Happy Wednesday America!

Firstly, I want to wish my beautiful cousin Stephanie a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The hardest part of being a Peace Corps volunteer is missing birthdays and family celebrations. It's good to be going home soon <3

Last week PC volunteers throughout the world hosted events in honor of Earth Day. After the disaster that transpired last year, Alexi and I thought it best to do things independent of the school and the director's grasp. As a result, Earth Day in Delvine was a success.

A few months ago our good friend Klodi (a native Delviniot) requested ideas for a community development project to be executed in collaboration with the kids living at the Catholic convent/house. After meeting with the kids a few times, everyone agreed upon carrying out Alexi's idea for an anti-plastic bag campaign. Why are plastic bags such an issue you ask? Well, Albania's geography is composed of some of the most beautiful and pristine mountains in the world. Yet, they are robbed of their beauty by all the trash that people have polluted the country with. The most prominent article in the numerous trash piles throughout this place: the blue plastic bag. It's the one piece of trash you can always count on seeing in the piles thrown off the sides of mountains, flowing in the rivers, and laying in the gutters. I've come to strongly dislike blue plastic bags.

Alexi's idea involved finding a provider of about 500 hundred canvas bags to distribute throughout Delvine. But not just any canvas bags: bags silk-screened with Alexi's awesome logo that reads, "E dua Delvinen, ruaj ambjentin." Translation: I love Delvine, I protect its environment. It get's better. Instead of just handing out bags to people, which they probably wouldn't use in place of the plastic ones, we decided to institute a bag exchange to increase awareness. The exchange required people to bring us 5+ used plastic bags to swap for a fantastic canvas one. What's more, they couldn't receive it until they visited one of the information booths to learn about the consequences of plastic pollution and how they are directly affected.

The group

The bags

Though not completely according to plan, our bag exchange went well. Interestingly, more men than women approached the tables to get a bag. We thought the opposite would occur as women are the prominent shoppers in Albania. It's likely these men gave the bags to their wives, but we expected more women to come. After realizing this trend, we sent some kids to the markets to spread word about the activity in hopes of recruiting more ladies. More interesting was the fact that many women expressed they were too embarrassed to come get one. I have NO idea what that was about, but it sucked because those ladies missed out on a good thing. Another snag in the plan was the tendency for people to bring us unused bags from the store. We explained to them how that defeated the purpose of the project since we were going to take the bag collection to the recycling center in Gjirokaster, but they didn't care. Annoying. Finally, there's always that group of cynics you can expect to show up to impose their negative opinions upon you, but still take the free goods. Some people approached the tables just to discourage us and tell us that this one small effort in Delvine wasn't going to change the large scale national pollution problem. Though I didn't, I really just wanted to tell those individuals to shut the heck up because we weren't looking to save the country. We simply wanted to infuse the idea that it's not necessary to use so many plastic bags and present the reasons why we should cut back. How could they disagree? And how could they want to make the kids feel bad? What's wrong with people?

Regardless, there was a lot of positive buzz going on around town about this event. What's even more rewarding is the fact that people are actually using their bags! As of today, there are no efficient landfills in Albania. In addition, there aren't many recycling centers (or means of getting goods to the centers), and the ones that exist are causing significant air pollution. Thus, the only real option to reduce trash pollution is to cut back on its production. However, attention is being drawn to this matter and volunteers are doing a lot of work in this area. I look forward to the progress I know Albanians can achieve.

Much Love from Albania,

Mon

Alexi and I

Informing Delviniots

Informing a Delviniot

Klodi's interview with News 24

Baby Kevi

It's been a while America!

The last month has been somewhat eventful. I celebrated my two-year anniversary on 03.19, welcomed some of the new volunteers from group 13, celebrated Easter weekend in Korça and Librazhd w/my dear friend [Amanda], and started receiving acceptances to law schools!! It's been fun!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter holiday and the accompanying spring break! Lent is over!!! You can bet I ate more dairy than one might consider humanly possible this weekend. BUT IT WAS SOOOOOO GOOD!! My first item of consumption was a samoa girl scout cookie from my beloved cousin Stephanie. How can one cookie taste SO GOOD? I proceeded with a cheddar/jack cheese omelet, a little pancake action, yogurt, Albanian white cheese, pizza, 2 ice creams and of course CHOCOLATE. Yes, I felt sick that night. However, Seth led us on an 8 hour trek to the top of the Spathar mountain outside of Librazhd (we scaled it up to about 1000 meters), and before my Samoa I ran three miles so the guilt was minimal ;]

Post 3 mile run Easter Samoa!

Easter Pancakes prepared by Amanda

Amanda and I upon a bunker on the mount [Librzhdi below]

Via Egnatius

The day before Easter I visited Korça, the hometown of Jim and John Belushi. The road to Korce leads you along the shore of Lake Ohrid, another Balkan must see. Wikipedia has this to say about Ohrid:

Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Republic of Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance. The importance of the lake was further emphasized when it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979.

Korça's beautiful and lucky for me it's known for it's magnificent tomato/onion and bean byreks, of which I ate three. The city is also known for its large Orthodox population and its Easter fest. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for Sunday and I missed the events. It wasn't a complete loss however, because our darling Marie met us for coffee and we had a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday afternoon together.

Orthodox Church, Korça

Something that frustrated me about Korça was the large amount of child beggars throughout town. It sickens me that people put these kids to such inhumane work and it breaks my heart to turn them away when they ask for food. As hard as it is though, I can't support the human trafficking trade. I know some other sucker's gonna cave and hand over the food or money, but these kids end up taking it back to their trafficker and get nearly none of what they collect. The kids' looks of desperation make me want to vomit and some of them get really nasty when you turn them away because they're SO desperate. As annoying as it is when they spit on people or pick their pockets, it's completely understandable. I just look forward to getting my JD and being able to do work on a larger scale to fight human trafficking.

Vajza te mia <3

Korça's bear on a leash. Crazy!

Spring is upon us and the weather's been magnificent. Despite the occasional April shower, the temps have remained in the sixties and I'm out of my sub-zero sleeping bag! This weekend calls for Spring cleaning and a Sunday afternoon hike to the ancient city Finiq, outside of Delvine. I love that everything here is ancient. The history in this region is mind-blowing and I'm so lucky to be living in it. How often in LA does anyone get to climb up on some random 200 BC pre-Roman Empire structure? NEVER!!! In fact, on Easter I hiked along the Via Egnatia, a 2nd century BC road, constructed by the Romans to link cities throughout the empire. Starting at what is modern day Durres (Albania), it stretched through Turkey. Nuts!

Ok all, it's been fun but I've gotta run.

All my love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Albanian Teacher's Day to all you educators around the world! I believe world teacher's day on October 5th so we can celebrate again in a few months. This weekend's been great. Yesterday, in honor of teacher's day, my host-grandmother Gjevo's birthday and woman's day, I made my first solo baklava. It turned out GREAT! Quite delicious if I do say so myself ;] I used a recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com and it received the Albanian stamp of approval. I used pre-made phyllo sheets, but next time I'll make the phyllo from scratch.

Last night we celebrated Gjevo's birthday with lots of food [that I couldn't eat b/c of lent], friends, family and laughter. Gjevo's daughters and two grandsons came up from Athens and people dropped in around the clock to wish her a happy 70th birthday. I love Gjevo. She's one of the sweetest most hard working women I know. She reminds me of my Abuelita Edith in that she's always working or looking for something to work on. She's never idle and she rarely complains. She also treats me like one of her own and I'm going to miss her when I leave.

Nene Gjevo and Baby Laura

Last week PC Albania group 11 spent 4 days in a town [if you can even call Plepa a town!] near Durres for our Close of Service (COS) Conference. It's weird to think it was the last time we'll all be together as a group. At the conference we discussed all of the government hurdles we'll have to jump through in the coming months to get out of here. We also spent some quality time together watching picture slide shows, competing in the COS olympics, painting tiles and going out for dinners. Despite the somewhat drab info sessions, it was enjoyable overall. Also, at the close of the conference we were all issued awards, nominated and voted on by the volunteers [sort of like yearbook superlatives]. I was really surprised that I won "most surprisingly dirty mouth!" Not because I'm in any form of denial about my topics of conversation and/or word choices [LOL], but because I didn't know I could win an award for them. Haha! Thanks guys :]PC

PC Albania Group ELEVEN



Group 11 TEFLers

Speaking of leaving Albania... my friends here can't stop talking about it! All they talk about is how sad it's going to be when I leave. I'm pretty good at changing the subject and reassuring them that I'll be back one day with my mom, but they're as anxious as I am about me leaving. It makes me sad because I'm really going to miss them and I hate that I'm the source of their sorrow. But it's also an amazing feeling to realize how much they love me and if there's anything I can feel certain about regarding my service, it's that I achieved the goals of Peace Corps through making the most phenomenal friends.

I want my last few months in Delvine to memorable. Thus, Eda and I are planning all sorts of Spring activities. In the works, we've got a run/walk around Delvine, a Red Cross event and a series of Earth Day activities. I really just want to enjoy the time I've got left, and I can't think of a better way to do it than through activities with the kids. Let's just hope politics don't get in the way!

Ok all, I'm off to Ida's for food and English lessons. Tomorrow I'll be spending woman's day with her and baby Laura. I'll also be making spinach byrek in my continued efforts to master Shqiptar cuisine. Until next time...

Baby Laura and her mohawk <3

Much love from Albania,

Moni

Feliz Cumpleaños Susie, Renee y Abi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today marks the second day of Lent, a seven-week period that represents the forty days Jesus spent in the desert where he was tempted by Satan. Lent is typically a period of fasting observed by Christians in homage of Christ. The fast will culminate in Holy Week celebrations at the end of March. Like last year I'm giving up animal products and will be vegan until Easter [April 4th]. This snippet of information is mainly for my Albanian readers as most of you already know this :]

Meghan and Alexi's birthdays fall just in a nick of time. We did sort of a fat Tuesday weekend and made Enchiladas. Courtney and I were doing the GM cleanse so we couldn't partake in the cheesy goodness, but we did get to eat the delicious black bean and Spanish rice filling. Alexi made her traditional birthday rocky road cake and my next day slice was amazing!!

Meghan & Alexi

Rocky Road Cake

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Meghan and I

Thanks to Alexi I'm stitch-free!!

Now back to that cleanse I mentioned. Last week Courtney and I did the GM diet. I don't really know the history behind the name, but the vegetarian version is pretty great. After a week of only fruits, veggies, beans and brown rice I lost my crazy cravings for sweets and processed foods. There was some weight-loss involved, but not as much as claimed. Plus, we didn't really do it for the weight-loss as much as we did for the discipline and clean out.

