.

I am going to Fier!

2010-04-19T19:55:00.000+02:00

So I wrote a whole post about it, but then I saved it in the new Word and can't open it on this computer. So, you'll have to wait for details!

Links to photos!

2010-04-16T10:46:00.001+02:00

Alright! I have figured out how to link to all my public photo albums. When I have the right internet connection, I'll post. Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski and click on the different albums.

Thanks everyone for reading!

My sitemate Laura has photos posted, too: http://picasaweb.google.com/lmhammett
Check those out, too!

Faleminderit, Zot, per buke! (Thank you, God, for bread!) and the Latest Updates

2010-04-12T14:45:00.000+02:00

Without buke, I do not think I could survive here. For breakfast, there are few safe options. For dinner, I can’t get myself to eat the soup that is glistening with oil. Therefore, I eat buke, and a lot of it! Mom said before I left that I would lose weight while I was here; I do not think that will be the case. The amount of bread I will eat these first 10 weeks in addition to my post-Lent chocolate craze may have the opposite effect. Other than food, things are better than can be expected!

The weekend was great in Gramsh! Laura and I had a very nice time relaxing, exploring a new town, and getting lots of our Peace Corps questions answered. Gramsh is a town of 14,000 or so. People were very friendly with Kevin, the male volunteer, and it made me feel good about later making connections with people. The two volunteers there also seemed very close, and seeing two people become friends during this process is great. Gramsh would be a good placement for me, I think, because of its size. I do not know how I would fare in a large site. I’m not going to speculate on that though since on Friday, April 16, we find out WHERE we are going!

This week was a bit stressful though. A weekend without Shqip classes or speaking in Shqip really hurt me. I guess I just love speaking English! We also met the U.S. ambassador to Albania. We started planning our community project, too, which will take place in 3 weeks! We are going to do a visioning exercise in the school…yeah, we’ll see how that goes!

We also had a meet and greet with many of the current volunteers. It is reassuring to know that they survived the first freezing winter! I appreciate everyone’s input while taking into consideration that everyone has their own opinion. Also, it is fun to meet the people who write the blogs I read! Perhaps next year, people will meet me and say “I read your blog!”

On Sunday, the three of us girls in Bishqem as well as the 2 host sisters went for 3.5 hour hike up into the mountains behind Bishqem. It was quite the adventure! As I was sinking into the mud up to my shin (there was a lot of sinking into the mud), I reached out and grabbed some stinging nettle. Well, my hand had the tingly feeling of being asleep for about 14 hours. I was rather impressed by the spry-ness of Xhuli (my host sister) and Urina (Laura’s host sister). Perhaps I had that much energy when I was 16? The walk was quite amazing for both the view of Bishqem and the chance to remember that people still live off of dirt paths, ride donkeys, and perhaps only leave their homes a few times a year. Everyone was rather friendly, and while I can speak some Shqip, it was great that Xhuli and Urina came along to answer questions and ask where the heck we were going!

The five of us in Bishqem really do get along well, and I’m starting to find it strange that we’ll see each other almost every day for 10 weeks but then could be spread all over this country. I’m not going to worry about it till we all know where we are going, but I’d be sad if we were too far away from each other. (Yes, this is a small country, but with the state of the road, it takes time to get around!) Life is strange that way…how some people come briefly in and out of our lives while others stay. Anyway, we are building a lot of good memories together, and I really am happier than I thought I would be!

I have only been gone for 4 weeks, but it sure feels like 4 months. Hope things are going well on the American end! Miss you all like crazy but finally have the heart to look at family/friend photographs without getting sad.
Wishing you the best!

Oh, and posting photos has been a real challenge. I'll try again later!

