This is the school that I spent the last three months of school at last year. It was a hard situation, probably the most difficult job I've ever done. I don't know the answer to the question of what to do about schools like this or this school in particular, so I guess it is as she says in the story . . . we shall see what happens over the next year. . .

Following Trevista – The Challenges That Lie Ahead: Trevista public school in Denver is embarking upon a major shake-up to boost academic scores, part of a federal program to save failing schools. [Photo: CPR]

HOLY SMOKES WE ARE FINISHED WITH PEACE CORPS!

The last few days have been so busy. We got our "R" yesterday and continue to be busy. This morning we were up before sunrise to begin our whirlwind travel of Eastern and Central Europe. There probably won't be a solid post about Shkoder until we have a solid internet connection. I want to make sure I do it justice but I also wanted to make sure I don't leave anyone hanging. I know it was killing you all not knowing what my last post was going to be. Now you know at least :) You'll have to wait for the explanation though. See you all stateside soon!!! Wowza

Change is not something new in my Peace Corps service. Albania is a dynamic place – and it seems like Lezhe especially is different every time I turn around. The  lack of a credit culture or necessity for a business to be registered means that small businesses open and close with lightning speed. The main …Read More

Today it really hit me. This leaving thing is hard. The beautiful weather broke and it started pouring rain…..and I started saying goodbye to people. It’s hard to do when you don’t know if you’ll ever see someone again and when you know you can’t/won’t keep in touch with most of them. In the afternoon …Read More

I wonder how real American pizza will size up after two years of frequenting the Great American Pizza shop in Shkoder. We've had a blast getting to know the owner, Zamir and he has even indulged us in many of our crazy or new ideas, one being the "pepperoni off". Over the winter we received a thing of pepperoni from Aunt Debbie and we really wanted to compare it to the Albanian equivalent "sallam pikant". To keep the results short, the two pepperonis did taste different and once you picked up the pizza you could see which side was from America due to all the grease. Between the four eating the pizza, there was one vote for both as they are both delicious and different, one vote for sallam pikant, and two for the American pepperoni. Zamir loved the American pepperoni so much that he asked if we could ship 100 kilos of it. I don't know if Aunt Debbie would be willing to do that :)

Today we had our last meal there with a couple of good friends.

Proudly displaying his fine establishment.

Thumbs up for good Albanian/American Pizza.

The owners.

Terry's even polling the babies to see how American Pizza shapes-up.

The Prela's have been the most amazing landlords a tenant could ask for. Something break, no worries, it will be fixed within the hour.

What's that, you say mold is growing uncontrollably on the exterior wall??? It's okay, we'll wash and paint while you take a little holiday. Hold the phone! One of your dear friends was getting experimental with a cheesecake in your fshati oven??? I just happen to have a reserve oven when it explodes and shorts out your electricity. Need some more cabinets? I have two spare in my workshop. It really comes in handy having a carpenter as a landlord.

The Prela's invited us down and we shared a wonderful goodbye meal with them Saturday night.

Had my last, cheap haircut today in Albania with Fatjeta. Prices can range from 300 to 800 leke ($3-$8) in Shkoder for a haircut for a woman. If you're a guy looking for a good berber (barber) a cut and a shave will cost you about $3 tops.

Conveniently located in the bashkia parking lot area so many a female worker

frequent here for touch-ups during work hours :)Where the hair magic happens.

Standing outside the shop a couple inches lighter.

Believe it or not, a LOT of Venetian masks are made right here in Shkoder! All the design/artwork is done individually so each is unique. The owner of the mask factory actually has two stores in Venice and while we were in Venice we got to visit them. His work was about the same if not better than most of the other masks available in Venice. He also has a store in the Venetian in Las Vegas. Needless to say, he is doing pretty well for himself. So if you are ever in Venice and the back of your mask says "Handmade by Venice Art", don't be deceived, you are getting a quality product from ALBANIA not Italy.

This past Friday I hosted a small goodbye “koktejl” at my house. It was a hot out, but everyone enjoyed themselves and made the most of the view and the company. It made me so happy to see so many of my friends together in one place outside of work and to finally have them …Read More

"Anyone can be a mother but it takes someone special to be a mommy". My mom has a shirt with this on it. It's true that any woman can become a mother. It's even truer that it does take someone special to be a mommy. Lucky for me, I have a mommy.