In the coming weeks I'll begin half-marathon training. Let's hope it warms up! The boys have agreed to run with me this June and now that I know I can run a marathon, I want to improve my time. The catch is, I have to lose some kilos!! In the next few weeks I'm going to develop a well-rounded vegan running diet that will offer maximum energy and safe weight-loss. I'm pretty excited about it. Especially since I was able to score soy protein in Macedonia. My dear friend Jessica really inspired me with her latest workout initiative and per her advice, I'll be using FitDay to track my progress. Thanks Jess <3

Courtney's and My Post Marathon Pic '08

Much love from Albania

<3 Mon

Hello Everyone :]

2010 presented an uneventful January up until the 29th. The last weekend in Jan some of my favorite PCVs came down to my place for none other than a potato party!! What is a potato party you ask? In this sense of the term, it's' a four day lounge event which entails multiple dishes utilizing potatoes, hours and hours of chick flicks, CHOCOLATE, and laughing til you almost pee your pants. The potato party is AWESSS!!

Twice baked

Pierogi

Hashed and browned

Gnochi

Oreo cheesecake, just for fun

Sprinkles cupcakes [courtesy of Lina Okita]

With the close of the potato party came my medical evacuation to Macedonia for a standard mole removal. For the last year a fleshy mole on my back has consistently changed color and irritated me. Due to my family's history with skin cancer the doctors advised me to remove it. The procedure took about 20 minutes and I got to spend three enjoyable days in Skopje in a heated hotel room.

My experience of the procedure was like reading the setting out of a story book. Those present at the carving included the doctor, a nurse, the peace corps medical rep and myself. When we started, three out of the four of us were on the phone (myself not included). The doctor was considerate enough to hangup before injecting me with Novocaine, but the other two continued chatting into the cutting phase. Apart from asking me if I felt the first injection, nobody said a word to me. I was rocking out to Time After Time when the craziness set in. At one point I realized the surgeon was cutting out a hearty chunk of my flesh, but I couldn't feel a thing! It was crazy and cool and somehow didn't make any sense. After a few minutes the nurse brought over this thing they called the thermo-coagulator to burn closed my gushing blood vessels. Next, the doctor stitched me up and closed my wound with four high quality stitches that I can't wait to remove on Monday. THEY ITCH!!!

Alexi [bless her heart] has helped me keep the cut clean and safely dressed :] Now I await stitch removal.

My first stitches

I want to end this post with some thoughts on Facebook. It's amazing to me that in a city where the Internet was installed only a few months ago, my students have learned the basics of computers in order to navigate Facebook. I think it's kind of cool that Facebook has become such an international craze that it's motivating kids around the world to use computers. But it's nuts that where some kids don't have much money for food and clothes, they save their pocket change for time at the internet cafe and Facebook. Recently a young man was killed in Tirana because of a post he left of FB. In an instant the website became more than a networking device and an agent in murder. I don't know what to say about this except it hurts my heart. Ugh.

To my students reading this post: please be careful you guys. If you insist on posting something offensive, change your privacy settings to a more restricted level. Better yet, DON'T POST IT. I don't want to hear about anyone getting hurt because of something someone read of FB!!

That's all I've got for today.

Much love from Albania,

Moni

P.s. I'm a total sucker for fads and a fellow PCV convinced me to try this:

http://msync.org/health/GeneralMotorsDiet.html

yes, it's a diet :]

The New Year celebration in Albania was definitely a memorable one. But I must say, despite warnings of how crazy it was going to get with all of the unregulated fireworks and firecrackers, it isn't as crazy as in Guatemala :]

Before I continue describing the event I want to give you all a little history. So, for fifty years (until 1991) Albania was ruled by a communist dictator named Enver Hoxha [Hocha]. Hoxha closed off Albania's borders to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the country and spread propaganda to trick Albanians into thinking they were the world's superpower. He also abolished religion and destroyed hundreds of mosques and churches around the country. All of this was part of an effort to prevent a popular up-rise and civil war. Being a secular holiday, New Year's Eve was one of the few events Albanians could "celebrate," or rather, observe. Thus, the New Year is celebrated on a grander scale than any other holiday nationwide. And what's particularly interesting is that all of the decor typical of Christmas throughout the rest of the world, is considered New Year's decor in Albania. So it's common to see Christmas trees and wreaths and even a Santa Clause look alike around the New Year.

The night doesn't get started until late. People spend the day cooking byrek [burek], making salads, roasting meat and preparing bakllava. Byrek is a traditional Albanian dish that consists of layers of phyllo dough (made a little differently than in Greece) with a filling that can include anything from spinach, cheese, rice, chicken, beans, eggs, milk, etc. If prepared properly, it's absolutely amazing. Dinner usually starts around 9-10pm. Families gather to eat, drink, toast and watch TV. Alexi and I were invited to Ida's (my landlord's) and Eda's (my counterpart's) on the 31st so we ate two delicious meals. Since the New Year feast is meant to be big, we ate A LOT. I'm talking disgusting amounts here people, and it was great. Then at midnight everyone toasts the New Year and runs outside to light fireworks and firecrackers. It was really cool to watch the sky fill with color and see the excitement in all the kids' faces. It was also really scary to think that there's no regulation for what kinds of fireworks can be set off and where they can be lit. On TV the next day I saw substantial news coverage on how the hospitals filled up after midnight with burn victims. Also, fireworks are not just a New Year's Eve thing. For days leading up to the 31st kids are running around lighting them all over town. It's actually really dangerous and annoying. Amanda told me she was walking down the street the other day and when she saw a kid running away from her she knew she should start running too because he threw it right behind her. You might be asking yourselves what's wrong with people. I ask myself this question almost everyday. So basically, around New Year's walking down the street is like walking through a mine field. At this point I think that even if anti-firework laws were passed, it would be years before regulation actually followed because they're embedded in tradition. It'd be more fun if people were more responsible.

Regardless, the night was fantastic and I'm really glad I got to share the experience with my Albanian friends that have become like my family.

Today I watched Food, Inc. If you're wondering what that is, it's a documentary about food production in the United States. I'm of the opinion that documentaries are generally engineered to instill a fear in people that will mobilize them for a cause. I'm usually critical of this methodology because I can't tell how much of the truth is being sensationalized and I don't like being manipulated into fear. Yet, I typically agree with these films' underlying messages. I actually really appreciated this documentary, but after watching it I fell victim to that sense of hopelessness that always annoys me about watching documentaries. Then again isn't that what we need sometimes to change harmful habits? I don't want to turn this into an op ed or an imposition of my personal philosophies about consumption, but I do want to encourage everyone to watch this film. It made me glad to be a vegetarian and a consumer of local vegetables from my village. Simultaneously it made me feel ashamed about craving those terrible foods in the pretty packaging. There are a lot of changes I want to make in my buying habits when I go home and I think that in the long-run the extra costs of eco-friendly foods are worth the benefits. I just hope other Americans start to realize this too. Soon.

Enjoy what's left of your weekend!!

Much love from Albania,

Mon

takepart.com/foodinc

worldofgood.ebay.com

Hello America,

New Year's Eve is upon us and tomorrow we enter 2010. Weird. Somehow, 22 months snuck past me and in just 5, roughly 140 days, I complete my Peace Corps service. It's funny to think that 22 months ago I thought I'd never get here. What's funnier is that as I write these words, I feel sad about leaving. It's complicated. It's complicated because as much as I love this place and its people, Albania has a way of driving me crazy. My daily encounters include events that would make up the most bizarre of days in the States. And, as entertaining as these things might be (usually in retrospect), I miss what I now consider the normalcy of life in LA. LOL! I never thought I'd call LA normal. Who knew? But that's not really fair of me to say, as I've come to learn that "normal" is a very subjective term and its experience changes with each person. So, I'm sad at the thought of leaving my friends in Albania, but I'm happy to reconnect with my loved ones in the US.

I returned from Austria three days ago, and it's taken me until now to recover from our travels. The return to Albania involved at 17 hour train-ride through Italy, an eight hour ferry across the Adriatic, and a 7 hour bus-ride back to Delvine. Yes, it was intense. But in general the trip to Austria was really enjoyable and I'm glad I got to see a new part of Europe.

Austria is beautiful, but cold. Our good fortune brought us to Vienna on the first "cold" day of the season. The temps dropped to -15 and it snowed. The wind factor wasn't cool, but the city's beauty helped distract us. Just to re-cap, we stayed with the Haller family, who's only daughter Verena, stayed with Amanda's family in North Carolina while she was an exchange student. The Hallers are a gracious bunch who know how to host a set of Peace Corps volunteers. Every morning they treated us to Austrian baked goods (which I may actually like more than French pastries) and coffee. They fed us lunch, dinner, gave us cheese and wine. They gave us in-door heating and showers, down comforters and pillows. We had access to Internet and TV and we each had our own bed. Then of course, they shared their family Christmas with us and took us to the grandparents' houses for all kinds of delicious food. It really was a great time.

Christmas in Vienna is really quite magical. Well, maybe I should say that the Christmas markets in Vienna are really quite magical. At the Kristkindlmarkts hundreds of vendors line up booths full of the most beautiful Christmas decor. They have ornaments, snow globes, nativities, gingerbread houses, hats, stockings, candles, jewelry and the list goes on. But what's really sensational is the FOOD! Every other booth you can find pretzels (all kinds ranging from dipped in chocolate to cheese filled), funnel cakes, pancakes, waffles, weinershcnitzel, cheese, ice cream and potatoes. What kind of potatoes you ask? I'm talking home fries, pancakes (latkes), tots, wedges. It was incredible. And I can't forget the punsch- warm cider spiked with some kind of liquer, and the best thing to keep you warm while walking through the markets. I of course got the kinder version (alcohol free), and was quite content.

I think a really interesting aspect of the trip was talking about Albania, with Austrians and Americans. One night at dinner we were describing things that are typical of our towns, and the country in general. Such as, the fact that Albania doesn't have a recycling program. The idea of a country that doesn't recycle was shocking to them. And that's just recycling, I can't imagine what it would've been like if we talked about the recent election issues, or the corruption I've referenced in other posts. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Greg, Amanda and I were awed at the way an employee in a restaurant separated every article of trash into distinct bins (including different types of plastic). Turns out Austrians are allowed to generate a limited amount of trash and are fined if they exceed the cap. I believe similar systems are in place throughout the US as well. But they also have a complex system for separating their recyclables that outshines the blue bin program in LA. Getting back to my point, some of the things we described to people seemed unimaginable to them and the way we cut across the boundary and linked these worlds was also surprising. Now that I think about it, I was somewhat apathetic to the change since I've come to feel at home in the developed and developing worlds. Really, it just goes to show how easily we can isolate ourselves from the rest of the world (more specifically, situations that are different and uncomfortable) when the rest of the world is only a car-ride away.