2 weeks in! and Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T14:11:00.001+02:00

Happy Easter! I bought some 10 cent (10 Leke) chocolate to celebrate the day! The rest of the time is spent out in Gramsh on a volunteer visit. (Two years ago there was an Easter dinner in my house in PGH; last year, I was in Atlanta; this year in Albania!!!!) The 2 of us are staying with a male TEFL and a female Health Volunteer. We are COD, and staying with a COD volunteer was what we expected. However, talking to any current volunteer at this point is great. We aren't quite far enough into training that it feels like a vacation is a necessity, but the change of scenery is good. Soon I will have photos of Gramsh, too! It is quite the beautiful place!

Lately, we have been meeting more current volunteers during training in Elbasan, too. Chatting with people who are leaving soon or who are one year in has been very nice. It is strange, though, to think that in one year, I might be talking to new volunteers are hosting them at my house!

I really do think Albania is a beautiful place, and I have encountered many wonderful people. Some of the volunteers I have talked to say that they will be very sad to leave. Some plan to come back and visit counterparts or friends, and that is refreshing to hear! I also hear varying levels of Shqip ability, so while language is very important, it makes me feel OK with my progress.

In less than TWO WEEKS I find out where I am going! CRAZY! And thoroughly exciting.

My house! (photo above...I've given up on blogspot for the day!) Notice the winding staircase out front and the green and yellow paint. To the right and in the back is the outhouse, but you cannot see that. The walk up to the house is pretty steep, but it is more good exercise. The land in front of the short fence is the cousin's property. That same cousin is who my site-mate Laura stays with, even though the house is about 15 minutes away. Property rights don't exist in the same way that they do at home.
Mami ime on her birthday! Sweetest cake I have ever eaten!
View from old Pajove. Notice the communist era bunkers on the hill to help "protect" the country?
Old town Pajove.

About 20 of us from group met in the old part of Pajove for Brad's birthday. Sergio brought up his guitar, so there was some group singing of Wonderwall and Happy Birthday. Everyone brought some food or drink, and it was a really good time!

Wishing you all the best!!!

More photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/SusanManikowski/AroundBishqemMyCurrentTownInAlbania?feat=directlink

First pictures

2010-03-28T09:29:00.000+02:00

This is the back-side of my house. See Gjushi (Grandfather) walking from the house? I really like him! This was the day that I helped to turn over dirt in the field to plant, I think, beans. Xhuli and I also went to find the egg the hen had laid that day that will then turn into a chick. I was told I could not work for long because my hands are beautiful and work will ruin them. I think it was still appreciated (and funny, supposedly) that I wanted to help. Also, the smaller room off the back with the red roof is the kitchen. I want to help cook, but I don't think my few cooking skills would cut it on a wood stove!
Here is the "lake" near the house and more of Bishqem behind it. I only shower 2-3 times a week, and the water comes from the mountains. I think some of the water is also retained in this lake. The water is only warm on a sunny day, as the solar panels on the roof heat the water. The town really is beautiful, but as in many parts of Albania, there is little to no trash collection, and parts of the town are filled with garbage.
This is the view from outside my room. Soon, I will post a picture of the windy outside staircase that I walk up to get from floor one to floor two. I am terrified that I will fall, but with everything "avash, avash" or "slow, slow."

Things are still going well! I know more Shqip everyday, even though I find that things I really want to say, I cannot. It will get better "avash, avash." I speak a bit too much to Xhuli in English, so we agreed to talk more in Shqip. I said that in May, I won't have her, so I need to learn on my own. Mama really took that to heart, and now won't call in Xhuli unless I REALLY don't know what she is saying to me. In 3 weeks, I find out where I am going! I'm excited to find out, and I think it will motivate me more to speak Shqip.

We also have an assignment to design a one-day event for Bishqem. I think that will be a lot of fun and good practice for later. Because we would do an event the community wants, I have been breaking out and "talking" to more people, including the girls at the school where I have class.

Missing you all still, and wishing you the best!

One week in Albania! (the highlights)

2010-03-25T16:08:00.000+01:00

Hi Everyone!

Hope things are GREAT! I am doing great. I've only cried twice, and for those of you who know me, that is a pretty good track record!

