Preparation of the Thanksgiving Turkey

Only 27 Months?

I know I have not been very vigilant with my blog posts this fall. Things have been crazy busy! It's pretty unbelievable how much more productive I feel during my second year here in Albania than I did in my first. Now that I know the language, have a few projects going on, and know how the people in Himare 'work' I can get so much more done in a shorter amount of time. It seems as though 27 months is not nearly long enough for a Peace Corps Volunteer to accomplish as much as one would like.

Most of the first year was spent getting to know Albanian culture and language, figuring out how to work within my community, discovering the needs of my community and Albania as a whole, and learning how to efficiently get projects done. Getting comfortable and known and respected in my community is a huge step toward becoming successful in one's community. Now, in my second year, is when I have begun to get my 'hands dirty.' I am finally seeing and doing the actual work that I have tirelessly prepared for. No longer do I spend most of my time lobbying for funding and convincing people that yes, this project is definitely feasible.

Peace Corps is a roller coaster of emotions, workload, feelings, and self confidence. I have hit high points and I have definitely experienced the low points. These past couple of months have to be one of the highest points I have had since in Albania. Right now I feel accomplished, productive, and happy. (These feelings will definitely change multiple times before my close of service in May.) For me, these high points are what Peace Corps is all about. Yes, I am here to help out citizens of another country, but I am also here to experience living and working in a completely different environment.

There is no better feeling than walking down the street in Himare and really feeling as though I am truly part of this community and that I belong here.

Northern Trek - Home to Lord Voldemort

July 2011

The far north of Albania had been off-limits for Peace Corps Volunteers until May of this year. So, needless to say, it had been somewhat of an interest and mystery to us PCVs. We had all heard how beautiful, clean, undeveloped, and, of course, how Lord Voldemort had lived here during his years in exile, but none of us had seen or experienced this part of Albania.

Naturally, a group of us planned a multi-day hike and camping trip. We began in a tiny, tiny town that you cannot reach during the winter because of the large amount of snowfall in that area of the country, called Valbona. From there we hike up and over a peak in the Albanian Alps to another small town, named Theth.

Theth is known as one of the last places in Albanian where blood feuds have lasted. The Kulla, a tower where those who committed murder went due to the protection is granted for the first 30 days after the committed crime, is still in Theth and one can still enter to see and learn about the process of the town's council of elders when a blood feud was in full swing.

For those of you who don't really know much about blood feuds, it follows a code of law called the Kanun. The Kanun includes how to treat guests, ritual funerals, and, of course, blood feud customs. If a man in your family killed someone in my family, my family would then go after that man in your family, then your family would come after the man in my family who first murdered someone in my family, and so on. This cycle will continue until there is no one left or the feud can be terminated by a 'sworn virgin.'

A 'sworn virgin' is a woman who takes on the role of a man by becoming the head of the house, does not have children, cuts her hair short, and usually wears male clothing. By doing this the woman is ending her family's lineage and eliminating the possibility for another male to be born. This is really the only way blood feuds between families end. If you are interested in learning more on this subject, there is a fictional book, Broken April, by Ismail Kadare that is strictly about Albania's blood feuds. There is so much more about this old tradition, but what I have mentioned above are the basic concepts.

The other reason why visiting Theth is at the top of many PCVs lists is because of it's natural beauty, numerous outdoor activities that can be pursued in this area, and the lack of modern luxuries. Electric wiring were just installed into the Theth valley less than a year ago. Theth is located in a valley completely surrounded by the Albanian Alps, therefore it is only possible to get there during the summer months.

Theth is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Albania. I can see why Lord Voldemort chose to live there during his several years in exile from Great Britain.

Camping: Albanian Style

June 2011

There is a town smack in the middle of Albania, about an hour south of Elbasan by the name of Gramsh. Gramsh is much smaller than Elbasan, but not nearly as

small as the villages around Elbasan where training took place. I have found that it is one of the most enjoyable places to visit in Albania. There really isn't anything special about it, but it just feels comfortable. I think this has to do with the fact that the regional culture, language dialect, and geography is much like the villages where we spent our first three months in Albania and got our first taste of true Albanian life.