I just realized I've gotta head out. I'll continue this in tomorrow's post in which I'll also describe the Albanian new year celebration. Alexi and I will be spending the night with Ida and Eda. They've each invited us to dinner, one at 9pm and the other at 11pm. I expect we will be force fed at both houses. Should be amazing!!! I wish you all the happiest New Year Celebrations. Be Safe and be happy.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Saturday America,

It looks like Albania will have a white Christmas after all. I wasn't sure if we would with December temps in the 50s-60s F (at least down south). But this weekend we had a stark drop into freezing and snow is falling all over the country. Lucky for me, Delvina only has rain.

Alexi's back from Thanksgiving in the States and readjusting to Albanian life. I'm really happy to have her back. It was kind of strange to be the only American in Delvine while she was gone. I imagine these first few days will be a little sad for her, but we've only got 5+ months left and the Internet makes connecting with home so easy. Today during my skype session with my mom she showed me the Christmas tree!! Who'd a thought I'd be able to do that in the Peace Coprs? It made me really happy.

Last weekend I took a trip to the Northern City of Rreshen, where I attended my first event as PHOTOGRAPHER!! LOL!! If taking pictures for my dear friend Sarah counts. The event was fabulous: a production of District IX: Beso Tek Une [believe in me], a brilliant musical about the hardships of adolescence. The play was so fabulous, I choked up during some of the solos and big group songs. Why so emotional? Because every now and then a volunteer executes a project that really reaches out to their community and touches everyone's’ hearts. This play was one such event, and I could see it in one mom's face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Congratulations Sarah and crew ;]

This past week I attended a project design and management conference with my friend and colleague Klodian. The goal of the conference is to give Albanian counterparts insight in developing a community project proposal that meets the standards of organizations offering grants. Peace Corps holds two per year and I think it's a great opportunity for our Albanian counterparts to get a better idea of how we are trained as volunteers and generally just how projects are managed in America. Plus, PC comped us for five days of food and hotel expenses in a really nice port city called Durres.

I personally learned a lot about soliciting grants and was somewhat overwhelmed by the process. Klodi and I realized that our project to renovate the nursery school is a little ambitious and realistically can't happen before I leave. Realizing this made me sad, but also hopeful. Klodi and I have decided that we can still collect the estimates and write up the proposal, and perhaps the next set of volunteers will be interested in taking on the project. We'll see I guess.

Next week Amanda, Greg and I are headed to Austria for Christmas. We're hitching a ride with our friend Alissa's boyfriend, who is a native Viennese. We'll travel roughly two days up the coast through Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia, straight to Vienna. I'm SO excited!! I've been told Vienna has numerous Christmas markets (I'm talking warehouse style people) and ridiculous holiday baked goods. I'm having trouble containing my excitement. I'm also looking forward to the countless museums and coffee shops. CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!

The following excerpt from World Travel Guide describes the X-mas market that awaits us [http://www.worldtravelguide.net/feature/8/index/Christmas-in-Vienna.html]:

In December the Christmas markets (Christkindlmarkt), a tradition that goes back to the early 17th century, become the focus of all activity in Vienna. The biggest of them all takes place in front of the magnificent Rathaus (City Hall) (website: www.christkindlmarkt.at), which forms a majestic backdrop to what has to be one of the prettiest Christmas markets in Europe.

Over 140 stalls, selling such perennial favourites as candyfloss, roasted chestnuts, wursts (sausages), pickles jars and the ubiquitous gingerbreads, as well as baubles, candles and all manner of wooden and soft toys, attract a whopping 3 million visitors every year. The smell of spices and glühwein (mulled wine) permeates the air, and the multicoloured lights hanging in the trees above the square really do turn the whole area into a magical Christmas wonderland.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Ok friends, I should wrap this up. But before I do, I want to address some of your inquiries about x-mas care packages. I appreciate your desire to send a little Christmas cheer my way. You're the best <3 This year I've asked Santa for:

Peppermint BarkCandycanesButtermilk Powder MixPeanut ButterBrown SugarCorn SyrupPecansPumpkin in a can

In case he can't make it to the supermarket, feel free to help him out :]

Have a fabulous weekend Americanos!!

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Distrikt IX: Beso Tek Une

Final Number

Sarah (Director and awesome PCV) with the Mayor of Rreshen

Interesting story. So I'm in my apartment working on law school apps and at around 6pm I hear a knock at the door. I opened it to find my site mate's counterpart's husband and her landlord's son-in-law. Turns out, her landlord (an older gentleman) passed away. He is originally from Delvine but has been living in Gjirokaster for the last 4 years. Most of his family resides here, so the plan is to burry him in Delvine. Here's the catch, these people want to have the funeral in Alexi's house!! Initially, I thought I misunderstood the request and asked them to repeat it. Oh how I wished I misunderstood when I realized what they were asking.

So, Alexi is in Arkasas and there's is no number for me to contact her, not to mention an accessible key to her house. So I start emailing frantically. One would think that if I couldn't get a hold of her these people would have figured something else out. But I've been here long enough that I suspected they might just do it anyway. Especially since I'm headed North soon.

At this point I'll explain a little about Albanian funerals. They're actually quite sad. I'm fairly certain I've covered this before but here we go again. So, the deceased are usually displayed in the home. I'm not sure if they're put on a bed or what the deal is, but they're in the house for a few days. Then, the loved ones come over and cry for them. Now, I don't mean shed a few tears. I mean moan and wail in the shrillest pitch I've ever heard. The idea is that the louder they cry, the more love they demonstrate. I understand the idea, but the first time I heard funeral cries, I was really freaked out.

So, the kids are apparently having construction done in their home, which is why they can't do the funeral there. I don't know if I buy it, but I was really annoyed when they asked me to bring all of Alexi's things to my house. At this point I was really stressed out because I hadn't spoken with her yet. Basically, they wanted to break her door down. I calmly explained that I would not be doing that because it isn't my house and Alexi's things aren't mine. I also apologized for their loss, but explained that she was paying rent there, and it wasn't my responsibility to move her things. That if she allowed them to use her place, they'd have to leave things how they are. I could tell they weren't happy.

Eventually I got a hold of Alexi and under the pressure of not pissing Delvinians off, she agreed. I don't think I could've done it. My family is made up of a lot of supersticiosos who for my whole life have told me that if the body isn't removed from the house and if the family doesn't let them move on, the soul will linger. I don't know if I necessarily believe this, but I'm not into spirits hanging around my place, and I just don't do dead bodies.

So, I ran over to Alexi's to at least put her stuff away and bring her valuables over to my place. And shortly thereafter her landlord's family arrived with his body. They will be up with it all day and night for the next 2-4 days. I feel for them, but I also think they sort of took advantage of Alexi, because she's the nice American girl who doesn't want to offend anyone and is sort of put in a tough spot as a result. I should probably just get over it and pray for the family's quick recovery from their loss.

I woke up today to a picturesque autumn morning in Albania. Thank goodness for me, Delvina is abnormally warm, even compared to the rest of the country. The sky was filled with big gray clouds and the sun pierced through them onto my windows. I boiled some water for a mocha, and the coffee aroma blended nicely with the scent of cinnamon and orange. I LOVE FALL. It's the coziest season of the year.

I just had one of the best weeks in Albania... ever! Thanksgiving, coupled with my 25th birthday made for a fantastic holiday weekend in Tirana and Librazhd. I kicked off the festivities with an 8 hour trip to Librazhd where Amanda and I started dough prep for our cookie exchange. I made my grandma Nancy's Molasses Ginger Snaps and Amanda made her dad's sour cream twists. The cookies were AMAZING!! The idea behind the baking was that everyone would bring a dozen cookies to my Christmas birthday party for an exchange. Too bad we ate ALL the cookies. Over 150!! Tummy aches were in full effect ;]

Wednesday was a productive day for applications. Let's hope to have everything in by tomorrow! And then the wait. Peace Corps Albania's second in charge, hosted Amanda, Greg, Marie and I that night for veggie chilli and bean stew. She gave us cheddar! Because of the lack of good cheese in this country, volunteers get freakishly excited when they see cheese that's not Albanian feta. I call it Albanian feta because it's not quite what you eat in Greece. It's harder and tangier and generally nastier. In any case, we got cheddar and Starbucks filtered coffee and were happy.

The next day Amanda, Greg and I shopped for the ingredients for a Veggie Thanksgiving dinner. Some of Jan's other guests brought a few meat and potato dishes, but everything we prepared was meat free and delicious. The list includes: broccoli casserole, mushrooms cooked in butter and red wine, green beans and garlic, corn (you can't have Thanksgiving w/o corn!!), dinner rolls, stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple pie and pecan pie. Other menu items included garlic mashed potatoes, canned cranberries, citrus salad, a Latvian meat and potatoes thing and of course, Turkey. The group sweetly sang me happy birthday and despite being grossly full, we ate birthday cake. Mami and Haik called me at midnight and both sang happy birthday. T'was awesome!!

The next day we were off to Librazhd at 6am. The cookoff was to prepare two 24inch pans of enchiladas and scalloped potatoes, more cookies, double chocolate chip chocolate cake, funfetti, pesto pasta salad and butter-cream frosting.

Needless to say, my friends and I ate insane amounts of food this weekend and now it's back to weight watchers!! Wish me luck.

Klodi and I were invited to a grant writing workshop where we'll write a grant for our pre-school/playground project. Let's hope we get it!! I hope you all had a wonderful T-day weekend. Get out your advent calendars and X-mas music. DECEMBER IS HERE!!!

Can somebody please tell me how I'm almost 25!! Call me crazy, but I feel a quarter-life crisis coming on!! Only five years to 30. I remember when my mom was 30. Geez.

On a happier note, I finally defeated the daunting task that is writing a personal statement. Last month I was making fun of my friend Patricia for writing hers 3 times. Today I texted her an apology as I finished my third draft. LOL!! In any case, it's finished, and I'm actually happy with it. Sweet! Too bad I have 4 other essays to write and an endless pile of application paperwork. Almost there. Almost there.

