Pushim

I'm pretty sure that only my Mom reads this blog at this point but on the off chance that somebody else stumbles upon this...I apologize for the lack of updates.  We are currently on pushim (break) and I'm trying to enjoy it as much as possible.  But I promise that once the New Year is over I will update you on tantalizing topics such as holiday traditions in Albania, the teachers' New Years party and how to stay warm in Albania.

Until then, here is an amazing article on the 10 reasons 2013 is the perfect year to visit Albania:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leyla-giray/albania-tourism-2013_b_2352931.html

Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas!

Sending you some holiday cheer from Albania!

100 Years! Part 2

With all the celebrations on Monday and Tuesday I was a little worried that Independence Day would just feel like more of the same but those fears quickly disappeared when I woke up to the lokal near my house blasting Xhamadani at 7 AM.  I got up and looked out my window and all anger that I felt at being so rudely awoken on a holiday disappeared as I saw people streaming into town from the villages.  Today was going to be a crazy day!  Throughout the day I had a few coffees with friends and teachers to celebrate but here is a rundown of the official celebrations.

9 AM - Flag Raising

The mayor raising the flag.

November 28th is the day that Ismail Qemali raised the Albanian flag in Vlore.  So naturally each town starts off their celebration with a symbolic raising of the flag.  

Noon - Fair on the Square

I'm still not completely sure what was going on at this time, but there were tables set up with drinks and food and circle dancing in the square.  

Kamber Dermyshi is Gramsh's patriot.  At some point during the day
they put flowers on his statue in the square.
Fun Fact: His Great Grandson is one of my students!

6 PM - Concert

The Independence Day Concert was by far the best concert I've seen here in Gramsh so far.  It had traditional songs, dances, children performing, old men performing, poetry and even one kid who rapped!  The wind started to pick up about half way through and ended up knocking down the backdrop and the rain followed shortly but the show continued and to my surprise, everyone stayed and watched.

You can't see it in the picture but they had ribbons hanging from their
sleeves so they looked like eagles.  Epic.

It all ended in Fireworks!!

If you're interested in seeing what celebrations looked like in other cities, BBC compiled pictures from around Albania.  Gëzuar 100 Vjet Pavarësi Shqiperi!

100 Years! Part 1

This past week, all of Albania has been fest-ing in honor of the 100th anniversary of Albania's independence.  I debated a lot about staying in Gramsh to celebrate or joining other volunteers for the bigger celebrations in Tirana and Vlore.  I ended up staying in Gramsh and I couldn't be happier!  Here is a timeline of the first two days of the celebration.

Monday - Albanian History Competition

On Monday, we started off the day thinking it would be a normal day of school. (Or maybe it was just me who thought it would be a normal day.  That happens a lot.) But during the long break our Director called a meeting for all the teachers and let us know that school would be getting out at noon so that we could have an Albanian history competition.  After school we all walked over to the Pallati i Kultures (literally translated as the Cultural Palace but basically the Community Center) where teams from the 3rd year classes competed.  It was great for me to learn some more about Albanian history but I think I'm still just as confused about it all as I was before!

Teacher Bana served as the MC for the event.

The teams had to answer 3 rounds of questions, with an essay question, a multiple
choice question and a fill in the blank question in each round.

Sylvana (English teacher), Laura (English teach and my amazing counterpart)
and Moza (literature teacher).  These women are my guides to Gramsh and
Albanian culture and would probably kill me if they knew I put this picture online.

Tuesday - 'Shefqet Guzi' Concert and Party

On Monday we were also informed that we wouldn't have classes on Tuesday, instead we would have a concert in the morning and then a party in the afternoon.  All of the teachers and students were decked out in kuq e zi (red and black) and everyone was excited.  The concert included some Albanian songs, poetry, traditional dances and even a skit with Ismail Qemali.  After the concert ended some of the students stayed around and circle danced in the school courtyard.  I wish I could have taken a picture of their faces when I joined in.  I like to think I gained a lot of Albanian street cred that day.

There is no better way to start off your day than with a little circle dancing!