Two volunteers from my group were placed in Gramsh. It seems like they have really become part of their community and are making an impact in Gramsh. Not only have they become acquainted with the town and community members, but they have also explored the area around their site. While exploring they came across an amazing camping site.

At the beginning of June, a group of volunteers, myself, and a few Albanian friends went on a camping trip in Sotire, a small village outside of Gramsh. The hike was pleasant and beautiful. The trail we took crisscrossed back and forth over a small creek. Since we did this hike at the beginning of the summer before it got too hot, the hillsides were covered in an array of green hues and the wildflowers were in bloom. Eventually, we made it to a large, flat, grassy mesa. This field was where we camped. At the campsite there were a few cherry trees. The cherries were a bright yellow and red color and were a refreshing afternoon snack after our long hike and activities around the camp area.

By following a trail that ran alongside a creek we had worked our way back into a small canyon-like area. The field in which we camped on was atop one side of the canyon while the opposite side of the canyon a large waterfall was flowing from the facing canyon wall. The water looked to be coming directly from the rocks in the wall of the canyon. At the bottom of the canyon was a small swimming hole where the waterfall came to rest. Because it was so early in the summer, the water was absolutely freezing, but it sure felt good after our long hike in.

Ok, this is where the story gets interesting. Hiking is not a common hobby or pastime for most Albanians. So the Albanians who came with us were not the most seasoned in the idea and etiquette of camping. While the majority of the group first set off on the hike to the waterfall, the Albanians along with a couple accommodating PCVs stayed behind to wait for the donkeys. Yes, I do mean donkeys. While all the Americans carried their small amount of belongings on their backs, the Albanians rented and loaded up two donkeys to carry their items to the campsite. It is also important to understand that the entire hike took only 2 hrs and we were only staying for one night. The PCVs packed sleeping bags, tents, food for dinner, headlamps, and matches. The Albanians, on the other hand, brought along a generator, 2 cans of gas, large speakers, a computer, extension cord, and, best of all, a lightbulb.

That night, after us PCVs started a fire and began to cook dinner, the Albanians set up with gear and basically created a club out in the middle of this field. The lightbulb had been lit by the generator and was allowing the Albanians to run their music and large speakers while making it possible for them to circle dance to the music late into the night.

It was a rare, unexpected, entertaining site, but unfortunately we were not able to listen to the waterfall as we went to sleep. After this experience I have decided that I definitely prefer camping in peace while taking in the nature around me.

Himare Hits the New York Times

The Albanian Riviera, a Frugal Paradise?

(above: link to nytimes article)

On June 29th, the New York Times came out with a travel article about the Albanian Riviera. This is exactly where I live and a wonderful description of the places to visit, the people you meet, and the food that is consumed. I could not have describe this area better myself.

The photos included in the article are some of the views that I encounter everyday. The restaurant the writer talks about is one of my favorites in Himare and the daughter of the owner is one of my students. It was an absolute joy to read about this man's positive experience and completely understand where he was coming from in many of his observations. Another thing I would like to point out is that I completely agree with his description of Vlore, the city north of Himare. It was spot on.

If you want another perspective of where I am living and what the culture is like, take a look at this article. It's definitely a small insight to what life is like in Himare during the summer months.

Back to Normal

One year ago yesterday, March 17, 2010, I arrived in Albania. I am in absolute awe that I have been here for a year now. I can still remember events and even small details that happened last April, like it was yesterday. I really feel like the time has flown by. But the fact of the matter is I have lived in Albania for 1 year and have loved ALMOST every minute of it. At first living in Albania was work, now it just feels like home.

My Peace Corps journey has been absolutely nothing like what I had expected. Prior to my departure from the USA I thought about how hard, simple, long, and tiring it was going to be to live in a foreign country for the next 27 months. Is this what my life here in Albania has turned out to be? Absolutely not. Sure, it took a while for me to become comfortable enough with the language to relax and just 'have fun' when conversing with other Albanians, I have had to creatively come up with activities to occupy myself for the first few months in my site (it was summer = no school), and I constantly felt guilty about the lack of change I was accomplishing, but the reality of Peace Corps is completely different. At first everything is hard and a to-do, shall we say, but once you get into the swing of things everything starts to fit into place.