The last few weeks were rocky. I was feeling that "I WANNA GO HOME" feeling, but in a really whiny voice. This year is officially the first time I'll be spending the holidays without a single member of my family and the closer we get to Christmas, the more I think about past celebrations and how much I'm going to miss everyone. BUT... I am going to Austria with two of the most special friends I've made in Peace Corps (and in life ;]), so I think I'll manage just fine. Luckily these days technology is ridiculously convenient and skype will keep us connected this Christmas.

This month I also entered the "six months to go" portion of my service. Creeeeeeeeeeeeepy!!! May is right around the corner, and just when my students have really started listening to me. I'm realizing how much I'm gonna miss teaching and wonder if I'll ever try it again some day. I'm also really going to miss the ladies at school. I really enjoy being the baby of the groups of teachers. They totally spoil me! They're super cute too. Today I brought some cinnamon ornaments to school and they all wanted me to take pictures of them next those we strung. Cracked me up.

Speaking of ornaments, Alexi and I have been prepping our homes for the holidays. Two days ago we made 40 something cinnamon ornaments and last night we finally accomplished orange slice ornaments. Our houses smell fantastic!

I have so much more to write but I'll have to save it for next time because I'm late for class.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Monday America!!

I'm in a fabulously good mood as I write you this e-mail. After weeks of having my account frozen by LSAC, I finally received my score. I didn't do as well as Id've liked, but it's not as bad as I thought I did after my in-exam mini breakdown. LOL!! All in all, I'm happy with my score and I'm ready to apply!

I've thought long and hard and the application list is as follows (in no particular preference order):

UCLA

UC Berkeley

UC Hastings

UC Davis

UC Irvine

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

Pepperdine

Loyola Marymount

Santa Clara University

Southwestern School of Law

Yes, I'm only applying to California schools. After two years in Albania I realize how much I don't want to be far away from family and friends. I also realize how lucky I am to be a California resident b/c Cali has some EXCELLENT schools!!

The last few weeks have been terrific. I kicked off my return with my first photog event in Delvine. Alexi hosted the town's first breast cancer awareness event on the 26th. The turnout was great with over 100 women coming out to learn how to better detect breast cancer. Courtney in Gjirokaster is working on an amazing project that will allow women in the south to get visas for mammograms in Greece. As far as I know, there are only 4 cities in Albania where women can have mammograms done, but it's unclear whether these facilities have films. The health volunteers are on it and hopefully there will be more functional clinics/hospitals soon.

Next on the list, HALLOWEEN!!! I spent the day with volunteers hosting activities for the kiddies :] It was so much fun. We had pumpkins, three legged races, pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern, a bean bag toss, apple eating races and a piñata. Afterward we ATE ATE ATE!!! Boy did we eat. Karen made the most delicious pasta with spinach, roasted tomato, cheese and pine nuts. Then Patricia baked double chocolate-chip cookies. We also roasted chestnuts on the wood-burning stove and carved a double-headed eagle pumpkin. I wish halloween was a two-day event. Perhaps next year I'll celebrate Halloween Eve ;]

This past weekend was Alissa's birthday bash up in Shkoder and presented another day of amazing food and over-eating!! She made a variety of tasty dips and cinnamon rolls!! cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese glaze. oh man. I'll make up for it this week once I'm back in Delvine and back to P90X!! It was really nice to reconnect with my girls in the north and catch up on the latest trashy American gossip mags. I guess it's true that you can take the girl out of LA, but you can't take LA out of the girl. That actually sounds really dumb, but you get my drift.

Last piece of news. I have a mole, a bad mole. One that Peace Corps is having me medically evacuated to take care of. Don't freak out. The mole is abnormal, but doesn't look cancerous. The medical officer just prefers that we be safe and not sorry and is sending me out of country next month to take care of it. He hasn't decided where I'll go, but it's highly unlikely that it'll be the US. A couple of kids have gone to bangkok for dental work so perhaps Asia is in my future. Let's hope!!

Ok all, this entry's getting long so I'll end here. I'll be posting new pictures this week so be on the lookout. I miss you all and I hope you're doing well. I was thinking that I really miss the grand holiday decor that's so typical in America and so absent in Albania. Enjoy it for me. Enjoy it as much as you can.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KHRIFFY, ANDREW, DONALD, JOSE, JAYCE, BILL and LOU!!!

It’s that time of year again!! Time for ruby red pomegranate seeds and brown sugar flavored persimmons. How exciting!! The transition into Autumn is definitely my favorite. If I get to thinking about it, I really enjoy every season’s transition. In my case it seems like the new season always inspires a new attitude in me and the change is refreshing. Through my Peace Corps service I’ve come to really appreciate change, as things in Albania aren’t typically constant. Volunteers come and go, fruits and veggies stick around for a month or two and no one ever sticks to any organized plan. People here just sort of go with the flow. And while initially the lack of permanence drove me crazy, it’s now expected and sort of fun. A great advantage to this is that when you really don’t like the way something is happening, no sweat, it’ll probably change soon. LOL!!

I don’t exactly know what changed while I was in America, but my life here is different, better. My Delviniots must have really missed me because they seem so much closer to me, even my students! I think the community got a preview of what it’s going to be like once I leave, and at least for the people I’m directly connected to, they felt my absence. I get this impression because of late, a lot of folks have acknowledged that 7-8 months is a short time away and say that they’ll miss me. Some of my kids get anxious thinking about it and it breaks my heart. I don’t want to leave my babies behind, but I’ll have to, and together we’ll move on. In the meantime, I'm motivated to do everything I can to make Delvina a fun place to live and learn English.

Halloween is quickly approaching. Ida, my landlady, found Alexi and I some pumpkins which we’re going to mash up for breads, risotto and pie!! This weekend I’m having some friends over to bake and stuff oranges with cloves and cinnamon :] And now that Alexi and I have DSL, we can have Internet parties!! Hahaha! We’re currently using a friend's 2/2 wireless modem and router in one but will have to buy our own soon. If anyone knows of cheap deals, or has one we can borrow in the meantime, we’d really appreciate it. They’re pretty expensive and 50% more than the dollar price in Euros. Alexi’s going home for T-day so hopefully we can find one before she comes back. Thanks Klod, for letting us use yours in the meantime :]

Okay, one last note. Today the senior class decided on their next community project, and I’m really excited about it. You all know how much I enjoy themed parties, so of course I had a hand in the details. So, we’re having a benefit party to celebrate Halloween. On Friday, 10/30 the kids are hosting a masquerade at which guests will have to present a food donation at the door. How fun!! We’ll dance, eat candy, drink soda and make memories. If anyone would like to contribute to our party I’ll post some details in the coming days to inform you if and how that's possible. Until next time.

Much love from Delvina,

Mon

My friend and IT Guy Klodi, eating his first OREO cookie.

Amanda (aka Shwa) pulling an all-nighter with me in the airport upon my return from CA. LOVE YOU SHWA!!

Alexi stuffing her orange w/cloves <3

Pomegranate!!

Persimmon tree. These look very Tim Burton Halloween to me ;]

Happy Wednesday from Los Angeles!!! That's right, I'm home!!! The LSAT came and went and I'm relieved to be finished. Next week I'll begin law school apps and hopefully have then finished soon. I hate application processes. I don't know how I got through the application for PC.

The weather in Cali is hot. We've got temps in the high 80s and I'm gonna soak 'em up before going back to the initiation of winter in Albania. The economy IS as bad as I've read about. Can you believe the state wants to charge crv on each individual Caprisun drink pack in a box? I know that sounds silly, but these small things say a lot.

This time in Cali I jumped right back into the swing of things. It doesn't really feel like I ever left. I've been celebrating birthdays, hanging out with friends and fam and EATING like I always do. I've missed everyone and I'm excited to be nearly finished with service. I love Albania and I'm going to miss my friends when I finish, but despite how much I don't like living in LA, it's home and I miss my people. One thing I do enjoy is sharing my Albania stories with everyone. Of course no one can fully appreciate the essence of a story without living it, but I hope to encourage visitors to my home away from home.

Pumpkin patches open tomorrow and Keona and I will be frequenting one with caramel apples and a super slide after school. I decided Keona is my favorite person. Despite the face wrinkles only grown ups get I acquired during service, the fact that I have the most fun with her makes me feel like I'm not REALLY a grown up. I don't want to be.

Finally, you won't need a password to read my blog after all. Some entries will be hidden from the public and when I post a hidden entries I will indicate it on the public page. In order to read private posts you will need a livejournal account. Well perhaps not. I'll look into it. In any case, I won't post too many private blogs, but you'll have the option to read them if I do. My pictures do require a password and I'm happy to share it with friends who are interested. Just send me a message.

Ok all, I hope everyone in Shqipera is doing wonderfully and that those of you who were in Gjirokaster for the festival had a great time. I wish I could've been there.

Much love from LA,

Mon

P.s. I am the proud new owner of this!!!

Happy Sixth of September to you all!!!

I'm taking the weekend a little easier in terms of LSAT prep to hang out with my good friend Greg and start working on my personal statement for law school apps. Yay!!! I'm finally feeling confident with my practice test scores which has reduced my anxiety level drastically. These days I'm just super happy and excited to be going home to celebrate Keona's 7th birthday with her at Disneyland the day after my test. :]

While life in Delvina has generally been good, I've been really worried about my baby sister. After a year and a half of being misdiagnosed with a gastric ulcer, it turns out she really has a severe gall bladder infection and massive gall stones. The prognosis is that she'll have to have the gall bladder removed, but the lack of an efficient health system in one of the richest post-industrial countries in the world, will force her to seek treatment in Guatemala. She's headed there in the coming days to have the surgery with a reputable physician, so please keep her in your prayers.

My English lessons have been going well and school starts in a week. Summer's nearly over and the autumn rain is just around the corner. I can smell it ;] I have a great agenda in the works for next year's activities, which includes a life skills club, an environmental group and building a park in downtown Delvine. Wish me luck people cuz I only have about 9 months left. I can't believe it!!

Alrighty, gotta run. Enjoy the rest of your weekends.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Hey Peeps!! So sorry for the lack of posts. I've been really busy with LSAT prep, Maddie and English lessons. I promise to update soon! I also have a bit of bad news. I'm gonna have to make my blog and picture site private for censorship reasons. I hate to do it, because I'd really like everyone to have access to my thoughts and opions without signing in, but I've offended a few host country nationals and while this blog isn't intended to offend anyone, it happens and I've still gotta live here 9 months. And, this will also apply to my picture site. It's come to my attention that a few Delvinian randos are looking at my pictures, and I've decided I'm a little creeped out. So, I've gotta figure out a system. I think I'll be able to add people who request to read this thing. So just make the request!!

