Gramsh Girls Camp Pictures

Last week my dream of holding a girls camp here in Gramsh came true.  I've spent the past month forgoing summer vacation to organize and plan and every second of it was worth it.  It is still too early for me to have the words to describe this camp and what it means to me but it was easily the most fulfilling thing I've done yet.  Twenty-three girls aged 14-18 came for three days of lessons and activities focusing on healthy living, leadership and physical exercise.

'Crossing the River'

The girls were involved and enthusiastic, even at 9 AM during their summer break. I worried that they would find some of my American games silly or weird but they took to them with a vigor that even surprised me.

My counterpart Laura leading an activity on creative thinking.

The Albanian women that I worked with to organize the camp stepped up to the plate and really committed to my vision and making it happen.  They gave lessons, led discussions and acted silly with me, showing me that they really appreciate my work and friendship.

A group shot with all of the PCVs, my Albanian counterparts, and visiting PC staff members:  Mira, Language and Culture Coordinator; Agim, TEFL Project Manager and Earl, PC Albania Country Director.

The PCVs who came to help were amazing with the girls and there is no way I could have done it without their energy and their willingness to make countless friendship bracelets and hair braids.  Overall it was overwhelmingly fantastic!  There are so many pictures there is no way I could decide between them all so be expecting more to come later!

Albania in the News

I love seeing articles about Albania in the international press.  This one is from BBC News and I think it does a great job of representing the contrasts found here in Albania. 

The new Riviera: Albania tackles 'badlands' image with parasols

Source: BBC News

Family Vacation

After a year of teaching this PCV was in serious need of some pushim (vacation).  Luckily my family was able to come and visit.  We went on whirlwind trip through Croatia, Montenegro and Albania.  I won't go into too many details since this blog is meant to focus on my time in the Peace Corps but it was a great to see my family and explore some new countries.  It also gave me a new perspective on my life here in Albania.  It is both empowering and super scary to see how much this past year has changed me personally and changed my perspective on the world.

My dad, brother and I in Zagreb.

The whole family in Dubrovnik.

My mom and I took a day trip to Mostar in Bosnia.

View from the balcony of our hotel in Kotor, Montenegro.

I don't think I'll completely understand these changes until I'm home for good so I won't get into them anymore but I did learn one important lesson while I was away: I love Albania!  I don't know when it happened or how it happened but this place has become my home.  The Balkans have a long history of ethnic division and still to this day there are ethnic tensions.  I found myself defending Albania and its people as if it was my home town that people were talking about.  The smallest comment, even if it was true, would set me off talking about how beautiful the country and the people are.  You'd think that I was a paid PR rep the way I was talking about Albania.  And after all the traveling, I couldn't wait to get back to my country.  

So I guess it's official.  Albania you've won my heart!

23 Qershori

June 23rd might seem like just an ordinary day but here in Albania, the whole country is holding its breath for this day.  Its election day and here it means everything.

As PCVs we are not allowed to express our opinions on Albanian politics so I should make it clear that this blog in no way is meant to support one party or candidate over another.  My goal is simply to provide a picture of what politics are like in Albania.

Now to understand Albanian politics you have to meet the big players.  On one side with the Democrats we have Sali Berisha.  He has been Prime Minister since 2005 but he is actually a trained doctor, specializing in cardiology.  From the opposition we have Edi Rama.  He is the leader of the Socialist Party and served as Major of Tirana for 11 years but most importantly he is exceptionally tall (like half giant) and a former painter.

Unlike in America, the two parties don't represent any fundamental ideological differences, they are more like separate groups promoting themselves.  They agree that Albania needs jobs, to end corruptions, to join the EU, to develop infrastructure, etc.  This means that much of the political rhetoric is simply insulting the other party instead of promoting their own plan.