So today on Mother's Day, even though I cannot be with her, I want her to know that I'm thinking about her. It's not just today though. I think about her everyday. Here's some of the reasons why:Coffee. We are a big coffee drinking family. On mornings when she didn't work, we would sit at home sharing a pot of coffee or go out to breakfast and enjoy coffee together. Sometimes she would forget her travel mug at home when she left for work early in the morning and I would have to bring it to her.Popcorn. When she would come from work, we would share a bowl of popcorn and some diet pepsi. I can't get the diet pepsi here, but I do make popcorn on a daily basis.My hair. It's incredibly long now and I could use someone to french braid it. Mom's the best french braider around.Clothes. Not only are several of the important pieces of clothing I have here in Morocco made by Mom, others have had to be patched up several times which always makes me wish Mom was around to do it for me.My soap. My aunt sent me a care package with Cotton Blossom shower gel from Bath and Body Works which makes me think of Mom because its her favorite scent.Mamma Mia! Not only is it one of my many nicknames for her, we also saw the musical in Toronto and went to go see the sing-a-long version of the movie. There was one other person in the theater with us and I'm sure he's still sorry for staying while we belted out the tunes. I still watch the movie frequently and sing the songs of Abba almost daily.Little children. Don't get me wrong most of them are adorable. Every once in awhile though they get me to that point when I think in my head "you're on my last nerve buddy". Just like when my brother and I were little causing trouble after Mom had worked all night and she would say that to us. Like mother like daughter :) Also, since she works with the little babies I think about all the little kids here who should be a lot bigger but they are not because of malnutrition and poor health. Sickness. Morocco and my health system apparently are not good friends. It seems that every week I have some sort of sickness going on which just makes me want my mommy. Or I need her to confirm that I am not dying from cancer or a brain tumor.Cleaning. It seems that everything where I am is destined to be covered in dirt. Every time I have to clean I think of my Mom always cleaning her glasses. Every time she would clean them, put them on and say "that's better". Just like how I feel after I've swept up the new inches of dirt covering my floors.Flowers. There are a few flowers that just make me think of her. Sometimes it will be the smell of lilacs or it will be the colors that remind me of the flowers she used to buy every week to put on the dining room table. Pancakes. My mom used to love making pancakes for dinner and so do I.The song 'Mama' by Il Divo. a) it's a beautiful song and b) it talks about love for their mother which I also have a lot ofTechnology. Not many people in Morocco can type very fast which yes, makes me think of my own mother slowly typing out the letters.Women. Not every women but the ones that I know who are strong, confident and loving mothers themselves. Blue and red. The color most likely to be seen being worn by my mother.Scrub pants. She's a nurse and sent me some old scrubs. They save my life in the heat of summer and make me think of her.Wine. Yes my mother is enjoying good quality wine while I'm stuck with the freshly squeezed bottles but I think about how I tease her for being an alcoholic when she might enjoy a glass of wine from time to time.Books. Mom's an avid reader and enjoys the benefits of working a few days at Barnes and Noble. She was always a pro- let's buy a book instead of a toy kinda mom.T.V. shows like 'House' and 'Revenge'. She's the one who told me to start watching them and I'm hooked!Germany, Italy, Albania and Canada. Just a few of the places that Mom and I have traveled to together.These are just a few of the things that always make me think about my Mom. It's been hard to be away from her and the rest of my family these past years but her support was one of the reasons why I've been able to do this. I look forward though to being able to go to breakfast with her again or have a spa day together. I'm happy that soon I'll be able to talk to her everyday or at least way more often than now. Soon I'll be able to spend holidays with her again. It will be good to be home. With that said, happy Mother's day Mom! I love you.

Mom and Me at my brothers wedding in 2008

Seven years ago I had just graduated college and now had (count em!) TWO fancy pieces of paper and absolutely no idea what to do next. I knew I wanted to do the Peace Corps, but I wasn't in a financial situation to do that yet. I was working in a restaurant and having a general directionless feeling, like so many people do when they leave college. One day I went to visit some teachers at my old high school and got to talking to one Ms. (Dr.) Heidi Hursh. Somehow, she convinced me that I should be teaching- and then proceeded to get me a job.

At 23, I was barely older than the students I was teaching and got mistaken for a student on a pretty regular basis. Also, I had no idea what I was doing. Technically, I had the credentials to teach the class, a college level Introduction to International Studies, since to be able to teach lower level college classes you just need a Master's degree in the subject you are teaching and I happened to have a brand new one of those. But I really had no idea what I was doing.

The transition from student to teacher was strange. First, I was young. Second, I was teaching at my own high school, right next to my old teachers. I remember one day when a few teachers invited me out for a FAC (Friday Afternoon Club-Happy Hour). I sat in the middle of a long table sipping my beer- in between my old physics teacher and my stage teacher. I don't remember talking much, I think that mostly I just sat there with wide eyes and tried not to freak out at the fact that I was there. The teachers gossiped about the news at the school (the principal had just announced that she would be leaving the school) and of course, talked about students and (amazing!) other things as well. Over the next few months, I got more comfortable in this informal space, but even now, years later it is a bit amazing to me that I got to go out and drink with teachers.

Over the past few years, while I have been in Denver, I have taken on several different roles from teaching to subbing to running after school programs. I am more comfortable now when students call me Ms. Lipman and most of the teachers I work with now have never known me as a student. But I am a student still, or again.

I just finished my first semester of "Student-teaching" on my way to become certified to teach high school. One of my friends asked me today if I was done with school yet. I thought about it and laughed a bit- there are so many answers to that question- yes, I am done with school for this semester; no, I am not done since I have one more semester of classes in the fall; no, I'm never done with school- once I finish this program then I will just keep going, teaching and learning- I will never be "done" with school. I thought when I started teaching seven years ago that there was this magic time when you became a "teacher." I have realized a more nuanced view of this process- I am a teacher, but I am still a student. Even when I finish my license and am teaching full time (fingers crossed that I get a job!) I will still be a student. Part of teaching is the fact that you never stop learning.