Ismail Qemali himself.

Oh Professor!

Kuq e zi everywhere.

Traditional dancing.  The boy in the center is actually one of the students
in my 9-vjecare English group.

Later all the teachers went to the cafe next to the school and had our own little party which included two history professors sharing their thoughts on Albanian Independence as well as some dancing.  As shocked as the students were to see me dancing like and Albanian, the teachers were even more surprised. 

And last but not least, one of the lokals in town had a party for the students in the afternoon.  I went with my counterpart Laura and two other teachers, Bana and Arba.  It was a lot of fun and also made me realize how far I've come since the beginning of the school year.  At this party I was up dancing with the students and trying to teach them Gangham Style while they tried teaching me how to circle dance without staring at my feet the whole time. 

Our DJs who are also my counterpart's cousin and brother,

Check out Part 2 to see what happened on Independence Day!

Gëzuar 100 Vjet Pavarësi!

Tomorrow Albania turns 100!  It is a big deal and we're celebrating all week over here.  I'll post pictures of everything later but I thought I'd share the independence day spirit with some Shqiptar songs!

Kuq e Zi - Sinan Hoxha ft. Seldi

Xhamadani Vija Vija 

Enjoy!

Giving Thanks.

I know this post is a bit late but I wanted to take the time to point out the things that I am thankful for this year.  This past year has included a lot of big changes in my life and more than ever I realize how much I have to be thankful for.

1. My friends and family back home.  Being away from you all has only made me realize even more how amazing you are.  You've continued to support me even though I'm a continent away. You're always there for me when I need to talk to you even though I'm not always around for you.  I know its not easy being friends with someone who has a compulsive need to move and see the world so thank you for being there.
2. My mom.  You have no idea how much you mean to me.  You're an amazing mother and woman.  Thank you for always being there, for calling me when you get a less than happy email from me, for making sure I'm drinking tea when I have a cold and for always supporting me.  Get ready for more adventures to come!
3. My dad.  You always lighten up my day whenever I hear from you.  Thanks for helping me keep a level head over here and for always making me laugh.  But most of all thanks for having the confidence in me to send your little girl out into the world.
4. Nicky-Pooh.  Your the best little brother a girl could ask for. (even if you did steal my birthday)  Thanks for watching over mom and dad while I'm away.  I know its not easy to keep them in line.  I cant wait to see you next summer!
5. Home.  Being away from home has made me realize how lucky I am to have a caring supportive home life to return to.  Thank you to everyone who helped raise me and made me into the person I am today and to the people who continue to support me today.  
6. Albania.  I've never seen such a beautiful country and lively people.  We may not always get along, but when we do I cant think of any place I'd rather be.
7. My Albanian Friends.  You've taken me into your homes, fed me way too much food and paid for way too many coffees.  Thank you for letting be a part of your lives and for being my guides to Albania.  
8. My fellow PCVs.  We're a crazy, rambunctious, strong willed group but it wouldn't be the same without you guys.  Many of you have seen me at my worst but are somehow miraculously still friends with me.  Thanks for always being there to answer my calls, thanks for posting hilarious videos on days when all I need is a laugh and thanks for never judging.

Conversation of the Day

I typically get myself into some pretty interesting conversations here, which I typically like to blame on the language barrier.  You see when you live your life in a language that you maybe only understand two-thirds of the time, there is plenty of room for misunderstandings.  Conversations that in America I could recognize would get awkward real quick I could nip in the bud, but here its not until they've reached their full level of awkwardness that I realize what I've gotten myself into.

And as any PCV in Albania will tell you, the most awkward conversations typically revolve around finding a husband/wife.  This country is full of wannabe matchmakes and let me tell you, they are persistent.  On an average day I hear some form of "you need a man/I have a brother who is your age/have you met (insert Albanian man's name here)" multiple times.  But for the first time today, I won.

This is what happened when I went to buy my monthly internet.  We'll call my friend Bob.


Bob:  How have you been?

Me:  Good and you?

Bob:  Good.  School is good?

Me:  Good.  Family is good?