I finally feel like my life is 'normal' again. Actually, life has felt 'normal' for quite some time now. The things that once completely baffled me are now part of my everyday life and they no longer stick out when reflecting back on my day. I now love it when the old men in town say hello just so they can correct me on the mistakes I make when speaking to them, I know it means they care and want me to improve my Shqip. I no longer expect to teach 10th grade without the students acting like animals, and I know that trying to accomplish what I would on a 'normal' day in the US will take more like a week or maybe two in Albania. Nesër, it's always nesër (tomorrow). I am fully aware that these things will happen on a day-to-day basis, but to be completely honest, none of it really bothers me anymore. I no longer see or acknowledge the oddities as I once did. As one of my friends has described it, "I have fallen in step with the Albanian way of life." This lifestyle has become my new 'normal'.

What has been helpful when trying to understand why things the way they are here, in Albania, has been to just not ask why? When asking this question the answer always seems to be: "because it's Albania". Yes, this may sound close-minded or a complete joke (which it has become), but to be truthful it is wicked hard to come up with logical or sensible reasons for why things are the way they are. They just are.

Living here is difficult and there have definitely been lots of ups and downs throughout this first year of service. When Peace Corps says that "It's the hardest job you will ever have" they are 100% right. But life and my Peace Corps service now seems just a little easier because my life is back to 'normal'.

Violent Protest Leads to Political Unrest

Ok, we will have to start with a brief history lesson and synopsis of what has been going on in Albania for the past year. Since the previous election for Prime Minister, there has been a great divide between the Democratic and Socialist Parties here in Albania. Edi Rama, the Mayor of Tirana and the head of the Socialist Party accused the current Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, of rigging the votes in order for him to be re-elected as the Prime Minister of Albania. The direct reaction to this incident was a hunger strike, led by Rama, outside the offices of Berisha and other Ministry officials, which took place last spring. Following the hunger strike, Rama continued to place pressure on Sali Berisha and the Democratic Party.

In January, a videotape was released to the media showing the Vice Prime Minister verbally speaking about and accepting bribes in return for favors. In addition to the exposure of the Vice Prime Minister's participation in corruption, Sali Berisha was also mentioned on this tape. After the release and airing of the tape, the Vice Prime Minister resigned from his position. As a result, Edi Rama and the Socialist Party have since asked Sali Berisha to step down as Prime Minister because of his alleged participation in corruption. Berisha has denied the corruption allegations and has rejected the request to resign as Prime Minister.

On January 21st the Socialist Party gathered outside the Municipality in Tirana and demonstrated their desire for Berisha to resign from his position as Prime Minister. Unfortunately, the rally got out of hand. Cars were lit on fire and many protesters began throwing rocks along with other objects in the direction of the Ministry building (which was surrounded and guarded by the riot police). Members of the Socialist Party were not the only ones who became violent. Many of the demonstrators were beaten by police, taken to jail, and one man was shot dead. It is still not 100% clear what happened or whom the orders came from, but it has been stated that Sali Berisha or someone close to him in the Ministry ordered the gunshot, which resulted in the death of a demonstrator. There were a total of 3 deaths as well as many injured.

Since this violent event took place, there have been protests conducted by the Socialist Party weekly, every Friday. These events have taken place in many large cities around Albania. Luckily, most of the demonstrations have been peaceful. In my personal opinion, the fact that these demonstrations have been peaceful has had a lot to do with the fact that so many Albanians still remember the violent riots and upheaval that Albania experienced in 1997. These actions were caused by the collapse of large pyramid schemes, in which many people lost the majority of their money. Coincidentally, the country's President at that time was Sali Berisha...

As shown in recent history, Albania is a country that could be prone to violent protests and political upheaval. When looking at various other countries in which citizens have risen up and overthrown or tried to overthrow political regimes, they all have a few similarities. Albania, like other countries that have experienced political unrest, has a large unemployment rate, the majority of the population is young, and education is not mandatory after the age of 13. These factors frequently contribute to most political uprisings.

These political demonstrations began around the same time as the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, ect. Looking at those violent demonstrations in comparison to what is going on here in Albania, while keeping in mind the violence of 1994, Albania has come a long way in these few short years.

Day of Holy Water

Once a year, on January 6th, the Greek Orthodox have their water blessed by the priest of their respective church. Because Himare is a predominantly Greek Orthodox community, there was no school so the town could celebrate this religious holiday.