This past weekend I explored the Sheher neighborhood on the city’s periphery. The neighborhood of mostly stone homes and small farms sits on a small saddle behind the castle, up above the road out of town to Kallmet. The view of the surrounding landscape is a startling green and blue in the late Spring sun, …Read More

In America, when you say "Let's meet at 10", you show up a few minutes before 10. If you show up at 10, you're late. Here in Morocco, time is a much more obscure concept. Here you're more likely to hear, "let's meet after lunch" which could mean anything from 3 onward. Several institutions are more likely to keep business hours such as the post office, banks and the dar chabab. However, that means every time you have to go to the store to buy bread or try to get a taxi to go to another town or try to visit a friend, you never know if the store will be open, there will be taxis running or if you'll interrupt that friends meal and/or nap.

Most places in my town close for about two hours for lunch. This means if its lunch time and you need something, you're out of luck until later in the afternoon. It's happened to me several times where I needed just one thing to make lunch and I forgot to go get it before things closed. I also had to learn the hard way about traveling out of my site during lunch time. When I first got to site and tried to leave anytime between 12 and 2, I ended up waiting for at least an hour to actually get on the road. Lesson learned.

Just when you think you have time all figured out in Morocco, they throw you a curve ball. Daylight savings time. Not everyone observes daylight savings time here. Farmers work by the sun, not an actual time. The only people who you know for sure follow it are those people who work in the post office and banks. Not even all dar chababs are on new time which is confusing since the schools are. This has now turned the conversation into something like this:

friend: Let's meet at 4.

me: ok, old time or new time?

friend: old time.

me: ok, so we're going to meet at 3.

friend: no, I said 4.

me: yes, but I am on new time.

friend: ok, well I'll see you at 4.

me: yes, 4 old time.

friend: inshallah.

me: inshallah.

Did you follow that? So you can see the confusion this causes. Most stores are still on old time. The workers work with the sun and accordingly the call to prayer. This means that now when I think it's lunch break, I still have an hour to go out and buy anything I need. This also means that most things are still closed for lunch break when I am walking up to the dar chabab at four. The best part about all this is that during Ramadan, everyone will go back to old time for the month and then spring forward again after Ramadan ends. Are you confused yet??

Luckily, this concept of new time and old time is not new to me. Even in Albania when there was daylight savings time, some people stayed on old time. It's just like old leke and new leke or dirhams and ryals. Not everyone uses the same unit of currency but after awhile you just know. You learn who uses old time and who is on new time. You plan accordingly. If all else fails, you just blame it on old time. "I'm an hour late? No that can't be. I'm on old time."

So you see, the concept of time in Morocco is quite different from America. You get there when you get there. An appointed time to meet is more of a time frame to meet. Time is money in America. In Morocco, time is uhm, well....... time is not going anywhere so don't worry about it!

We've already talked about our favorite fruit and veggie lady (Zoga) so we have to share some love with our favorite fruit and veggie man now. Ahmet is a sweet man that parks his car just around the corner from our house each morning and leaves each day around three or four in the afternoon. Every morning he unloads crates of different fruits and veggies from his car and each afternoon he loads them all back up. He also makes sure his area is ridiculously clean before he leaves every day. Sometimes he is very inquisitive and wants to know the names of objects (usually his products) in English but he never remembers them :) He tried really hard to learn all of our names but he never quite mastered my name but it was fun to see him try. Chiff- chiff-chiffany. He could not master the "T". He's such a little cutie.

About 2 weeks ago I had a group of friends down to Himare for a last little hurrah before we all would start dispersing around the globe. One of my friends stopped on his way back from the beach at a small hotel to check out the summer rates. I pass by this hotel everyday. The woman who owns it is super nice, I teach her children in school and in my after school English courses, and it is where I always recommend PCVs or their parents stay. It is clean and the rates are pretty good for a tourist town like Himare.

Anyway, one of my friends went to discuss the prices for the month of August, the busiest and most expensive month of the year. While conversing with this woman, her young, 3rd grade daughter came up to investigate what was going on. Once they realized that the man that they were talking to was one of my friends, the little proceeded to perform the Hokey Pokey for my fellow PCV.

Shortly after this performance he arrived back at my apartment and relayed this story to me. He continued to tell me how the girl knew all her body parts, recited the song perfectly, and was proud to be able to show-off for him.

I cannot tell you the joy that the feeling of this small success brought to me. It was one of the best things that has happened to me during my Peace Corps service and, to be honest, it happened at just the right time, right before I had completed my service.

This is exactly what I will miss about my Peace Corps service.

There are so many colors found throughout Morocco. The best example of this is through the tiles you find around the country. There are so many different colors, patterns and designs. They use them on everything from walls, to fountains, to gates. I always love looking at the tile when I travel. Here are a few different examples of Moroccan tile from around the country.

Tile on a fountain in Agadir

Tile at a train station in Meknes

Tile in a house in Fez

Tile inside a hotel in Azrou

Tile inside a hotel in Azrou

Tile inside a hotel in Azrou

Tile outside a house in Azrou

Tile at a train station in Meknes

Tile outside the big mosque in Casablanca

Tile outside a park in Tiznit

Tile on the gate leading to the old city in Meknes

Tile in an outdoor fountain in RabatWhich one is your favorite???

Whenever the weather is nice, count on the old men to be out enjoying a morning game of dominoes. There's always at least six tables going and the games can get rather heated. Grab your cardboard boxes, flatten them and get ready for a rousing game! I love that it is such a common pastime here. The park they play in is one of the few larger parks in the area and the bashkia (where I work) overlooks the park.