Bob:  Yes, good.

Me:  Very good.

Bob:  Are you bored?

Me:  No.

Bob:  You should get ready for the winter.  You shouldn't get bored.

Me:  I know.  I don't like the winter.  Winter in California is like the weather now in Gramsh.  I will be very cold!

Bob:  (laughs)  Oh my, in Gramsh we have snow.  What will you do?  Do you have clothes?

Me:  Yes I will wear all of my clothes.  I will be too cold.

Bob:  You should stay warm or else you will be bored.

Me:  I have a wood stove at home.  It is no problem.

Bob:  You are still alone?

Me: Yes.

Bob:  A stove isn't enough.  You should find a man.

Me: (laughs awkwardly)  Yes?

Bob:  Yes.  You should find a man.

Me:  An Albanian man?

Bob:  Whatever man you want.  A man is better than a stove.

Me:  I think a dog is better than a man.

Bob:  Eh, maybe a dog is quieter.  You should find a dog.


And that ladies and gentlemen is what winning looks like.

Pictures from October (And some updates)

Since I was MIA during October, lets play a little catch up...

Village Market

In a previous post I explained the ins and outs of the Gramsh market but what I failed to mention is that a 45 min walk outside of town, there is also a village market.  This market is very very very different from the Gramsh one.  Here you can buy animals (chickens, sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, you name it they got it) farming tools and food basics like ginormous bags of flour and corn.  Needless to say, they were shocked to see a foreigner walking around but it was definitely worth the experience.

Get your hunting gear here.

Need some pots and pans?

Yes those are chickens hanging on the side of the trailer and of course the trailer
itself was later filled with sheep. 

Albania vs. Iceland Soccer Game

At the beginning of October, I and around 20 other volunteers went to Tirana to see the Albanian national soccer team play Iceland in a World Cup qualifying match.  Watching sports and going to games is one of the things I miss the most here and it was amazing to have the opportunity to do that again.  But what we didn't count on was the fact that a huge storm would roll into Tirana right as the game started.  A little rain wasn't going to stop us but when the lightning started we decided that standing around in a stadium with umbrellas in a lightning storm probably wasn't the best life choice.  We relocated to a bar to watch the rest of the game but by then we were absolutely soaking.  Despite the fact that Albania lost, it was still one of the highlights of my time here.

Just a little wet...

 Language Refresher

During our time here, there are a few ISTs (In-Service Trainings) that are mandatory.  The first one is Language Refresher.  So after a little under 6 months at site, all of the volunteers from my group were reunited in Elbasan to learn some Shqip.  It was great seeing everyone again and it truly felt like returning home.  Elbasan was were we were during out training and we even stayed at the same hotel we were in for our first 2 nights in Albania.  It is shocking how much we've all changed since then!

While the conference was fun it was also absolutely exhausting.  We were divided into groups based off of the amount of Shqip that would be spoken during our classes.  I somehow got placed in the 90% group (apparently the language staff has more faith in my language abilities than I do).  Classes started at 9 AM and went on until around 4 PM.  The language staff really tried hard to make our classes as fun as possible and we got to learn a new Albanian song and a poem as well as do some circle dancing.    The video above is of the Albanian song "Nen nje portokalli" that we learned.

Too much Shqip can drive a girl cray-cray!

But there is always enough time to Ha buke (Eat bread)!

 Halloween

Every Monday I teach English to a group of 9-vjecare students.  They are amazing and working with them is definitely the highlight of my week.  A few of them are the girls who I worked with this summer as well.  But in honor of Halloween, we learned about some of the American traditions like Trick-or-Treating and Haunted Houses.  PS- If you want to feel like you're crazy try explaining to people that Americans will pay to go into a house that has been made scary just for the fun of it.  Thanks to my amazing parents, we even had some Halloween themed art supplies!

Watching 'Thriller'

The group with their finished products.  Thanks again Mom and Dad!!