At approximately 10:30 am each year, the priest of the Greek Orthodox Church that is located in Himare Fshati (at the top of the hill) comes down to the sea, says a prayer and throws a wooden cross into the water. After the cross is tossed into the sea a group of boys and men race out to where the cross has landed. Whoever gets to the cross first is blessed by the priest and, in Himare, is rewarded with 150 Euros.

I could not believe so many men participated in this ritual in the middle of winter. There was no sun, the air was extremely cold and the water was even colder. I guess the prospect of winning 150 Euros was enough incentive for these men.

Throughout this day, one can visit a Greek Orthodox Church and receive blessed water. According to the Greek Orthodox, if someone gets sick, they can drink blessed water and they will eventually be healed. What is also interesting is that any 'regular' water that is added to blessed water becomes blessed as well.

This was a huge community event. All the people in Himare were down on the beach watching the priest and the men swim out to the cross. Prior to the event, all the children in town were so excited. Everyone was anxiously talking about who would reach the cross first. It was the first time that I had seen the whole community of Himare together, celebrating a holiday. Because so many people in the community were down on the beach, I saw many of the children as well as adults that I know. All of these people came up to me and wanted to tell me all about this particular holiday and why it was such a bit event for the town. This was the first time I really felt like part of the community and realized how many people I actually do know here in Himare. It was also a big confidence booster for my Albanian language skills. Interacting with all the people in the community showed me how much Albanian I understand and have learned since I have been here. As of yet, this was one of my favorite experiences I have had in my site.

Gazuar Vitin e Ri!

New Years is certainly Albania's biggest and most anticipated holiday. The entire country celebrates this holiday; every town, big and small. There are huge parties, lots of fireworks, and people stay out until 6 am. Tirana, Albania's capital city is no different. Unlike in the United States, New Years is a family holiday and most people spend the majority of the evening with their families. From about 7 pm to 12 am families gather together, eat dinner, and celebrate the New Year. At 12 am everyone, including young children, go out to light off fireworks and/or watch the fireworks go off all around them. Finally, at around 1 am people start going out to bars and clubs.

Personally, I think this is a great way to celebrate the New Year. I feel like there is always so much expectation associated with New Years and most of the time it doesn't live up to whatever one has expected for the night. However, the way that Albanians celebrate New Years focuses more on spending time with family and close friends and just letting loose. This is exactly how I spent my New Years (except without the family part).

I was in Tirana for New Years. From about 8 pm till 10:30 pm 3 other PCVs and myself hung out and got ourselves ready for the evening. It was pretty relaxing and a lot of fun just chatting about our Christmases and other various topics. Finally at 10:30 pm we headed out to dinner. Upon leaving our hostel, the streets of Tirana were almost empty. It was a bit eerie to be out on New Years and not see very many people roaming the streets. The reason not many people were out was because everyone was at home with their families eating dinner. We got to dinner and had a great time at the restaurant. Our waiter was very accommodating and friendly. Albanians are particularly interested in Americans who know how to speak Shqip (Albanian). After dinner, coincidentally right at midnight, we went outside to a large park in the middle of Tirana and watched all the fireworks go off. There were people in the park lighting fireworks off and the Bashkia (municipality) of Tirana also put on a firework show at midnight. I am not exaggerating when I say that there were fireworks exploding all around us. It was a pretty unbelievable site.

After about 45 min to an hour of fireworks we headed out to the bars. At the bar all we did was dance. There was great music and we met some pretty cool people. We left that place around 4 am and finally headed back to the hostel. After a few hours of dancing we were all pooped. It was a really fun night and a great way to spend New Years. I can't wait till next year!

An Italian Christmas

The Island of Sicily has been of great interest to me for a long time now. It has been under the control of so many countries and cultures and I have always heard about it's extreme beauty. This and the fact that spending Christmas in a warm place where the people actually celebrate the Christmas holiday was what led me and 4 traveling companions to decide on a trip to Sicily.

I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel around the mainland of Italy, hitting the highlights; Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Venice, and Milan. However, Sicily was unlike any of those places. It has a more relaxed feeling and holds a lot of similarities with the Greek Ionian Islands. The people were all friendly, welcoming, and curious about us, our lives (particularly why we chose to live in Albania), and our trip.