I hope you're all enjoying your summers. I can't believe how quickly the season's winding down!! I'll be home in a month and a week for LSAT and I'm actually excited!!

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Hello Everybody!!

I’m SO sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated. Summer been great! I can’t believe it’s almost half way done!! Madeline gets here in 9 days and I’m on the countdown. I can’t wait to have her here. Her best friend Luisa’s meeting us in Greece at the Meteora (the hanging monasteries) and it should be fantastic!!

The last few of months in Albania have proven challenging new ways. Since arriving in country I’ve tried to keep an open mind and practice cultural sensitivity. Things are always happening here that are out of my control and when things go south I always tell myself that it isn’t personal, it’s cultural. And I really do believe that, but frustration usually prevails and I feel annoyed for a few days. I think for the most part this attitude is linked to idea that I’m an outsider and Albanians really don’t owe me anything. But lately, I’ve felt less and less like an outsider and more like I belong. I think of myself as a member of this community because my ties here are really strong. I feel like I’m home now and while in most ways this is great, it’s difficult in others. Mainly in the sense that my friends are more open and honest with me about things I don’t really need them to be with. And while I appreciate honesty in friendship, I think there’s a more sensitive way of presenting the truth. Hahaha, let me explain.

The first thing most people notice here is the lack of tact possessed by Albanians. People just say what they think, and most of the time they do this without thinking. I don’t know if it’s just that people here don’t consider their words hurtful or if they just don’t care. But in my first weeks of training my host family said things to me I couldn’t believe. They’d tell me I was fat, that I was plain, that my clothes were boring, that my Albanian sucked because I was stupid, etc. In those days I wrote them off because my host family was weird and the people in community told me this, but as my friends here say similarly appalling things to me now, I’ve begun taking them more personally and my dilemma has become the question of whether or not they’re practicing a cultural difference, or just being catty women and mean.

We all know women can be catty and talk about each other. That happens a lot here and it’s SUPER annoying. And sometimes it’s men too! If I didn’t already have one, I wouldn’t need a mirror because I’m constantly being told about how my weight has fluctuated, how good or bad my clothes look, whether or not I’m pretty or whether or not I’m smart. And… it gets me every time. The reason is that I’ve watched people here do this to each other and they are not okay with it. So if this is the case, why do they do it!? People have told me that I’m stupid when I make grammar mistakes while speaking. They tell other people this too and I really just want to be vulgar and tell them to F* off because I essentially learned their entire language in a year and have proven I can live self-sufficiently in a foreign country all on my own. The last thing I want to be is arrogant, but this stuff wears on you and it hurts when it’s coming from your friends.

I’ve talked to other volunteers about it and some of us are talking about putting together a support group or maybe even starting up groups where we can invite Albanian kids to talk about body image and what’s okay to say to others. Eating disorders are becoming a big problem among teenage girls here (at least three of the host sisters during training were anorexic or bulimic) and I’m pretty sure that everything I mention above is the reason for it. Breaks my heart.

On a happier note, Alexi has put together a book club in Delvine. Currently we’re reading the outsiders and the kids love it. It’s incredible to have real open discussion with the kids about their own teenager issues and how they relate to the characters’ in the book. They seem to really enjoy expressing their ideas and opinions and this is why I think we’ll totally be able to put together a life skills group in the fall. I also went to prom on Tuesday night and danced up a storm. It was fun to get all dressed up and do my hair and make-up. I’ll post the pictures next weekend.

I hope you all are staying cool and appreciated your air conditioning. Our temps are in the high 90s but you experience heat in whole new way when there’s no way to cool down. After reading about Amber’s experiences in Mauritania, I can’t complain, but it’s definitely uncomfortable. Happy Sunday to all!!!

Much love from Albania,

Moni

America!! I’m sorry for the lack of posts but I’ve been a lazy volunteer since summer vacation started :] On that note, vacation is here!! And you know what that means right? It means frequent trips to Saranda for beach town fun and ice cream!! I’m really looking forward to the next three months of a glorious Albanian summer and my sister's post grad visit, it’s gonna be great.

I’m not certain why this is the case but it seems like a common activity among PCVs in Albania is to countdown the months left in country. I’d been on the countdown since I arrived in Shqiperia, even during good times. I don’t know if this is something that just happens naturally during training because of the intensified stress factor, and then just lingers on through service, but it happens and ultimately results in drawing out time, making it seem longer than it is. The strangest part about this activity is that despite counting down to the unknown (as most of us have no clue about what’s next), I think most people really are happy to be here and would not leave early if they had the chance(I know I wouldn’t). So why does it happen? In any case, I’ve come to a milestone in my service because I’m no longer on the countdown!! For the first time in 15 months I’m completely at ease about living in Albania and I think it’s because this place is home. This makes me feel happy and proud and relieved and I’m really looking forward to the next year in service.

I’m amazed at the bonds I’ve developed with Albanian nationals. Last week in a discussion about whether or not I would return to Albania it didn’t even seem like a question that I’d be back. My relationships with my counterpart and landlady are like those of family. They include me in everything from daily meals to family vacations. And this isn’t new, this has been going on since my arrival in Delvine. And… my kiddlings have started expressing anxiety about me leaving next year and tell me that they’re going to cry when they don’t have English course with me next year. I admit this is a little flattering, but it’s really strange to me that they’re already anticipating my departure. It’s a year away! But I always tell them they not to shqetso (worry) because I will undoubtedly make way to Delvine anytime I’m in Europe :]

Albanian summer is a time for great outdoor adventures and amazing beach days. Two weeks ago a big group of PCVs convened for an Oceanside camping trip in Vlore. I was especially stoked because I found a 2 person tent at Euromax for $20. But get this… so this group of around 15 of us was hanging out at a public beach when a friend of the volunteer in Vlora approached her and happily offered to transport us to his private beach by car. She expressed that she felt bad about putting him out, but regardless, there were 5 cars to pick us up at our location within 10 minutes. We then spent the rest of the day swimming at a private cove and buying beverages from this guys pier bar. It was pretty fantastic. The best part of coastal Albania is that it’s identical to the Greek coast, but lacking the tourists. The big beaches are pretty gross and contain an E-coli level above that permissible by the EU, but I avoid those waters like the plague.

Apart from the fabulous beaches, Albania has incredible mountains and neat forests up in the North. A few weeks ago I made the 12 hour trip up there to support a fellow volunteer in her production of Shakespeare’s 12th Night. Her ability to put on this play in English was impressive. Her kids worked hard and presented a great show. What’s more, she’s taking them to acting camp in Texas next month and they’ve worked so hard to raise the funding for this wonderful experience. This volunteer’s worked really hard and her community is lucky to have her.

But like I was saying, I went up to the North and took the opportunity to visit my girls in Puka. I love Puka and the Pukians are always so gracious and friendly. In the few days I was there, I got to pick someone’s homegrown cherries, eat homemade turshi (pickled cucumbers, onions, peppers and eggplants) with homemade cornbread and cheese, learn the art of spinning wool, make dolma, make ravioli, make chocolate truffles and celebrate an Albanian birthday. And that’s not all, the girls invited me to their gender group where a group of 12 to 13-year-olds impressed me with their ideas about gender roles in society. I think what impressed me most was the fact that there are two boys in this group who openly participate without embarrassment and really contribute to the discussions. It was inspiring and perhaps I’ll be starting a similar group soon in Delvina. Another awesome thing about my trip to the north was that I ran in the forest!! It’s an amazing feeling to wake up at dawn and run through the forest for an hour. The trails are clear and trees shoot up all around you, providing cool shade and fresh pine scented air. Plus, there’s this rush associated with not knowing what’s out there and what could surprise you from behind one of those magnificent pines. Maybe I’m weird, but I really appreciated the thrill.

Finally, amidst the planned summer fun, beach days and camping trips in the mountains, I am still prepping for LSAT take 2. I’ve been very disciplined and successfully studying 2-3 hours daily. I don’t want to jinx the test, but I do feel compelled to mention it in my blog as we have a blossoming relationship and it will be such an important part of my life over the next few months. It deserves its due credit. Haha!

Ok all, this blog is way longer than I anticipated and I’m hungry. I hope everyone is doing well and that your Father’s day celebrations are full of love and happiness this Sunday. I miss you all.

Much love from Albania,

Moni

Albanian Coast from the Road to Dhermi

Sunset from puka perendim spot

Forest

Hi Everyone!!

Sorry for taking so long to post since my last entry. But with the end of the school year in 3 weeks and the Cambridge exam next month, I've been busy helping my students prepare for exams. I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the SPRING!! Spring in Albania is definitely my favorite season. Everyday the sun shines bright and the flowers are in full bloom. The grape vines are green again and the birds chirp all day long. The insects are gross and I could do without the allergies, but even those are bearable as long as it's not rainy and cold :]

Last weekend the Greg and Courtney in Gjirokaster hosted the running event of the season. On the 9th Greg and Courtney hosted a 2k fun run to encourage Albanians to exercise and show them that running can be fun. It was great. The enrollment consisted of about 15 kids, a few of their Albanian counterparts, a handful of volunteers, the PC Albania director and Hajri, their Albanian counterpart on the project. There was a number of people who didn't show up, probably for political reasons, but after people saw what a success it was on the news, they've been encouraging the volunteers to host another citywide run in October. Hopefully it works out. I've described the political atmosphere in Albania and how stigmas or links to the opposing party seriously hinder progress in this country, and it was really too bad to see how it could negatively affect a fun run for kids. However, these are some of the problems volunteers experience when working with Albanians. It's likely that the affiliations of Greg and Courtney's friend Hajri had something to do with people not showing up or supporting the run. Elections are in June and people are behaving slightly more ridiculous lately than ever before (i.e. my director :[)

I've started running again and I'm feeling great. I'm also on a new eating plan and have lost 5 lbs over the last two weeks. It's kind of exciting because Albanians are noticing the shed of my winter coat and have been asking me what I'm doing to lose weight (I also lost weight during lent as a vegan). When I told the teachers at the school that I count my calories they were surprised because they'd never heard of this method of weight loss. So, I showed them this formula I found in Runners World Magazine for determining the minimum daily calorie intake for weight loss, and now half of Delvina is counting calories!! It's hilarious! It's good thought because the teachers are becoming more aware of what they eat everyday. And they're eating more fruits and vegetables because they can eat more of these for less calories. The best part thing is that there are three new runners on my path in the morning... and they're adult women!! I'm so excited!! My counterpart started running with me about a month ago and when others saw that she wasn't embarrassed, they jumped on the bandwagon. It's kind of weird (but exciting) to realize how as PC volunteers, our actions can really influence the entire village, but it also reminds me that I have to be really careful because everyone's always watching. LOL!