(Photo credits to Joyce and Michael)

Albanian Tarator

Every Sunday, I devote my day to life's simple pleasures.  That means reading, baking and streaming football.  This week, I celebrated by making a big batch of Albanian Tarator.  My obsession with Tarator started during PST when I was invited for dinner at one of the other volunteer's host family's house.  They had two huge plates of Tarator and we easily finished both.  Tarator is a cucumber yogurt sauce, and is basically the Albanian answer to Greek Tzatziki.  During the summer, it is oftentimes watered down and served as a cold soup.  But most of the time it is eaten either slathered on bread or my favorite way,  by the spoonful.

Albanian Tarator

2 cucumbers
3 cloves of garlic
2 cups greek yogurt
juice from 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil

1.  Peel and scoop out the seeds of both cucumbers.

2. Grate or finely chop the cucumber.

3.  Peel the garlic cloves and finely mince the garlic cloves, mixing them together with the grated cucumbers.

4.  Mix in the yogurt and lemon juice, making sure that everything is evenly distributed.

5. Drizzle olive oil on top.

And wallah!  It is that simple.

The finished product

Happy Sunday everyone!

Getting Back on Track

Hello Everyone.

I know that its been awhile since you've heard from me.  I apologize.  To be honest it has been a rough couple of weeks over here.  When I first started this blog I decided that while I wanted to give a complete picture of my experiences here, I wouldn't blog while emotional.  When you join the Peace Corps, they warn you about the emotional rollar coaster.  They have a nice clean looking graph that shows the ups and downs you'll experience over the next 2 years.  What that graph doesn't quite get across is just how big those downs can be.

So I'll be honest with you all, I haven't quite found my groove here yet.  I came to Gramsh with a lot of ideas and a lot of energy.  While my official title is a TEFL Volunteer, I didn't want to strictly teach English.  What I did want to do is work with the youth of the community to challenge ideas, to teach them their self worth and to help them harness their energy to make a difference in their community.  I wanted to work with women in the community to address gender inequality, advance women's health measures and create a supportive community for young women and mothers.  And I didn't count on it all being so difficult.

After over 50 years under a strict Communist regime, most Albanians don't trust change and new ideas.  This can be difficult to accept as an American.  We are taught from a young age to try new things and to always think outside the box.  We are taught that if we see a problem, we should go out and fix it.  But we are also given an advantage that Albanian's don't have.  We are allowed to fail.  Think about all the times growing up you heard the phrase, "At least he/she/they tried." or how many times your parents told you that you should "Try everything once."  Those sentiments don't translate to Albania.  Here, a person's reputation is the most important thing.  Failing at something would make them the topic of gossip and chatter and in a small town like Gramsh, that can change a person's reputation overnight.  For obvious reasons, this makes people hesitant to challenge the status quo.

The problem is, I have always been a go-getter.  I have always given 100% to whatever I wanted to accomplish.  But this is the first time that it really isn't up to me.  I'm not here to force change onto people.  I'm here to serve the needs of my community.  This has been the hardest thing for me to accept.  Sure I could start a youth council or run a training on equality in the workplace, but if the people aren't involved in the planning and execution of it, it won't last or be successful.

I haven't given up hope that I will achieve my goals here.  But I have decided that I need to change my approach.  I spent the last few days with the rest of the volunteers from my group at our Language Refresher training and talking to them reminded me that while I am here to serve my community, I need to take care of myself as well.  So from now on I'm accepting that thing here happen much slower and that even the small victories should be celebrated.  And avash, avash things will get better.

Pictures from September

On my way to Tirana for Susan's birthday I made some new friends on the
bus.  These two girls were going home after visiting their Aunt
in a village.  They were absolutely adorable, even when they got a little car sick.

She noticed me making a card Susan's birthday and wanted to
make one too.  It says "Happy Birthday Zyzi.  You will celebrate!"

Susan spoiled us with Pete's Coffee!  My Nescafe Instant coffee hasn't
tasted the same since.

It is officially apple season!  My goal for the school year is to
get my students to bring apples for their teachers.  That counts as
sharing American culture right?

My lovely care package from my grandparents!  I'm not sure what I was
the most excited about, duct tape or the Scooby-Doo coloring book!