I went to Permet last weekend for my final goodbye to a place that was like my second home here.  During my first year when I was really struggling it would be my place of refuge.  While I was recently there we had a few picnics.  On one of these picnics we met the cutest [...]

Coffee culture is an art form here and this last week will be full of coffee time! Albanians can drink a tiny cup of coffee for hours! I must admit I've gotten pretty good at it. Terry and I went to three coffees today?!?

You don't necessarily have to drink coffee when you go to a coffee rather it is just a break in the day to escape from work (if you are fortunate enough to have gainful employment) or life and relax and enjoy the company of friends or colleagues.

I will be savoring the last week of coffee culture.

Macchiato with cold milk, please.

Frediccino in honor of Richie & Michele

Hungry in Albania

Peace Corps Albania Group 15 reminisce on meals and restaurants past From: OnlyInName Views: 3 0 ratings Time: 03:49 More in People & Blogs

A joke that many Peace Corps Volunteers here in Albania throw back and forth at each other is 'Did you know that coffee is a Balkans Tradition?!' It is pretty obvious that coffee in small cups at least 3 times a day is the way of life here.

Prior to my arrival in Albania, one aspect of the culture that had not fully grasped the importance of was creating personal relationships over coffee and drinking coffee in general. Drinking coffee is a huge part of the Albanian culture, whether you are meeting someone socially or in regards to work there is usually coffee present.

I began drinking/forcing myself to enjoy coffee as a college student working on my senior thesis. At this point in my life drinking coffee was much more out of necessity than desire. Now, in Albania, I have welcomed coffee breaks to become part of my daily routine. It has also been a wonderful way for me to meet people in my community, create meaningful relationships with Albanians, and accomplish work and projects throughout my Peace Corps service.

When meeting to talk about business over coffee the structure of the meeting is always the same. The coffee, in it's tiny cup, lasts for a whopping 50 min, the conversation starts with the usual pleasantries, then moves on to family and what you have been up to since the last time the two of you had coffee. Finally, after 40 min of random talk the conversation turns to what you needed to discuss and the reason the two of you met up in the first place, work, for the last 10 min. Before I had integrated and become used to this part of the culture I did not have the patience nor the interest in work 'meetings'

Something that no one tells you and you just have to figure out for yourself is that when you go to 'coffee' you don't actually have to drink coffee. Unfortunately, I found this out too late. Upon arriving to site many people asked me to have coffee with them as a way to welcome me to their community. I ended up going to 5 or 6 coffees a day in the beginning and having a small express at each of these meetings. Let me tell you, I have never shook as much as I did those first couple of days in Himare. With all the caffeine in my system my body could just not sit still.

Now that I have lived in Albania for two years, I have learned how to 'milk' a little cup of coffee for an entire 50 min long meeting, I no longer shake from 2 express coffees, sitting down for a leisurely morning coffee is something I really enjoy, and going to coffee has become one of my favorite parts of the day. How am I going to be able to adjust to the large, fast paced, to-go coffee culture in America?

This past weekend our adopted sitemate Judy from Puka has been here to finish an art project she started in early April at one of the orphanages in Shkoder. Many PCVs helped contribute and it was a pleasure to help assist her. Yay for it being finished! Congrats Judy! Everything looks so great!

As for the mint, two years without mint ice cream and finding some at the excellent gelato place nine days before you leave country, kind of ironic and priceless at the same time :)

Judy's beautiful tree. With hand-prints from the kids and workers of the orphanage.

Delicious enough to have it two nights in a row!

One of our favorite hangouts in the spring and summer is the pedestrian walkway. It's one of the major areas that tourists and locals alike go to relax, people watch and have a coffee.

Tomorrow is the official Flower Day (Dita e Luleve) in Shkoder but the artisan fair and flower vendors are already out in full force. Flower day is a day to kick off the summer. You can definitely tell it is summer because our xhiro has been packed the last few days. Luckily, I was able to catch it during pushim (break) time. Ohh, xhiro by the way is when people in the community just go and walk on a designated road in the evening. It's how people used to socialize during communist times and it is a tradition that has continued. Nearly every city in Albania has a xhiro. The Shkodrans like to be fancy and call it by the Italian word, pedonalja. It is a rather fancy xhiro though.

On our excursion down south, there was nothing but wonderful PCV hospitality. We visited four cities in the south and our fellow PCVs are always so welcoming. Some have integrated so much that they even sent us on our next leg with cake and hard boiled eggs just like any good host mom would do during our training. It was great to see volunteers at their sites one last time.

Our hostess with the mostest, Laurie took us to Birra Korca distillery for lunch

and it was so good and cheap! Impressive!Veggie kebaps. Joe planned quite the amazing feast for us in Erseke. Delicious!Silly at dinner.Katie busted out her party hat for the occasion.Bedtime story. Thanks for a great time in Erseke and Leskovik!Laura is hard at work on a little side excursion to Bunje.Laura basking in her city, Permet.

These little monsters are the reason I will NEVER own a white dog or name anything Mona or Bianca. I realize I shouldn't discriminate against all white dogs but these pomeranian-esque dogs are cuh-razy. It's not just my landlord's brother's family that is obsessed with these dogs, they are everywhere in Shkoder. They may look sweet and innocent but do not be deceived. It will be rather strange to come home and not hear the frenzied bark of these two little pests.