In other news, my landlady's pregnant!! I'm really excited because I'll still be around in 8 months to meet the baby. She's really nervous because she and her husband have an 8 year old son, and this was the only child they planned on having. Now she's in her mid 30s and I imagine a little overwhelmed. An interesting fact about Albania is that the ministry of health declares that it's good for women's health to continue having babies as they get older (40+). Alexi and I were surprised by this because we're taught the opposite in the States, along with the fact that there are serious potential risks to the health of a baby whose mother conceives in her late 30s-40s. A lot of women buy into this propaganda and it's just weird to think that the national ministry of health is not informing it citizenry appropriately.

Finally, yesterday was Greg's birthday and we celebrated with an all nighter of live feeds of the Lakers/Rockets Celtics/Magic games. It was pretty fantastic (too bad the games weren't a little more exciting!!)!! Hopefully we'll be able to watch the NBA final series next month: Lakers v ?? Happy Birthday Geri!! I'll post new pictures this weekend so be on the lookout. Miss you all!

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Saturday Everyone!!

Can you believe it’s almost May!!?? This year’s been flying by since I came back from Christmas and it’s honestly a little weird that summer’s right around the corner. Exciting, but weird. This Sunday I’ll begin LSAT prep and come September I’m gonna rock that test. I can’t believe I’ll be applying to schools this year. If anyone has scholarship info for law school they’d like to share, I’ll be a happy recipient. For now I’m banking on the Latino centered aid, but I’m assuming that in this economic crisis, scholarships won’t be as readily available. It seems like yesterday I arrived in Albania and thought, “well I’ve got a year and a half before all that so no worries.” Hahaha! I also thought I would’ve had a lot more projects under my belt by now but regretfully not. This is however, something that I don’t always have control over and I’ll tell you why through a current event…

This past Wednesday was Earth Day. Many volunteers and I saw this as a great opportunity to further spread environmental awareness in a country where the people don’t really care about environmentalism. I don’t think this is the case because their dispassionate, but it’s more so because it isn’t a topic that’s stressed in schools and Albanian’s have bigger problems to worry about. In any case, most people aren’t aware of how environmentalism affects them on a grander scale. Anywho, my counterpart and I had a full day of events planned. We hoped to start the day with Earth Day focused English lessons in our classes. We wrote up a lesson on its origins and put together a game of Environmental Jeopardy (which the kids loved :] ). Then we planned a trash cleanup and flower planting hour with our students which the director initially approved and encouraged. Finally, we planned to close the day with a showing of An Inconvenient Truth (the sensationalized Al Gore lecture on global warming), which a volunteer awesomely added Albanian subtitles to. Unfortunately, dirty politics really get in the way of progressive activities in this country and our cleanup and movie were shot down half-way through the day. What’s more, the director (the puppet master in all of this) and people at the ministry didn’t consider us worthy of a justified answer as to why we had to let our kids down with the bad news. The director of my school and my counterpart don’t get along after she exposed him in a scandal that he tried to blame her for. Accordingly, he uses his authority to pull stunts like this, even if it hurts the students. It really sucks and when I’m finished here, I plan to let him know that he’s exactly what’s wrong with this place.

Over the past few months Alexi, the Gjirokaster crew and I have been exploring ways to put the issue of environmentalism on the map. We have great ideas. We recently became aware that there are two recycling factories in country: one for paper and one for plastic bags. So, we’ve been campaigning in the schools to get kids to recycle. For the most part, they hear what we’re saying, but we’ve got to find a way to make this activity cool and appealing to the younger age so that they can encourage their parents and the larger community. The school year is almost over so next year I’m gonna start off with some kind of recycling project that we can continue throughout the year, if anyone has ideas, please send them my way :] I’m also excited because I’m going to learn how to sew with a foot pedal machine so that we can turn broken umbrella tops into reusable grocery bags. Delvinians always comment on Alexi and I taking our own totes to the market to avoid using more bags, so hopefully we can make this a trend.

Albania’s such a beautiful country and it’s a shame that every now and then as you travel through it’s majestic mountain roads, you come across random trash dumps full of blue plastic bags. What’s more, these trash dumps pollute the fresh water bodies that Albanians use as a drinking water source. Something’s gotta be done and I’m hopeful that in the next ten years it will. For now, it’s exciting to be part of the movement :]

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Easter everybody!! Haha, ok I know Easter was celebrated last week, but today Albanian’s are celebrating Orthodox Easter and red eggs are everywhere. The egg wars are on!

Some PC friends and I also celebrated last week in a beach town called Vlora. It was pretty awesome. I made the Albanian version of baked macaroni and cheese (pastico) along with creamy mashed potatoes, lentils and deviled eggs. It was a nice dairy filled meal to end lent. I’m still trying to keep up the healthy eating habits I picked up as a veagan and so far so good. I’ve posted some pictures on my shutterfly account for your viewing pleasure. I have more but I won’t be able to post ‘em til next week. Sorry Mami :]

Last week was sad for Group 11 because we lost a volunteer. A member of our family has returned to America for reasons that I’m not free to discuss openly on my blog. I will say that it’s unfortunate she had to go back and it pretty much sucks for everyone who knows her and worked with her here. Otherwise, G11 has remained solid and 35/37 are still here working away. Congrats you guys!!

Wednesday is Earth Day and I’m super excited about the lessons I have planned for my students. We’re going to do a whole day of understanding environmental systems in Albania and enhancing awareness about where our trash goes and what it does to the water drink and use for irrigation. I haven’t worked out all of the details yet, but I want them to really understand the importance of trash control and maintenance so that maybe, just maybe they won’t litter so much and can start the change Albania needs. I was totally disheartened last week when I was talking to my kids about the importance of recycling and one of them laughed in my face while he threw an ice cream wrapper on the floor, 5 feet from the trash can! I ended up using inappropriate language and scaring him into picking it up. But we all know that’s not the most effective way teaching important lessons. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve gotta run now but stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll really get into the environmental problems of this country and the ways I hope I can make a difference as a volunteer. I miss you all terribly but I’m looking forward to the summer and LSAT prep at the beach. Yes, I’m taking the LSAT again :[

All my love from Albania,

Mon

Last Sunday as our clocks sprung forward Haik and Robin travelled back through 9 time zones to Pacific Standard Time, AKA Los Angeles, AKA home. I can't believe their trip has come and gone and I'm back to X-ing out the calendar days till I see them again. We had SO MUCH FUN!! I haven't laughed in Albania the way I did while they were here. Then again, I never laugh the way I do when I'm with the boys. Their first 4-5 days were great. Patricia and Amanda came down for a stupid silly weekend and we even convinced Greg to stay in Delvine for 2 days! The PCVs showed the guys the games we've been entertaining ourselves with over the last year: Quiddler, Scategories, Rummy... To our surprise they had innovative improvements for our games and on Sunday morning we were playing Quiddler meets Texas Hold 'Em and a bottle of Black Label. There's nothing like starting the morning off with a little whiskey. Haha!! Later they got to meet my land lords and their family and what d'ya know... they were served a little more whiskey!!

The following day was a holiday and Robin, Haik, Patricia and I visited the ancient archeological site Butrint where we ran around taking silly pictures and climbing on anything we could scale. That same day we travelled up to Gjirokaster for another fun night with Greg and castle exploration. Also that night the FAB 4 (Robin, Haik, Patricia and Greg) played another round of Black Label Hold 'Em :] Our Gjirokaster trip was short lived as we had to return to work. T'was bittersweet to return to Delvine but the boys were with me!!

That same night my beloved counterpart Eda invited the three of us to dinner with her Husband Ariani. We ate at a really good restaurant in a nearby village called Bamatat where the boys had Albanian beers and Robin ate the best lamb he'd ever had in his life (so he claims). We had a lot of fun talking about America, telling jokes and EATING!! In my vegan state I ate the usual fried potatoes and salad. You can't go wrong with that combo :]

The following day was super great because Haiku and Robini came to school with me. They had cultural exchanges with two of my classes and as it happens during any interaction with Robin, we were all laughing. They tried to teach the kids the concept of the knock knock joke but I don't think they quite understood "the KGB waits for no one!!" It was still hilarious. While the day was great, that night the trip took a turn for the worse b/c Haiku got a nasty flu that Robin caught soon thereafter. The boys spent the rest of their trip lying on my pullouts, drinking tea and sleeping off their fevers. We watched a lot of movies and I had fun taking care of them. It was cool putting my newly acquired womanhood skills to use :] I was lucky not to get sick because I had the flu 3 weeks ago. Poor Haiku was really hit hard and was still sick when he went back to America. Sucks.

We didn’t get to do a lot of the things I planned but just having my best friends in Albania made for my happiest days here. It’s too bad Jesse couldn’t come because it would’ve been that much happier.

Saturday we travelled North to Tirana (Haik was still dying) and Sunday I cried as I watched their plane carry them away. Lucky for me I have great friends here and my Carolinian half (as Haik calls Amanda) met me for a little consoling. Torran also brightened up the day with a little Office and Lost. I didn’t think I would miss the boys this much, but I do. I have the best friends in the whole wide universe!!

All of my Albanian friends loved Haik and Robin, as did my students. They’re still talking about the “bukur” (beautiful) Americans that came to visit me and were always smiling. Haik also promised this guy Agim (notorious for being a nuisance) that he’d send him a Barack Obama shirt. Now Agim is telling everyone this story and that he has shume respect for Armenian Americans. Hahaha! The only problem now is that I have to run away when I see him or else he’ll stop me for 10 minutes to talk about Haik and his shirt.

This weekend 3 trainees are coming South for their volunteer visit. I’m excited. I remember the feeling of being a trainee like it was yesterday, and how much I appreciated Margaret and Stacey’s hospitality in Gjirokaster. Alexi, Meghan and I have a fun weekend planned and I hope the newbies have a good time.

Lastly I want to express how much I love my Albanians. I’ve worked really hard over the last year to integrate into this culture and it was worth it 100Xs over. I definitely experience cultural overloads and frustrations. But in these days that I’ve been blue, they’ve gone out of their way to make me feel happy. These people have accepted me, embraced me and they love me and this has made my service one of the most positive experiences of my life. Before Haik left I was complaining that I feel lonely and miss my friends. But since he’s been gone Ida and Eda have gone out of their way to keep my company and life my spirits. Albania’s not LA, but it will always be my home away from home. The people here can be really amazing and I musn’t take that for granted.

Until next time.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

The boys left yesterday. I'm sad. I'll update in a few days when I cheer up.