A good luck charm that the mom of one of my students made
for me.  Albanians are very superstitious and since I'm a woman living
alone I'm considered to be especially vulnerable to the evil eye.

Ska dritë

With the change of the seasons, comes the change of weather and here in Central Albania, that means thunderstorms!  And here in Gramsh, a thunderstorm means you'll be ska dritë aka without power.  Growing up in Davis, California I can only vividly remember 3 times that the power went out for more than an hour or so.

(That is if you don't count those rolling blackouts in 2000.  By the way, how crazy was that?  How does that even happen?  And imagine if that hadn't happened, we never would have had the Governator...OK sorry about that random thought brought to you by Jen.  Back to the blog.)

When I moved to Gramsh, I quickly realized that this wouldn't be the case here.  Since Gramsh is removed from any other major cities and is nestled between hills and valleys, our electricity isn't the most reliable.  And now that the stormy season is upon us, it looks like there will be even more ska dritë days ahead.

In comparison to my expectations coming into the Peace Corps, I still have access to electricity way beyond what I thought I would during my service.  But still, for someone who is used to having electricity, even going just a few hours without it was a shock to my system.  But as you'll hear many PCVs say, it is surprisingly easy to live without the conveniences we take for granted back in America.  

Now my goal here is not to preach about the power of living simply and all that jazz but simply to state that being ska dritë can be fun!!  So I've compiled a countdown of some of my favorite activities:

5. Read a book!!
4. Enjoy the silence that is only possible without power. (Bonus: If its night time, go outside and look at the stars. You won't regret it!)
3. Organize your house.
2. Go downstairs and talk with the neighborhood women about how sad it is that there isn't power. (There is no better way to bond than complaining about the lights, the water or the weather.)
1. ARTS AND CRAFTS!!!!!

Now why is that last one in all caps?  Um because its awesome!  There is a reason why we were entertained for hours as children with coloring books and yarn.  I dare you to try it one day.  Build a fort on the ground with some blankets and pillows and sit around with markers and some paper.  You'll feel like a crazy person at first, but there is no better way to relax.

Of course, being ska dritë isn't all sunshine and rainbows.  But for any future PCVs reading this, here are some ways to prepare.  The moment you see clouds that look like the alien invasion from Independence Day or hear thunder do this:

1. Start boiling water.  Nothing is worse than storm watching without a warm cup of tea.
2. Strategically place candles around your house.
3. If your internet is fast enough, make a last ditch effort to download something to watch.  That episode of How I Met Your Mother will be a life saver come hour 5.
4. Accept it.  You can't stop the power from going out.
5.  In extreme cases, if the power is out throughout the day and the night is coming without any sign that it'll come back on, go buy bread.  Just do it, you won't regret it.  And there will be a run on bread.  Nothing is worse than wandering around the streets using your cell phone as a flashlight trying to find the last loaf in town.

And that my friends, is life ska dritë.  Now go do some arts and crafts!!!

The First Day of School

The first day of school here in Albania is a really big deal.  Just to show how big of a deal it is I'm going to repeat this...the first day of school here in Albania is a really big deal.

Now that we've established that let me try to explain.  In America our first day of school is exciting for maybe 30 minutes.  Thats the time you get to stand in the hall or sit at lunch and catch up with your friends, talking about your summer vacations or showing off your new clothes.  But other than that it involves going to all of your classes and hearing relatively the same speech about classroom rules and expectations and the occasional icebreaker to get to know everyone.  It isn't a difficult day, you're slowly eased into the routine of going to school again, but it definitely isn't like summer vacation.

But in Albania, the first day of school is something that students and teachers both look forward to.  You see Albanians don't have classes on their first day of school, they have a party!  Thats right, here on your first day of school you stand around with your class and socialize while enjoying performances, poems, songs and dances.  And the best part about it all...it only lasts for 2 hours and it counts as a day of school!!  Here are some of the highlights of the ceremony:

My school director welcoming everyone.

President of the Student Senate

My landlord was taking pictures for the Bashkia and managed
to paparazzi me.