I have 2 weeks left in Gjirokaster.  2 weeks.  I can’t believe it.  I am not quite sure how I’m going to go to bed at night without this view: People are starting to ask me when I’m leaving and if I’ll ever come back.  Many think I’m just going back to the states for [...]

Coming up on the end of my service and just thinking back to the early days when things were so new, fresh, and sometimes confusing. This little story pretty much sums up a larger point/picture that, as a volunteer in another country and culture, I had to be patient enough to learn. Thankfully, I was able to learn.

So, the story goes like this: In Albania I've spent a lot of time in cafes drinking coffees with friends. When I first arrived I noticed a strange habit the waiter would do while changing out the ash tray. Instead of grabbing the ash tray, and replacing it with the new one, he'd place the new ash tray on top of the old one, pick them both up, then set the new ash tray back down on the table. I remember the first 10-20 times I saw this I didn't understand why he was doing it this way, and I saw it as a wasted step.

Anyway, after getting more acquainted with cafes, smoking and Albania, I realized that the waiter would take this extra step so as to avoid having ashes fly out of the ash tray and onto the customers.

I think this is an allegory for what many volunteers/travelers go through, and we have to be aware that there may be more than meets the eye. We also may not completely understand why things are happening the way they are, but that doesn't mean there isn't a good reason why things are this way, it may simply mean that we don't understand the bigger picture.

This is one of the skills I will gladly take from my time in the Peace Corps, and although I may have had it before, I think it has only been sharpened through this experience.

7 days left....yikes.

Each outgoing volunteer since way back when has had the opportunity to paint a tile to decorate the office walls in Tirana. Here is mine – beach, mountains, castle, river, ocean, city….I tried to incorporate it all.

This post is pretty similar to the last one but we just can't help how beautiful this country is. While visiting Laura in Permet we got to go to Bunje which has thermal springs, an Ottoman bridge, mountains, a canyon; moral of the story, it's just bukur. The organization Laura works with recently received funding to install picnic benches and signs discouraging littering. It's a relaxing area and it is rumored that each sulfur spring in this area cures a different ailment in the body. What a great, unexpected bonus side trip! Thanks Laura for letting us tag-along!

It rained for a bit when we first got to the park.

Notice the water now. The spring meeting up with the water coming from the mountains.

Remember to check out the water in later pictures

Terry on the bridge.

In the spring/summer, people create these little pools for swimming.

It's so clear but uber shallow. The froggies love it!

Check out the water now. The rain water up in the mountains has made it down to the valley.

The largest thermal spring. It's a bubblin'

Bonus pic from city rock in Permet.

As I'm sure you have figured out already, Albania has some gorgeous landscapes perfect for hiking. We just don't have such varying terrain so close to us stateside. When setting out for our short journey, Molly, our hostess gave us about 10 different options that we could take. Check out a few pics from our short hike in Leskovik on Terry's birthday.

Sa bukur!

Picnic time! Our lovely hostess Molly and Sergio made the trip from Elbasan.

We be grubbin'

Oh hi Greece! I see you over there!

Fancy sprinkling system for the small patch of crops below it. Look closely.

That's a lot of sheep.

Last but not least... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERRY!

I'm not necessarily going to miss seeing homeless animals but many are very cute. I like to pretend that many of them live "Lady and the Tramp" style lives without pounds and everything ends up happily ever after. Wishful thinking...

A volunteer found this lovely little lady. Love her face here, "what is this garbage?"

Love her. I could have played with her all day.The dogs of Leskovik. Dogs were also in abundance in the south just like the gomars.Puppy from our hikeBeautiful dumpster puppies in Tirana. This and the rest of the photos are credited to Lauren D.

While at Smartmob, Lisa met the most lovable and friendly homeless dog ever.

Gomars everywhere in the south! I forgot how much I love them and miss seeing them. We just don't have them in the big city of Shkodra.

Peek-a-booDonkeys and bunkers!

BABY GOMAR!

Nearly every Peace Corps volunteer in Albania has done this at some point during their service. The Pyramid is an old communist building in Tirana. At one point it was a museum to the dictator, Enver Hoxha, then it became a cultural palace and now it sadly sits vacant. It's an odd building that collects graffiti and broken windows. There are rumors that they may tear it down but I really hope they don't.

It was night time.

So I don't have good evidence because my camera is bogus but you get the idea.

In the day time- courtesy of Terry.

Don't you think it looks like it is straight out of Star Wars or something."We are one."

Painting a tile is a rite of passage as a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania. It means you have made it! Most PCVs do this at our final conference (COS) that is usually held three months prior to our Close Of Service date. However, many of us were unable to complete this task in February at the conference because of busy schedules and last hurrahs. Since we were in Tirana for four days, we were finally able to decorate our tile before our fellow Shkodran left. We decided to just do a group tile and Terry had the idea all formulated. Jessi did the castle, I did the bridge and Terry did the religious buildings (that figures... lol). Hopefully, it will be hanging in the Peace Corps office before we leave on the 15th.

The designer hard at work.This is serious stuff.Happy people!The trio tile finished!Our finished product. Did you figure out what it is supposed to resemble?