So you might wonder how it is possible to have such a strong political debate when there are so few differences between parties.  Well imagine this, every public job here in Albania is a political appointment.  The school directors, professors, nurses, doctors, police, firemen, street cleaners, every single one.  So this means that in order to rise to the position of a director, you should be a strong supporter of your party.  But this also means that with any change of the party, almost everyone is either fired or demoted to make room for appointments from the winning party.

This creates a rather difficult situation as you can imagine.  It in a way takes away the voters freedom to choose the best candidate regardless of their party.  In America it isn't unheard of to vote Democrat one election and Republican in another but here where party loyalty is tied to your job or the job of a family member, the party comes first.

Election meetings in Gramsh.  Top: PD. Bottom: PS

Last week both Berisha and Rama came to Gramsh to host election rallies.  They were both well attended and naturally the following day in school all the students wanted to talk about was politics.  Since we are required to be apolitical I tried to turn the conversation towards a discussion on democracy.  I asked them as young voters how they had decided who to vote for.  What do they want to see for their country?  In some classes it worked, in others it just turned into a debate on politics.

So now we sit and wait.  Who knows what changes elections will bring to my school or to the people I've come to know here in Gramsh.  But despite the difference between our two democratic systems, it has been inspiring to see so many of my students debating passionately about politics and hearing their aspirations for their country.  I truly believe that one day they'll be able to achieve them.

A New Normal

I did it again.  I fell off the blogging wagon.  I'm horrible.  I wish I could say that life has been so boring that I've had nothing to say but that would be a lie.  In fact a lot has happened in April and May. In these past two months a new group of volunteers have come to Albania while the previous group of volunteers have been slowly leaving to go home.

It has been a time of transition and for my group, a time of reflection.  We're halfway through this experience and the big kids now.  In recent conversations with other PCVs we've discussed how we want to change our roles during our second year or what passions we want to spend more time exploring.  But as different as we all are, the one common thing we agree on is that Albania is our new normal.  The things that used to take us by surprise now are a part of everyday life.  Which I think in a way explains why I haven't been blogging as much.  Things like seeing a donkey outside my window or hearing a wedding caravan go by used to be something I wished to share but now they're just a part of my life.  As guilty as I feel for not blogging, I guess this was the ultimate goal in coming here, to get to a point were I'm assimilated with the people and the culture.

But big things are still happening and I will try to remember to share them with you.  Here are some highlights from the past two months:

• The weather has finally changed.  I'm no longer curled up in my apartment with a wood stove and three layers on at all times.  I wore shorts this past weekend and it was magical.  It also means that it is the time of year for afternoon thunderstorms.  As magical as wearing shorts is, being stuck in a sudden downpour without an umbrella isn't so awesome.

PCVs before the Flash Freeze in Elbasan (Photo Credit: Heidi Curtis)

• The new group of volunteers is engrossed in PST in Elbasan.  I have had the pleasure of going in to give presentations and help with cultural events almost every week since they arrived.  They're so full of energy and spirit that every time I go there I come away energized.

Checking out a mosque during PST with the new group. (Photo Credit: Amber Wunderlich)

• Speaking of the new group, I got a site mate!  Yes thats right I will no longer be the lone American in Gramsh.  He'll be working at the Health Center and I can't wait to share this amazing town that has become my home over the last year with him.

Site Mates!!! (Photo Credit: Josh Guzman)

• I'm working on starting projects that will keep me busy this summer.  Currently in the works are a leadership camp for girls and an English Language Lab for the high school.  It looks like it will be a summer full of planning and paperwork.

That's it for now.  I will try to be a better blogger I promise!

Here Comes the Sun

Comparing the US to Albania

Have you ever stopped to wonder what would really be different about your life if you lived in a different country?  Would you live to be the same age?  Would you have the same number of kids?  Would you use the same amount of electricity?  What about your odds of dying in infancy?

As hard as I try not to, I find myself comparing life here to my life back home from time to time.  It is a bad habit that I'm trying my hardest to break because lets be honest, the lack of peanut butter here might seem like a big deal to me but it doesn't say all that much about the differences between home and here.  But there are some real differences I've noticed living here that go beyond the superficial things. 