I've been pretty busy with Albanian classes and COD (community and organization development) activities. The first few days were a bit overwhelming with all 50 of us Americans in one space, but now that I live in a small town of about 1400 people with 4 other Peace Corps "trainees," things are getting better. We still go to Elbasan twice a week for bigger group activities.

The family I live with is "shume mire" (very good!). There are 6 of them. Grandma and Grandpa are both farmers and very sweet. We don't say much to each other, but that should improve as my language does. They seem to like me, though! The mother and father are very nice. Mother is VERY patient with me. She laughed at me as I tried to roll out the dough for Nouvriz dinner. Supposedly soon, I get to milk the cow! She helps me with my homework. Ari is 18, and similar to 18 year old boys in the states, with his blaring music at night. And then there is Xhuli (Julie). She is 16 and full of energy. Her fiance works in Greece and is supposed to come home next week for a visit. She wants to be skinny for him, so we exercise every night for 45 minutes. It is good for me, but it can be a bit much after a full day and a walk about the hill to their house. However, the time is perfect for practicing words like right and left and counting. She also painted my nails and pointed out all her jewerly. She speaks English rather well, so she is incredibly helpful with translating. I really like everyone, but I think I need to start spending more time alone studying! They laugh when I bring my flashcards to the common areas, but it does help.

I am progressing in Shqip. Luckily, it is rather phonetic when reading, but when an "l" and "ll" are different letters, listening is slightly complicated. Plus, I can't roll my "r"s, which is a problem. I like how they say that it is just like the sound the motorcycle makes. Yes, I understand that. However, that doesn't mean I can do it! Supposedly, if you can't roll your "r"s by 16, you'll never be able to. I missed that boat, I guess.

My family is VERY interested in my American life and like to look at the pictures I brought and have on my computer. So, you all bring them joy, like you bring me! I will figure out a way to post pictures of my house (2 stories, lime green and yellow, winding outside staircase, Western toilets to be used for one purpose and an outside Turkish toilet for another, VERY clean, wood stove) and the nice view from the balcony. I also have pictures of my town.

I should get home and study! Hope things are FABULOUS. I MISS YOU!!!!

PS. I have my phone number, so if you want it, please just let me know. I hope to go on the computer 1 time per week.

One week till departure!

2010-03-08T23:00:00.000+01:00

In one week (on March 15), the BIG adventure of the Peace Corps in Albania begins. The last few weeks have included LOTS of good family time, a perhaps symbolic taking down of the wallpaper in my room, and buying loads of...STUFF! Oh, and I've been pretending to pack. Fitting two years worth of necessities into 2 suitcases and 1 carry-on is a rather daunting task.

People ask me how I am feeling about the whole thing. Honestly, I just can't believe it is ACTUALLY happening since I've been looking forward to this for a LONG time!

Just as a quick recap of the agenda for the next 2 years/115 weeks:
Week 1: 1 night in Philadelphia, meeting the other 50 or so volunteers who will be in Albania Group 13 with me; 1 flight to Tirana, Albania, via Germany; meeting and moving in with my homestay family near Elbasan, Albania; and diving into language and culture learning
Weeks 2-10: Working toward passing my competency tests so they let me stay!!!
Weeks 11-115: Moving to a town/village and getting a placement with an organization, living it up in Albania, and getting the most out of the experience!

I hope to write on this blog once a month and post loads of pictures. I also have never written a blog before, so any good ideas for information to post is much appreciated!

If you would want to write me a letter till mid-May, the address is:
Susan Manikowski
Korpusi i Paqes
PO Box 8180
Tiranë, Albania
(No packages are allowed at this location; flat letters only.) I think I have collected everyone's addresses, but if you have a new one I don't have, please send it my way.

Thanks, everyone, for being interested in what is up! I will miss everyone like crazy, so I would love some of your updates, too!

In other exciting news, Peter (my brother) and Stephanie are engaged!