In PC Albania, lines between the northern and southern volunteers are drawn as the culture and speech are rather different. Generally, the volunteers take on the distinctions of the region and each person becomes protective and stark advocates that their region is the best. I'll admit it, I'm a northerner and I LOVE IT! It's definitely fun to sass around with southerners because they really can't compete with the north ;p

From all this, you become rather close with the people closest in proximity and in our case, I like to think we have quite a little family. I love our dysfunctional-silly-mallok family.

The mass exodus of G.13ers started on the 25th here and we had to do our shifna-s/see you-s with most of our northern family. We will truly miss only being a couple hours or less away from our village/mountain cousins. Love you guys and can't wait until our northern potlucks in the states!

Family Portrait

The parents and the kids.

Love, nothing but love. That's really all you can say about this lovely lady that was forced to put up with Terry and I for the past two years.

A long time ago, or two years...one of the first things our trio did when we got to site was go up to the castle. It was our first bonding experience so we had to make it our last too. We made sure the last trip was complete with the same shirts from the initial visit. Have we changed much?

Love you Jessi!

After (April 2012)Before (June 2010)

Before

After

Posing like statues just for fun!

I'm sooo behind. I apologize for the tardiness but Terry and I had to sneak one last Albanian excursion in before we head out of this beautiful country. We also had to say many goodbyes along the way. Anyway, I hope I will be all caught up this evening, I'm only about 11 posts behind... yikes!!! I know my mom is getting pretty bored with checking this blog and it having nothing new :). So here you go mom (and anyone else who may be reading) Happy reading!

My sitemate and I had a small group of teenagers that we met with on a fairly regular basis where we read a little and watched episodes of Glee to expose them to American culture. They are a great group of kids and sooo smart! I look forward to hearing about all the good things they do in the future.

Currently, we are only a part of the way through Hunger Games. When we met for a final coffee on Monday the 23rd, I was impressed that one of the girls completed the whole series (one in English and the other two in Albanian). I hope they all get the chance to finish it with the new volunteers. We also made the parents promise that when the movie comes out in Albania, they will take them all to watch it. I know I already said it, but they really are a great group of kids :)

Coffee at Colosseo.

Wowza, I'm short :)

The whole gang. The moms and the kids.

They organized the final coffee and it was a great wonderful to have them all together.

New police uniforms...New maintenance team uniforms...Official papers in the office..Invitations to a party from the Bashkia..

Nbd. I was in a flash mob. The FIRST mob ever in Albania. It was kinda awesome. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNUOIdyQyHM&feature=topics

Ooops, I wrote this about 4 months ago and never posted.  But late is better than never, right? Gezuar Krishtlindje dhe Gezuar Vitin i Ri! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Hope everybody (who celebrates) had a wonderful Christmas.  I spent this years Christmas in Albania again, though in another site with a different [...]

This past weekend I traveled south for a last jaunt in the Albanian wilds before closing my service. Chris, Adam, Casey, Ryan and I aimed to head from Gjirokaster to the beach town of Borsh just south of my friend Meredith’s house in Himare….but instead we got a bit turned around in a few canyons …Read More

I’ve hit my two-weeks-left-in-Lezhe mark and there is so much to be done, that life seems a little crazy. Packing for a two month trip, contemplating moving, searching for a job, saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, giving words of wisdom and showing around new trainees, and cleaning up and organizing my house are all …Read More

Since Bajram Curri is so isolated and getting to the capital is even a big deal, I've kind of been slacking on going to visit my host family which is, from Bajram Curri, 10 hours of travel. I finally went back this weekend to visit them. It was so strange, I felt like I was revisiting my childhood home. This was the place where I learned to walk, talk.. everything. I was greeted by many hugs and cheek kisses, I actually was walking up to the house and ran into my host dad and brother going to get meat from the butcher for dinner. It almost felt like I was being greeted by my family in America as happy as they were to see me, it was nice.

A new trainee lives in the house of my Dad's cousin, which shares a front yard with my house. We spent the afternoon taking pictures, drinking juice, reading Shqip, watching my brother play video games on the computer and catching up. They were really impressed on my Albanian skills compared to what they were when I lived with them and even told me I looked more 'elegant' or thin. My oldest host sister had moved out because she was engaged so she had moved in with her fiance's family but would be coming for dinner. She's still in high school and has one more year left, he is out of high school and a waiter at a lokal.

For dinner we had two kinds of meat, grilled peppers, cheese, fried potatoes, egg byrek and mixed salad. A meal fit for a king. I couldn't even force my entire piece of tre leche or three milk cake down, just a few bites, even though it's my favorite desert. My little brother wanted me to sleep in the room with him, that used to be my room, so we feel asleep together in our twin sized beds, heads facing each other. We left the light on until he feel asleep and then my host mom came and gave me a hug.

I woke up, wanting to be out of Bishqem by 7am and my host mom was up putting together a huge bag of produce for me to take home with me. After swearing in I went up to Bajram Curri with over 3 kilos of peppers and this time I came home with fresh oranges, peppers and cucumbers from their green houses.

Host grandma, sister and mom..

Host cousin & brother.. they're a hand full..Host dad driving to get the meat for dinner..Hanging out in the yard..

So last weekend we had Albania's first ever flash mob! We teamed up with Greenline Albania and Let's Do It Albania to produce Albania's first ever flash mob, or smart mob (since it has a reason or something to promote). After months and months of planning it all came together and we had almost 200 participates in the flash mob, Americans and Albanians alike.