Happy Monday All!!

Although it is early Monday morning in Albania, it’s still March 15th at home and it is still the 1st year anniversary of my departure for Peace Corps!! Can you believe it??!! ONE YEAR!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! It’s kinda scary how time flies. My dad always tells me that it only gets faster as you get older… Yikes!

Outside the sun is shining bright and the temps have warmed up by out 10 degrees in the last month. It’s Summer day!! I realize we’re nowhere near summertime and I’m guessing it has something to do with the solstice but I’ll look into that and get back to you. I love holidays in this country because everyone takes the day off to celebrate. On summer day in Delvine, everyone runs up to the mountains for picnics and hanging out, but the real party’s up in Elbasan. Rumor has it that the Shqiptars in Elbasan all eat bollukume (a delish cookie) and have a festival in the city. Maybe I can go up next year for my 2nd year anniversary :]

March 19th marks my 1st year in Albania. The volunteers are all getting together this Friday to celebrate and welcome the new group that arrives on Thursday. I have to miss the party, but for the best reason ever… Haik and Robin are coming!! I’ll be at the airport picking up two of my best friends… YAY!!! I can’t wait for the next five days to come and go. I miss my friends and I miss my family and I miss home. But I love Albania and I look forward to sharing this experience with my friends.

Okay peeps, gotta run. I’m posting some pictures of the day I left LA for the sake of memories.

Much love from Shqiperia,

Mon

the crooms-paniagua fam (yes we were crying)

siblings and neice

best friends ever

Hi All!!

Today was a good day. March 7th is national teachers’ day, but since it falls on a Saturday this year, we celebrated this afternoon. Like on most holidays the school shut down and the students had a party at a nearby bar (not the kind of bar you’re thinking of, but more like a coffee shop). The teachers then all went out for lunch in the nearby village of Bamatat. We ate a ridiculous amount of food and danced danced danced! But wait, it gets better… They all thought it’d be cute to make me lead the circle dance (by force!) so that the Saranda news guy could record it and air it on tonight;s news! Ahhhh how embarrassing!! I’m sure my kids are gonna get a good laugh at that. I think I performed well, but they’re always looking for a reason to make fun of me… punks. On teachers day the kids all bring gifts and the teachers eat it up. They all dress up and do their make-up and walk around looking for praise. They really celebrate themselves, but it’s cute. And, I think the teachers in this country deserve a day of celebration because some of the kids here are really bad. I would’ve never dreamt that high school students would protest a principal’s decision by breaking the doors and windows in a classroom and be unpunished. Trips me out.

I’m in my second week of veganism for lent. So far I’m going strong and feeling good. I’ve been cooking a lot of lentils, beans and rice. The availability of crops (or a lack thereof) due to winter really limits my options. Who’d a thought I’d be excited for cabbage? Lucky for me, bread in this town is egg-free and we have a margarine type product that compliments my toast with jam. Oh yeah. My pants are starting to fit better, which means I’m shedding my winter weight… score! The goal however is not to lose weight, it’s to make a sacrifice for God… so the weight loss is just a perk.

T-2 weeks till Haik and Robin are here!! All I can say is… I’M SO EXCITED!!! And I leave you with that. Until next time.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

p.s. I forgot to mention, my MUN team didn’t take home a trophy last week, but those kids are all winners in my book. Let’s hear it for team Viet Nam! Insert cheering here)

Ornela and Me

Lika, Eda and Jonida

Eda leading the circle

Happy Friday America!!

Today is day two of the 2nd annual Albanian Model United Nations conference in Tirana. So far so good. This project has been without a doubt the most rewarding thing I've done as a volunteer. Over the last three months 9 of my students have busted their butts to learn everything there is to know about Vietnam policies on human trafficking and climate change, the structure of the United Nations and how to apply this knowledge in debate. But what's most impressive about their work is that it's all been in English. These kids are rock stars and I'm extremely proud of them :]

An organization called ELTA is hosting the event and with the financial help of the UN and the US embassy fronted the $60k in costs. 160 students are participating in the conference and we're all staying at a five-star hotel just outside the city. For many, this is there first time in Tirana and for most, it's their first time staying in a hotel. So you can imagine, they're all going crazy with excitement!! Today we went on field trips to different embassies (US included) and UN agencies but they were all too tired from staying up last night to thoroughly enjoy them. There wasn't anything I could say to make my kids go to sleep last night. They laughed laughed laughed all night, telling jokes, watching movies and of course, imitating me! I didn't have the heart to force them to sleep and I just figured they'd pay for it with exhaustion. Haha!

Two of my kids have decided they want to be diplomats when they grow up. No longer are any of them afraid to ask questions, and one of my girls has asked me to help her apply for scholarships to attend an American university. After this project they're all so inspired to do great things and it's an incredible feeling to be a part of that. I'm on a teacher high. Haha! But seriously though, this project has been life changing for my kids and definitely life changing for me.

Team Delvine with American ambassador Withers

Happy Thursday America!!

It’s snowing!! It is officially freezing cold in my little town. It’s the first time in 20 years that it’s snowed like this and Delvinians are running around going crazy. There was a huge snowball fight in the town square and walking trough it was like walking through a war zone. I think I have two serious bruises where I got beaned with snowballs. It was great!! Alexi and I couldn’t believe that grown men were jumping in on the fun and throwing snow at the girls! School closed early because all the kids left to play in the bore that has covered our surrounding mountains. Sucked for me because I really didn’t want to get out of my sleeping bag this morning, but in the end it was worth it :]

Last weekend Alexi and I went to Berat for the big birthday bash. What a bust. That will be my last big party attendance in PC Albania. My partners in crime are both pretty sick so they couldn’t make it, but it worked out wonderfully though because I got to hang out with my favorites from the North and make spinach pasta from scratch. The Berat girls were excellent hostesses and the day after the party I got to play up at the castle and pick Constantine’s nose!!

Lent is 6 days away and Alexi and I are doing it big this year. We’ve decided to go Veagan for the 6 weeks. I’m sure it’s going to be hard with the limited availability of animal free food products here, but it’s definitely doable. It’s gonna be rough giving up cheese and yogurt but beans and lentils will be good protein substitutes. Hahaha! And… spinach is here so I’ll learn to get creative with that too. The first day of Lent falls on the first day of the Tirana MUN conference, which will be the ultimate challenge with all the free five-star hotel food floating around. I’ll just have to remind myself that I’m doing this for Jesus <3

THE BOYS ARE COMING!! Haik and Robin are set to arrive March 20th and I’m counting down the days. They’ll arrive on my 1 yr. anniversary of coming to Albania… and what a celebration it will be!! I’ve talked about them and Jesse so much to other volunteers that a couple are coming down to meet them and hang out. I’m freaking out with excitement! A couple people have asked me if there’s anything I want them to send and I told them I’d think about it and post it. This is not a direct request for anything so please please please don’t feel like you need to send me anything. But for those who were interested the following would be pluses to have out here: splenda, funfetti cake mix, cheddar cheese, velveeta, crystal light type drink mixes, cilantro paste, peanut butter, oreos. The boys will be here shortly before Lent ends so eating any of these will be a nice way to celebrate Easter :]

Ok all, I wish you a warm and wonderful weekend. I’m finally back in the swing of things and out of that silly homesick funk. FINALLY!! I have lots of pictures to post in Tirana so check back in a week.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

This week is sort of a sad week. My grandfather passed away last Saturday after hanging out with us for 95 years. I wasn’t particularly close to my abuelito, but I feel his loss. He was the national shorthand champion in Guatemala and I’ll never forget when he used give my cousins and I shorthand lessons when we were kids. To this day no one has outranked him in shorthand and he was very proud of this. They published it in the Guatemalan newspaper this week. It’s during times like these that living abroad is really hard because all I want more than anything is to be with my mom and my abuelita, to comfort them and help them fill this new void with love.

Also today my neighbor passed away. I didn’t know him very well but he was awesome because every morning after my runs in the summer he’d be hanging out on his balcony and we’d chat about my run or about what a young American girl is doing in Shqiperia. He was one of the first people to make me feel at home in Delvine. I’m gonna miss our interactions.

In Albania, on the day of the passing the family displays their loved one in the house and people come over throughout the night to pay their respects. The funeral takes place the following day. All throughout the night the women of the family were screaming and wailing and it made me feel very sad for them. It also made me think about my family and what they’re going through. All I can do from here is pray for my grandfather,and my neighbor may they rest in peace.

My Dearly Beloveds,

I apologize for having kept you in the dark for so long, but I've been busy busy. Life in Delvine is moving along slowly but steadily. I hit a rough patch after returning from America and I'm gonna be honest, it was hard to find the motivation to continue my work here. Don't get me wrong, my kids are great and they make everyday I go to school worth while, but I was really homesick after a great holiday trip to LA and that made things kind of hard. Also, sometimes they way things are run here completely blow my mind and the stuff that goes down makes me question whether or not I'm wasting my time. In general I KNOW I'm not wasting my time, but some events make me question my service. Honestly though, I think lows are just part of a two year service and getting past them makes the time abroad that much better.

Last week my former training site-mate asked me if I felt like I was really serving my country by being here. Oddly, I've been thinking about this a lot lately because I often feel like I'm getting more from this experience than I'm giving. He told me that Americans support the Peace Corps as an institution that builds relationships with the countries it provides service to. In this way, even if many of our days are spent drinking coffee, eating at the neighbors or shmoozing at the copy shop, these activities are all important for community integration and ultimately, relationship building. I'm at a point in my service where I really appreciated this outlook. Thanks Luke.

The politics in this place are out of control and until recently I've tried to ignore them because there's absolutely nothing I can do about them. But last week when the director of my school gave my counterpart's salary to someone else I was livid. You might be asking yourselves, "how can he do that?" And my response is that I ask myself this question about a variety of things nearly everyday. It's especially troublesome because Eda is a hardworking teacher who actually cares about the effect she has in her students' lives. Despite the underhandedness of the director, the response of the students when Eda threatened to leave demonstrated how much she is valued as a teacher and a friend. The kids basically mobbed Delvina's ministry of education and protested on Eda's behalf. It was petty fantastic. We are still unclear on what will happen as a result of this series of events, but I'll keep you posted. In June Albania will undergo it's general elections and word is that if the opposition party comes into power, they generally dispose of all existing programs and documents of the former party and replace all of the institution heads. In my opinion, this strategy is sabotage for any kind of social progress, because the new party then essentially starts from square one. What if the former party made good progress in implementing popular social programs? We’ve been told it doesn’t matter because they’re the opposition and parties are willing to resort to bad politics just to spite the other side, even if it hurts the people. Maybe it will be different this time.