A student singing Taylor Swift's "Love Story"

The teachers.

The students.

Needless to say, it is a much kinder way of starting the school year.  Parents come with their kids and take pictures, the school director welcomes all of the students, the mayor wishes everyone success and the students get to catch up with everyone.  While part of me missed the structure and efficiency of the first day of school in the states, I realize that the Albanian way has its perks as well.  Ive come to appreciate that here in Albania everything is celebrated.  It shows a willingness to take things slow and enjoy the little moments of our lives that most Americans don't have.  So this is one of the only times you will hear me use the dreaded (ok maybe I'm the only one who dreads it) PC saying, "It's not better, it's not worse, it's just different."

Just when you think nothing can surprise you...

Lately I've been struggling with ideas for blog posts.  After 6 months in Albania, my life here seems normal to me.

• Waiting for half an hour for a meeting where you drink a coffee for 2 hours but only discuss business for the last 5 minutes?  Normal.  
• Being told to watch for the evil eye by my neighbors when I leave for school in the morning? Normal.  
• Shaking my head to mean yes? Normal.  
• Using 'mirë' as a question, answer, greeting, silence filler, and any other way you can imagine?  Normal.  
• Men drinking raki at 10 AM?  Normal.  (Actually I'm surprised they didn't start earlier.)
• It is raining outside yet my house doesn't have water?  Normal.  (But still annoying.)
• Having my cheeks pinches, my chest rubbed and my rear end grabbed by old women just saying hello?  Normal.

All of those things that when I first arrived in country seemed so foreign to me, are just a part of my life now.  But today I woke up from a nap and was for the first time in awhile surprised.  There is a horse grazing outside of my apartment.

A horse!

I sat there for awhile watching it, assuming that someone would come by to collect it but no, it has been just standing there for 2 hours now with no sign of moving anytime soon.  And the women who normally sit out there knitting and talking during xhiro time?  Why they're still out there like it is any normal day.  I guess I still  have a ways to go...

How Stuff Works: Gramsh Market, Part 2

Now onto the clothes area...

Here in Albania there are stands/stores that sell used clothing, typically donated by charities in the US or Europe, known as Gabis.  In larger towns they are open everyday and in the big cities they even have real stores with the clothes hung up and everything.  But here in Gramsh we like to keep it real.  Right next to the food area, is a big field that every Wednesday and Saturday is taken over by makeshift tables and covered with clothes, shoes and accessories.  Some stands are more organized, with a table for men's clothing, a table for women's clothing and another for children's, but many look like someone just poured a trash bag of clothes onto them.

The view as you approach the gabis.

Checking out the winter coats that are just now starting
to pop up. 

Buying things works a little differently over in the gabis.  First of all, you have to search through the tables of clothes to find what you want.  Go on, don't be shy.  If you hesitate too much someone else will take that lovely grey sweater of yours.  Second, you can bargain over here.  Now this isn't like Thailand where you can assume that they're doubling the price on you, when I say bargain I mean if they want 500 leke or $5 for that pair of jeans you can get them down to 400 leke or $4 if you play your cards right. (And yes that $1 difference is worth the hassle.)  And finally, don't expect them to throw in something for free or give you a deal if you're buying more things.

Shopping for clothes at the market obviously poses a few more issues for Americans than shopping for food.  The most glaring issue being no dressing rooms.  It helps to have a good eye for roughly what size your clothes are, especially since any clothes you find that do have sizes printed on them can't necessarily be trusted, but you do pick up a few tricks with some practice.  Did you know that you can use your forearm to measure pants?  (The waistband should fit comfortably around your arm from your elbow to your fist.)  There is also the issue of buying someone else's used clothes.  They will be dirty.  You will need to wash them a few times.  And they probably won't ever fit you just right.  But at the end of the day, it is a way better deal than buying clothes from a store here and oftentimes gabis actually have higher quality clothes.  For roughly $5 I can find a used pair of Levis at the gabi while a new pair of Albanian jeans is easily $20 and will wear out in a month or two.  For us PCVs, gabis are the only way to go.