The majority of our time was spent in Palermo, but we also traveled to smaller towns around Sicily, such as: Mondello, Cefalu, Monreale, and Agrigento. Each of these places is known for something completely different. Mondello, which is located 45 min Northeast of Palermo, is a small (about the size of Himare) beach town. Since we were there around Christmas there really weren't that many people there and there wasn't a lot going on in the town. It was still a nice to visit because it is an absolutely beautiful place.

Cefalu is to the west of Palermo and located, much like Himare, smack between a tall mountain and the sea. This town was also quite beautiful, but it was quite different from Mondello. This town has not been "modernized". The streets are still very narrow and made of cobblestone and most the original buildings are still used. Cefalu is also home to a beautiful cathedral and a large cistern that has been in use for hundreds of years.

Monreale is known for it's spectacular duomo. The inside of this large cathedral is completely covered in tiles. On the walls, ceiling, archways, and floors are beautiful and brightly colored mosaics. What is also interesting is that the entire Bible is depicted in mosaics, sequentially, all around the interior of the cathedral. I am not the most versed in Bible stories, but even I could tell what most mosaics were illustrating. One of my favorite things about the cathedral in Monreale was the use of the gold leafed tiles. They really enhanced the brightness of the other colored tiles as well as created a mystical ambiance.

Many of the towns, including Palermo, have architecture that was influenced by the Normans as well as the Italians. Agrigento, on the other hand, was know for it's numerous temples built by the Greeks. There are about 8 temples that were built by the Greeks in honor of various Greek gods, including Zeus and Poseidon. These temples are all located within about a 2-mile strip of land. They all look out over the sea and the town of Agrigento is behind them. The view at sunset is absolutely gorgeous!

Palermo, one of the largest cities on the Island of Sicily, is a large and cosmopolitan city that also has areas in which are more "traditionally Italian". What I mean by this is that there are parts of Palermo that have wide boulevards and modern buildings, but there are also many narrow streets, which are lined with the original buildings. We stayed in an area that is more residential and did not host many tourists. We were across the street from the sea and near the botanical gardens. It was a good and central place to base ourselves. Because where we were staying was more of a residential area, we had the pleasure of getting to know some of the locals around the neighborhood. There were two family owned restaurants around the corner from our apartment. Both of these restaurants were good, but one of the owners/chefs was particularly welcoming and the food was unbelievably fresh. We learned a lot about Sicilian culture from this restaurant owner, as well as from a few men who owned a bakery down the street. Both of these businesses were extremely friendly and taught us about the Sicilian lifestyle and how Sicilians interact with each other by simply speaking to us like old friends. We were treated more like locals rather than tourists. It was great to feel "at home" in the neighborhood where we were staying.

One of my favorite things about Palermo were the numerous open-air markets. When wandering the narrow alleys/streets of the city we were constantly coming across markets. There was fresh produce, cheese, meat, and fish available for purchase, as well as quite a selection of spices and traditional Sicilian spice mixtures for pastas. These markets opened early in the morning and didn't close until around 7 or 8 at night. Located in the same alleyways were small local bars. These bars opened later in the day, around 6 or so, and stayed open till late at night. These bars attracted a young local crowd and had exciting and relaxed atmospheres. The bars were so small that most of the drinking was done outside in the narrow alleyways and on benches that the bars would set up in the street. We met some really interesting people at these bars. I think the most comical incident at the bars was when Kim witnessed a woman get peed on by a dog. She was laughing so hard I thought she was going to spit her drink out.

The drink that most of these bars served was called sweet wine. We don't know for sure, but we think it was wine mixed with some sort of hard liquor, or that's what it tasted like. They were brewed and kept in large glass jugs. You had the option to buy a bottle or just a cup of it. When buying a bottle of the sweet wine, the bar tenders would fill up an empty liquor bottle of some sort. These bars attracted a younger, more liberal looking and acting crowd. I think these were some of our favorite nights.

In the 7 days that we were there we really only got to see part of Sicily. There is so much to see on this tiny small island. I am definitely going to have to go back and explore the southern and western parts of Sicily. It was a great place to spend the Christmas holidays and I couldn't have asked for better travel companions.