I, unlike the rest of the flash mob participants didn't have to learn the dance because, like usual, I was in charge of recording! We had a team of 6 PCV's at all different angles around the flash mob recording every second of the event so that we could create one YouTube video to use for further promotion of the clean-up day in Albania! Other PCV's have started joking that I'm a "mobile marketing firm."

I had my tripod and flipcam set up on the fourth floor of the Taiwan Center in Tirana so I could get a good areal view of the entire event and it literally gave me chills watching it. Working with such a huge NGO in Albania and having such a large event on Earth Day is a huge success for Peace Corps and for Albania. The original date had to change for the clean-up day because a government mandated one was set for April 20th, so now the date has been set to September 17th. Lets do it!

Tirana Flash Mob - Let's Do It Albania

Lets Do It Albania and Greenline Albania have started"Ta Pastrojmë Shqipërinë në Një Ditë" or "Clean Albania in One Day." As a promotion for this day, they teamed up with some Peace Corps volunteers and held a flash mob for promotion of this event. Follow the movement: www.facebook.com From: BrennaisinAlbania Views: 1 0 ratings Time: 05:09 More in Film & Animation

It's not everyday that you see a wedding tent put up in the courtyard at a dar chabab. When a wedding tent goes up, you know something important is happening. Something very important happened at my dar chabab about two weeks ago when a delegation from the Ministry of Youth and Sports came to Massa.

We had known for about a month that a delegation would be coming to Massa. It took weeks of planning and organizing all the youth to prepare for their arrival. It didn't help matters any that they were coming on the first day of spring camp and I would have to leave spring camp for half a day to attend. The students all had assigned tasks. Some were told to clean others were to make new decorations and a few were preparing songs and dances. The kids were excited and so was I.

The main reason for the visit was to see the activities we were doing on AIDS education. The delegation spend two weeks in the Souss visiting dar chababs in Taourdant, Ikhourbane, Tiznit, Temsia, Kolea and Houara. Through my mudir, they had heard about the AIDS skit that my Acting Out Awareness group had been traveling around the Souss area presenting. Their play would be the grand finale of the event.

On the day of the visit, I rushed back to site after finishing English class in the morning at spring camp. I arrived back in Massa right before lunch time and ran up to the dar chabab just before my mudir arrived to drop off some posters that needed to be hung. We hung the posters and then my mudir invited me to his house for lunch with him and the delegation. This was the first time he had invited me to his house and it was even more intimidating since the delegation would be there. We arrived and after a short walk around his neighborhood we sat back to enjoy meat and prune tajine, fish couscous (a local speciality), dessert, tea and cookies. It was so delicious and filling that we all had a hard time making it back to the dar chabab!

The welcoming committee

Already about an hour late, we arrived to the sound of drums, singing and traditional Tashalheet dancing. There were two students outside the gate waiting to greet us and a table set up with traditional Tashalheet food and youth dressed up in traditional Tashalheet clothes. After we shook hands, kissed everyone on the cheek and received our red ribbons we proceeded to walk through the dar chabab. The ministry was impressed by all the English books I've managed to procure over the past few months and the new studio that the hip hop group built. After the tour, youth and parents were invited to sit down for a short discussion with the delegation on the direction the new minister is taking. There were well over 100 people crammed into our upstairs meeting room but I've never seen so many parents taking an interest in what was happening at the dar chabab!

The youth also created this banner for the Health Club

Next, the youth were divided into four groups to participate in Ministry led workshops about how to be ambassadors to their peers on AIDS education. Each workshop focused on a different way of educating their peers. One group watched a video and had a discussion, another made posters, another did games and the final one talked about creating health clubs. It was very interesting to see the ministry's take on peer education. I learned a few things myself.

Creating a poster on AIDS education

As the event was coming to a close, we all gathered again outside under the big tent. Each group did a short presentation on what they had done during their workshop. Next a group of youth from one of the associations that's active at the dar chabab did a short play on stereotypes about Berber people. I didn't understand most of it but it was funny to watch. Then it was finally time for the Acting Out Awareness group to take the stage.

It was perfect timing. The sun was beginning to set and the shadows cast on our makeshift stage of tables only added to the drama. The audience was silent and the actors were amazing in front of the 250 strong audience. I couldn't have been more proud of their performance and all the hard work they had put into organizing the event. I could tell by their faces during the standing ovation that they too were proud of their accomplishment.

I think doing the play outside as the sun was setting only made the play better

Before the delegation left, we had a small reception for them with the youth who are most active in the dar chabab. I had to leave early to get back to camp but my mudir told me the delegation had nothing but good things to say about their visit. I thought that that was the end of it but I was wrong.

When I returned from spring camp my mudir told me that delegation was so impressed by the Acting Out Awareness group that we have been invited to participate in an AIDS forum in Fez! The kids couldn't be more excited. For almost all of them, it will be their first time in Fez and their first time to be that far north. We still do not know the dates of the forum but it will be in the next two months. Right now we are working out logistics with the ministry. It's just another thing that these kids can be proud about.

Acting Out Awareness Group receiving a standing ovation

Just another day in Peace Corps :)

All the brownie-lovers in the place say, “Yeah!” Yeah!All the brownie-lovers in the place say “Hell Yeah” Hell Yeah!Now somebody, anybody, every body….(I)scream!