Check out some info on the differences between the US and Albania here.

One Year In

Well it happened.  I've been in Albania for over a year.  It feels like just yesterday that i got off that plane in Tirana, yet it also feels like I've been here forever!  I've been putting off writing this post because I was hoping I'd have some amazing insight to share with  you for this special occasion.  But as life would have it, I got nothing!  But since the new group of volunteers arrived in Albania on Wednesday, I thought I'd share some things I've learned over the past year.

Life in Albania

1. Always say yes to a coffee invitation.  But know that you don't have to be friends with everyone.
2. Be curious.  Don't be afraid to ask questions or talk to people.  Odds are they've already noticed you and are wondering about you too.
3. Never breathe through your nose when entering an unknown bathroom.
4. Always check for toilet paper before you commit and of course, never trust a fart.
5. Old women hold infinite amounts of knowledge.  Do as they do.  When they take their laundry off the line, do the same because it is about to rain even if you can't see a cloud in the sky.  
6. Wear socks and slippers inside.  You might laugh at them when they tell you that you'll get sick without them but they're right and it is better not to spend the whole winter fighting off a cold.
7. Always have extra water in your house.  There are times when your water will go out for a few days when it makes sense, like during the summer when you haven't had rain in 3 weeks, but there are also times when it will go out on a day when it is raining and literally everything in town except for your pipes is full of water.
8. Enjoy people's hospitality.  Don't feel guilty about accepting a free dinner or grapes or desserts or a bottle of raki.
9. On that same note, always sip the raki.  They will refill your glass when you're finished no matter how hard you protest.
10. Flaunt what your mama gave you.  Wearing makeup and dressing up from time to time will earn you respect from women and it makes you feel good too!

The Peace Corps

1. Try to leave your house everyday.  Even on the weekends when all you want to do is relax in your pajamas and watch American TV all day.
2. The only thing that can motivate you here is yourself.  That is hard and will lead to some struggles and hard times.  But as each day goes by, you grow and become a stronger person.  You will leave a stronger version of yourself.
3. People will try to take advantage of you.  You are after all free labor.  Don't let them.  Stand up for yourself and don't be afraid to say no.
4. Working with little kids makes your day better instantly.  They don't care that you do goofy things or correct you when you make mistakes.  
5. Accept the awkward moments.  There will be many.  
6. You can't live your life like you're still in America but don't forget about the things that make you happy.  Make yourself an grilled cheese when you've had a bad day or have your own Disney movie marathon.
7. Your emotions will go crazy.  Your highs will be higher than you've ever felt but will easily collapse at the slightest thing and your lows will take you lower than you've ever gone.  You will feel nothing when you hear of a death but cry uncontrollably because the store is out of milk.  
8. Learn to let things go.  You can't control life and you can't help everyone.
9. Have one person that you can be totally honest with from back home.  You'll need them on the rough days.
10. Your fellow PCVs are the most diverse group of people you'll probably ever meet.  Take advantage of it.  Learn about them and learn from them.  

Dita e Veres (Summer Day) Fair

Gezuar Diten e Veres everyone!  Today I'll be going into Elbasan for the big party but yesterday we started the celebration with a fair put on by my high school 'Shefqet Guzi'.  All the classes had a table where they set up traditional foods they had made as well as decorations.  They all did an amazing job and it is always great to see them really excited about these things.  Here are some pictures of the tables!

Klasa XIG

Klasa XIIB

Klasa XII

Klasa XIF

Klasa XIA

Always the gentleman.

Write On! Albania

One of the most amazing and rewarding projects I've been involved in this Winter has been the Write On! Albania competition.  Write On! is a creative writing competition that was first started in 2003 in Georgia and now is an international competition including Peace Corps countries from all over Eastern Europe and Asia.  2011 was the first year Albania took part and it continues to grow every year.  For more information, check out the international website and the Albania specific website!