Well now you're tour of the Gramsh Market is complete!  I hope you enjoyed it and that I was able to do it justice.  And hey if you're ever in the area on a Wednesday of Saturday, come on by!  I'll take you to experience it first hand.

How Stuff Works: Gramsh Market, Part 1

I recently saw this idea on another PCV's blog and thought it might be fun to try.  I realize that so far I've focused more on my personal experiences, telling stories about the adventures I've had or projects I've worked on, but I haven't talked to much about how life works here in Gramsh.  I guess that since I live here now the every day things don't seem that different to me, thus I haven't felt the need to share them.  But with my mom's recent visit I realized that it is these little things that make my life here SO different from my life in the states.  From now on I'll try to post one of these once a month in an attempt to explain the everyday.

For now lets begin with my favorite days of the week...market days!!  Every Wednesday and Saturday I wake up to a Gramsh that looks completely different.  People are out on the streets, cars are everywhere and there are some extra donkeys walking by my window.  As the regional hub, Gramsh has the biggest market and villagers come from as far as an hour away just to sell their crops, buy food for the week or socialize.  The market is divided into two main sections, one for food and one for clothes.

Lets begin with food!  The food area is divided into two as well, an open area for fruits and veggies and a covered building for eggs, spices and dairy.  We'll assume that you're approaching the market from the town center (thats how you get there from my house), in which case you'll enter the covered egg and dairy section first.  I like to think of this area as the light version of the market.  It is always less hectic, less crowded and less noisy.

NOTE: People don't usually stare at you with a "What in the world are you doing?" look at the market unless you're like me and snapping pictures of them.

Here is your standard egg stand.

Thats right...there is a room of cheese, just cheese.

If you follow the light at the end of the tunnel, you'll be taken to my own personal heaven here in Gramsh...the fruits and vegetables.  Now I am lucky enough to come from a town that loves its Farmers Market, but the market here still blows me away every time.  Between the vendors set up on the cement tables in the center and those who simply set up shop on the ground, there are easily 40-50 different stands to choose from.  It is definitely more crowded and hectic than the inside area but don't be intimidated.  I like to begin by taking a lap around the area to check out prices and who has the best looking goods, although I've recently chosen an onion guy who I always buy my onions from.  I find that if you always go back to the same vendors, they throw in a little extra after you've paid.  (Free food!!)

This is what it'll look like from the outskirts.  Just be careful not to
accidentally step on anyone's stand.

A typical stand in the center area.

An example of one of the makeshift stands around the outside.

Now you're probably wondering how one goes about actually buying things here.  

Step 1: Work up the courage to actually approach a stand. (I typically have to do a lap around the market before I get to this point so don't be ashamed.)

Step 2: Make small talk with the seller.  Asking questions about what village they're from, when whatever they're selling came into season or the always trust worthy, tell me about your kids work.

Step 3: If there is no makeshift sign by whatever you're looking to buy letting you know the price, ask!

Step 4: Tell them how much you want. (Warning: Anything less than a kilo will get you a "you must be crazy" look.)

Step 5: Fill the standard blue plastic bag that they hand you with however much you think you want.

Step 6: Watch as they weigh your purchase and probably through in a few more because obviously you meant to buy more than 5 apples even though you live alone.

Step 7: Pay. And you're done.

As for prices, an egg will cost you either 9 or 10 leke or $0.10 and a 1/4 kilo of white cheese (think of feta) will be around 250 leke or $2.50.  Fruits and vegetables change with the seasons but on my most recent trip I got a kilo of onions for 40 leke, a kilo of apples for 50 leke and a kilo of cucumbers for 50 leke all for a total of 140 leke or $1.40.  Tomatoes right now will cost you 80-100 leke or around $1 for a kilo but earlier in the summer they were down to 60 leke or an amazing $0.60. As you can see, with prices like that there is no excuse not to eat fresh produce at most meals, especially when you live off of $5.00 a day.

In an effort to not scare you away with how long this post is and to get around my slow internet, check out part 2 for the clothes!