Yes, I’ve dared to mix my love for 80’s hip hop and my eternal appreciation for fudgie desserts. And I don't care for your eye rolls. I did it. It’s done.

Although I’ve had only minimal success introducing Albanian hipsters to the artistry of Run DMC, LLCool J or the Sugar Hill Gang… I have introduced my counterparts, neighbors and friends to the addictive qualities of BROWNIES.

Note: I have yet to discover an appropriate translation. The best I can do is tortë me çokollatë/chocolate cake. And let’s be perfectly clear here… there is a significant difference between chocolate cake (which is something I do not like) and brownies (in which I find the existence of God in each bite.)

Back to the story.I have now made three batches of brownies in Albania and each time I’ve shared with my co-workers, boss and of course the Mayor (a teacher’s pet never loses her touch.) Much to my delight, they all enjoy the chocolate treats and shower me with compliments… that may be translated as “Wow, you MADE these!?” Or “Delicious, I want another.” Or “Oh, such a good girl” That last one may sound condescending to our American ears…but it is actually quite respectful here in Albania. Since I’m not one to shy away from flattery…I soak up the praise like a sponge. "Who me? Oh, you are too kind!"

But then the guilt begins to creep in. After all, these accolades I am graciously accepting should actually be credited to… Mr. Duncan Hines, et al. Po, eshte vertet/Yeah, that’s right. My delicious, amazing, mouth-watering, perfect brownies come from a box! From a box…uh uh, I’m not a-shamed, a box from a Kroger…I’m still getting paid! Reference to Digital Underground’s Humpty Dance. (Yes. I did it again. It’s done. Again.) I digress. So the thing is, I find ways to justify the credit bestowed unto me. I did risk a nasty paper-cut opening the box. I did correctly the amount of water and oil to add to the mix. I did crack the two eggs flawlessly into the batter pa/without eggshells. I did stir the mixture until smooth-ish. I didpre-heat the oven and grease the pan. I did test for baking through with a toothpick.Da-Yum - I’m exhausted! Of course I deserve some credit for all my hard work!

That is until that one troubling kerkese/request from my warm-hearted, thoughtful and appreciative co-workers is spoken aloud: “Can you give me the recipe?” Commence squirming. Packaged ANYTHING is pretty rare around here. And many Albanian women take great pride in their home-made embelsire/desserts. How do I begin to explain the laziness that is bred in American kitchens? (oh, not YOURS Paula Dean! Relax.) How do I admit that I worked all of 5 minutes? How do I tell them the best flavors of the brownies have NOTHING to do with me?

It’s simple, I just say…”it’s a secret family recipe.” :) A little trick shared from "Aunt Jess." And since my awesome vellai im i madh/big brother is the one who sent the Duncan Hines boxes… its not a TOTAL LIE! Thank you Duncan. Thank you Jess. And thank you Dunny!

Peace, Love and Licking the Spoon

PS. Yes, theoretically, brownies from scratch CAN be made here in Albania. But, ugh…the effort! ;)

*Coming soon: Smart Mob Post with some kick-ass Apache-inspired Jumpin On It.

Spring Camp Agadir 2012 in Pictures

My English Class the first week

Morning Aerobics!!

Looking good PCV's!

Halloween Night!

Contestants for the 'scariest' costume category

Beach Olympics!

All the campers from Massa with me on the beach

Earth Day Activities

Planting flower crew

Moroccan Wedding Night!

Bjai representing as the Tashalheet mother of the groom

Human Knot!

Good way to keep the kids entertained for awhile

Tug-of-war!

My team did not win this one....

Crazy Sport Relay Races

Crab walk relay races

Talent Show at the end of Week 1

Some of the campers and I at the end of week 1

RIP Beth and Leslie

So tired after 2nd week of camp ended

Overall, camp was a huge success. The kids had a great time and we had some great activities. We were able to celebrate Earth Day, we put on a scary haunted house for 'Halloween' night, we had a ton of talented kids wow us during two talent shows and we went to the beach everyday. Another two weeks of camp under my belt here in Morocco. Good times as always :)

In order to promote a project "Let's Clean Albania in One Day" for an organization called Green Line Albania, a group of Group 14 PCVs worked closely with the organization to bring a fresh idea to Albania via Flashmob! Flash mobs are really popular in the states and I hear it has spread to quite a few places worldwide but no one had ever done one in Albania. The group worked hard arranging logistics, creating dance instruction videos, and distributing that information to groups all over the country to practice and get involved. It was a huge collective effort and cities from all over Albania were represented. The Flash mob took place in a rather popular park in the nation's capital, Tirana, on Earth Day. Obviously an excellent choice for an environmental project. It wasn't a complete surprise dance attack but it was a blast. I had the pleasure to take part and help and I am so thankful for that. The event seemed to be a tremendous success and A LOT of fun.

Great job G.14 and everyone that participated and helped with the process. It was a great way to come alive after a cold winter and hit the ground running for spring. For some of us, it was also a great opportunity to close our service and say goodbye to good friends. Thank you again for the opportunity and hopefully, I'll get the video posted soon when it's finished. Bravo :)

A nice calm, relaxing day in the park.Looking special and dancing on the bench. Chris is unamused :)

Smart Mob! BAM!!!

Hangin out a little bit after. It was a great showing!