This was the first year Gramsh participated and I would call it a HUGE success!  We had 12 kids participate from Gramsh, 7 from the middle school and 5 from the high school.  To prepare for the competition, I've been working with my middle school English Club since the end of January.  In Albania, students dont get the chance to do much creative writing.  In school they focus on either poetry or essays, with little instruction on other types of writing.  So we started from the beginning.  We talked about how you write a paragraph, how you can use personification and point of view and how to use dialogue in stories.  I had them look at a picture and write a story about it and use inanimate objects as characters in a tale.  They were asked to imagine their perfect world and their perfect season and even to think about what would happen if they could talk to their pets.  And they did amazing!!  The same kids who looked at me like I was crazy the first week when I asked them to write a story about a snowman are now writing stories told from a dog's perspective.  Their creativity and writing skills grew with every week and even if none of them wins a prize, I could not be more proud of them.

So many beautiful words in these notebooks.  Couldn't be prouder!

Now that the competition is over, I'm hoping that we can keep the momentum going and continue to do creative writing exercises and maybe even start a Creative Writing Club!

Time to Get to Work!

It has come to my attention that by following this blog or looking at my facebook, it would be really easy to think I'm on an extended vacation here in Albania.  It is true that as PCVs we have more flexibility in our work than we're likely to ever have in another job but we still get things done, I promise!  And with tax season upon us, I think I owe it to you all to show you what amazing work your tax dollars are doing.  So I thought it was time to share with you some of the projects I have going on here!

Primary Assignment

My primary assignment is to work as an English teacher at 'Shefqet Guzi' High School in Gramsh.  I'm partnered with my amazing co-teacher Laura and together we teach all 8 classes in the 11th grade, which comes out to 21 classes a week.  Laura has acted as my guide to the school and to the Albanian system and has been an excellent support during my service so far.  Teaching in school can be difficult though.  In each class there is a huge learning gap with students who can barely say their name and age and students that are practically fluent expected to learn in the same classroom.  Add on top of that the fact that as much time as I've put into learning Shqip, I still don't have the confidence to discipline in Albanian.  Needless to say it can be a struggle but working here has allowed me to meet some amazing people and truly given me a new respect for the work teachers here (and worldwide) do!

Secondary Projects

A huge part of a PCVs work comes from secondary projects.  This is where we are free to do the things we are passionate about and expand our work to meet the specific needs of our community.

That being said, most of my projects focus on English education as well!  I have two English Clubs, one for students at the high school and another for students at the middle school.  They are both full of kids who inspire me everyday and give me hope for the future of this amazing country.  Both groups recently took part in the Write On! Albania competition, an international creative writing competition between PC countries in Eastern Europe and Asia.  

My most recent project is a class for 3rd grade students which I like to call English Kindergarten.  Kids here start learning English in the 3rd grade but oftentimes their teachers aren't trained to teach English, they don't get enough instruction during the week and their textbooks aren't meant for young learners.  So my idea was to start a class where they could learn English in a more natural way, like you learned when you were in Kindergarten.  So each week we have a simple topic like colors.  We learn the vocabulary with pictures or objects and then we play games or learn songs to reinforce what they've learned.  So far it has been a huge success.  The first week I had 7 students and now in the third week I'm up to 15!

The winter has been a slower time as far as youth groups go (I mean who really wants to meet in a freezing cold class room to play games) but I'm hoping that with the Spring coming Outdoor Ambassadors will be able to get going again!

I'm also lucky enough to have the chance to work with two Peace Corps Committees, the Gender Equality Committee (Barazia Gjinore) and the Language and Cross Cultural Committee.  PC Committees allow interested volunteers to work on projects that have an impact beyond their communities.  

With Barazia Gjinore I am responsible for sending out the quarterly newsletter to all PCVs and staff.  We highlight a different issues every edition, providing resources as well as contacts to organizations in Albania who are involved with that issue, and highlight the work of volunteers in the field who are doing gender related projects.  We currently have a few projects going on but the one I am most excited about is a new program that would allow us to travel and support PCVs who are interested in holding gender related events and/or trainings in their sites.  If you're interested in more information check out our awesome new website.

The Language and Cross Cultural Committee has been keeping busy as well.  We have been working on updating all of the materials trainees get during PST as well as developing some new language learning tools which they'll hopefully be able to use.

Upcoming Projects

With Spring on its way, I'm hoping to finally get some youth sports activities going on here in Gramsh. So far the ideas of a Girls Soccer Team, a Zumba class and a Running Club have all been floated around.  I'm excited to see if any of them stick!

That is all I can think of for now!  But stay tuned because some big things are coming up!  This week is not only Summer Day but also THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MY GROUP BEING IN ALBANIA!!!!!

Snow Day in Gramsh

IST

IST is one of 3 mandatory trainings after swearing in.  It typically happens after volunteers have been at their site for around 7-8 months.  I remember hearing about it during PST and thinking to myself how far away that sounded but man does time fly. 

Last week my group descended on Durres for 3 days of technical training and PC policy reminders.  I think we were all in need of some time away from site and a few nights at a hotel with hot water and heaters.  Here are some pictures of the conference taken by my amazing friend Joyce, the TEFL volunteer in Delvine. (check out her blog here.)

THE BEACH!!!!

A nice dinner with awesome company.

All of the TEFL volunteers drew a picture that represented their experience so far.

This is Genti.  He is basically our Albanian super hero.

After IST a few of us went to Tirana and had lunch at the Steven's
Center.  It is a cafe started by missionaries and the only place in Albania
where you can find american favorites.  After 10 months a
BLT never tasted better!

So now that we've completed IST we're officially on our way to the half way point.  G16 has already received their invites and their starting to ask questions.  It is really weird to think that we're about to be the 'big kids' in PC Albania but IST really put into perspective how much we've all learned and changed.  So congrats G15.  We made it this far!!

It is everybody's duty to give the world a reason to dance.

It is tough staying motivated during the Peace Corps.  We have the privilege of dedicating two years of our lives trying to affect change whose effects won't be felt until we are long gone.  Between that and the winter gloom thats settled over Eastern Europe, it is time for some encouragement.  Thank you Kid President for helping this PCV get pumped to start the week!

So my question for you is...What will be your Space Jam?

Teachers Holiday Party

If there is one thing that stands out to me so far about Albania, it is how much Albanians love to celebrate.  Many of their celebrations take on the same elements (lots of food, circle dancing, poetry, songs, raki) but they are always a good time.  I don't know what it is but celebrations here really seem get to the heart of the Albanian spirit.  It is a mix of hospitality, a love for music, creativity, tradition and above all being surrounded by those you're close with.  I never feel more a part of my community than when I'm at a celebration.

So with that little rant out of the way...I bring you the Teachers Holiday Party!  On the last day of school, we ended early and all took over the lokal next to the school.  Here is what went down.

Like all good parties, it started with some circle dancing.

And then continued with a lot of food and Santa hats for EVERYONE!!!

Which were of course hilarious on the Professors.

Then we voted for the Teacher of 2012.

And danced some more.

And ate some more.

He found a heart in the bone in his meat.  That must be a good
luck sign for the New Year!

Then we played Guess Your College with pictures of different
teachers when they were babies.

The highlight of the whole party (if you ask me) was a New Years poem performed by yours truly.  Unfortunately nobody managed to snap a picture but here it is:

Nje vit i ri oh zot sa kenaqesi, nje kapitull i jetes po vazhdon, nje vit i ri po na fton, nje zemer troket, nje telefon cingeron. Urime Vit i Ri 2013!

A new year oh god how fun, a chapter of life continues, a new year invites us, a heart beats, a telephone rings.  Happy New Year 2013!

So happy New Years everyone!  Gezuar!