Last weekend Alexi and I took our Model UN group to Berat for a practice competition. Overall it was a really positive experience and good preparation for the Tirana conference at the end of the month. But beyond what this trip meant for the project, I think it will leave long lasting impressions on these kids’ lives. I know I sound kind of ridiculous and over the top, but seriously, before last weekend these kids had never been to Berat and even some outside of Delvine. A few of them have been to Tirana and most to Saranda, but that is the extent of their traveling in the 15-17 years they've lived in this place. Just to put things into perspective for you, Albania is roughly the size of the state of Maryland... not very big, and Albanians are usually pretty shocked when I name off the 10 cities I've visited in the last 11 months. Granted, travel here sucks since buses don't go faster than 40k per hour (roughly 24mph), but I wouldn't think of it as a shocking if someone told me they made the 6 hour trip to Berat. Anyway, the kids are still talking about how happy they are that they got to travel to Berat (on a private mini-bus) and they say they'll never forget it as long as they live. And this is precisely why I am a volunteer. To offer people opportunities that they only dream about, that I take for granted everyday. I don't mean to sound brash, but if you could see how happy these kids are, you'd understand.

After living here 8 months I'm starting to feel more like a member of the community and less like a visitor. Just today I was telling my PC boss that I've noticed the change in the behavior demonstrated to me by Albanian friends. They're still hospitable as ever, but they're more critically honest of me and have less of a problem expressing discontent. This particularly sucked when I came back from LA because I was a little more sensitive and apparently pissing people off for not satisfying their social needs. I think people who know me know that I generally like to please everyone and don't like letting people down. Albanians have caught on to this and ask me for as much as they think they can get away with, even if it means pushing reasonable limits. While it sucks to be taken advantage of, experiences in Albania have taught me that it's okay to say no and I no longer feel bad doing so. So I guess in one respect I can appreciate what it's taught me. Anyway, in the last few weeks people have been asking for things that I can't commit to and actually yell at me for things as stupid as not going to coffee, even if it would have meant canceling my English lessons for the day. There's nothing I can say about this other than it sucks and I’m going to change this.

Next week is Alexi's shares her birthday with two other volunteers and we're celebrating Mardi gras style in Berat. I’m especially looking forward to the party because I'll finally see Amanda after two whole months. That's the longest we've been apart since coming here. I think most of the volunteers will show up so it should be fun. I’m planning on celebrating Mardi gras to fullest since on the 25th I will be joining Audra in the giving up of sweets in observation of Lent.

Finally, I'm sad to announce that last week my Macbook broke and I'm S.O.L. for the time being. I used my computer a lot in my work so I'm gonna have to start getting creative to make up for the loss. I'm hoping to replace it so if any of you see any great deals, please forward that info my way. Oh and, if anyone has an old laptop that they wouldn’t mind loaning to a dear friend :), that would be awesome!! There is potentially someone coming out here next month so that would work out great. Okay, gotta run.

I wish you all a fantastic weekend. All my love from Albania,

Mon

So I know I’m always writing about how wonderful Delvina is, but that’s because it is. After leaving my family and friends behind in LA and toughing out the worst travel experience of my life, my spirits were a little down upon arriving home. But that was quickly remedied by the warm welcoming of my Albanian friends. My counterpart Eda came to visit me the day I returned. She brought me the warmth of her smile and hugs :] Later that day Ida had me over for food and storytelling, and in the evening the Saraci family invited Alexi and I to tea and biscuits with a little side of baklava. T’was nice. The next day I jumped right back into teaching and my routine. My sleep schedule is back on track but I think the cold makes me feel tired.

Generally, I don’t feel homesick except for sometimes when I’m home alone at night. This past weekend Greg came down from Gjirokaster to keep me company. We watched this crazy murder documentary called The Staircase, that presented the story of Michael Peterson, the former Mayor of Durham, N.C., who was found guilty of murdering his wife.

Saturday night Greg, Alexi and I went to dinner at Edi’s house to meet his brother who is visiting from Michigan. Landi (Edi’s bro) is married to Jessica, an American girl who used to do missionary work in Delvine. We had a pretty good time eating pizza and singing Christian worship songs. I haven’t done that since we went to church in the good ol’ days. Landi played guitar while we sang (in Albanian!!) and up until I actually tried to play, they were convinced I knew how to play Latin, desperado type music on the guitar. Hahaha, like it should be in my blood or something.

As compared to the rest of the country the weather down here is fantastic. We’re sittin’ cool at around 5*C, and since my arrival the sun’s been shining bright in a clear blue sky. It’s hella cold indoors but my electric heater’s been getting the job done. In the North it’s been as cold as -7*C. The snow is falling in gross amounts and I give credit to the volunteers who are freezing their bums off. After seeing the tractor loads of snow being moved off the roads (on the news), I don’t feel it’s fair to complain about my situation.

I miss home. It was AMAZING to have spent the holidays with everyone and I look forward to visiting again in September (even if I do have to take the LSAT while I’m there). Y’all are also welcome to come visit me!! Also, feel free to send me emails and catch me up on all of your lives. Okay so maybe I am a little homesick :]

All my love from Albania,

Mon

Ok so I'm hanging out in Athens waiting for my 8p bus back to Saranda/Delvine. How crazy is it that I was really happy to speak Albanian to the ticket lady because it meant that I could finally communicate with someone? I've never been so happy to go back to Albania!! I do want to say a few things about Athens though. So the last time I was here the city was super crowded because of all the marathon runners in town. It was honestly a turn-off, but today I have a new appreciation for Athens. The city has this awesome book/electronics store called Public, where you can use free unlimited Internet on their computers. You can pretty much play with or read anything in this store and just loiter and hang out on their fun orange couches. It's pretty nice after a terrible time in the airports. Another fun thing about the Greeks is that they sure do love their Christmas music. :] When I left for America it was playing all over the place and now that I'm back (and Christmas is over) they're still going. It was nice to come out of the Syntagma metro and see the huge Christmas tree on display in the center. It makes me a little nostalgic for home, but it's comforting. What else, oh, and the Metro is awesome. Any city with an efficient Metro system is my new fave. When I was home I took the metro from NoHo to Union Station and it was SO fast. I wish we had that option throughout all of LA, but the cost of building such a rail system would be outrageous and is totally unfeasable in this time of economic crisis. It would still be nice though. Okay, I'm gonna go play in this place and maybe do a little reading. hugs and hugs!!

<3 Mon

The Athens christmas tree and my sleepy face after three days of travel

My Dearly Beloveds,

I warn you all to avoid any kind of airline travel to and from Europe during the winter season (especially around the holidays). After three days of travel I’m finally in Greece waiting for my luggage to arrive so I can head back to Albania. I think after this trip I won’t be going anywhere for a long time. I’ll be happy in Delvine working with my kids and hanging out with Alexi and the Albanians.

My travel experience to the States was a nightmare. The airline I flew with, Alitalia, is not only going out of business, but went on strike while I was in transit, causing all flights to be cancelled and forcing me to stay in Italy for two days. As a result, I missed my connection in Paris, had to spend a night there and was then re-routed to London where I caught a flight home just in time for the Christmas party. I tell you, it never felt so good to be home!!

My time spent in LA was absolutely wonderful and insufficient. I wish I could’ve stayed just a few days longer, but duty calls and my kids are awaiting my return. I think no matter how long I stayed I would still have wished for a few days more. It’s absolutely true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I didn’t realize how much I missed everybody until I was on the way home, stuck in every major European city, longing to hug my mom and dad and the rest of the Crooms-Paniagua ensemble. Man you guys, there’s just no Christmas like Christmas at home… that makes me happy. When I was waiting to board my flight in London I was so overwhelmed by the whole ordeal and so happy that I was finally going home, I started balling these ridiculous tears of joy when “Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas” started playing in the airport. I guess it was because I knew at that point that I would be home for Christmas (after the airline told me I probably wouldn’t) and I couldn’t contain the excitement. That moment will forever remain a hallmark for me when I think about home and how much I love my family.

I’m really happy about the new appreciation I have for my fam after being away so long. I celebrate 10 months of service on the 15th. Almost a year!! Although it feels like it passed quickly, I also feel like I’ve been gone forever. Only 1.3 years to go. Woot woot! I’ve also signed up for the LSAT again in September so I’ll fly home once more before the end of service. Until then, I have to try to keep it together and focus on my goals and mission in Albania. I hate those first few days after leaving your loved ones behind. Especially now that I’m sitting in the arrivals terminal in Greece watching people hug and cry as they reunite after some time apart. I try to think of the opening scene in Love Actually and appreciate the love that they feel and the love that I feel and be happy. I love that movie :]

Tears were definitely shed at LAX as I said goodbye to my mom, dad and Maddie. I slept the entire way to Paris and because of a snowstorm was stuck there again for two days. Airfrance was my return carrier and they graciously put me up in a hotel room. I’ve recovered one bag and the other will most likely be sent to Albania, but who knows how long from now. I’m praying that the other comes before I have to catch my 12-hour bus back to Delvine. I’m also annoyed that I missed Amanda and that we couldn’t travel back together as planned. I was looking forward to the comfort she would bring me when we embraced in a running hug after I exited the baggage claim area and found her waiting for me. Hahahaha! One day Shwa…

I miss everybody back home immensely. I take comfort in thinking about being nearly half way done and thinking about 1.3 year periods in my life and how quickly they passed. Hahaha! Don’t get me wrong, I love Albania, but I miss home. I should be good in a week or so once I’m back to work and in the swing of things.

Thanks to everyone for hangin’ out and all of your help while I was home. I miss you a lot Haiko. Thanks for great car rides with great music. I’m the luckiest girl in the whole wide universe to have you as my bestest.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Love,

Mon

Happy Thursday America!!

Today was another rainy day in Albania, gloomy with a high of 68F in Delvine. I’m still baffled over the 25 degree drop in temperature over one weekend. Albanians can’t believe it when I tell them that our weather now is typically what December weather’s like in LA. They worry about me because December-February weather here is atrocious. I’m worried too :]

Tomorrow I complete my second week of school and I’m super excited about the rest of the school year. I’m officially co-teaching 10th-12th grade and 3rd and 4th grade. Co-teaching in my case means that my counter-part Eda and I alternate the lessons so that I have independent teaching time. I LOVE TEACHING!! The classrooms are bare, our resources are few and the electricity goes out for most of the day, but the kids are wonderful and their laughter at my jokes makes my decision to join the Peace Corps that much greater. Next week I start classes with the little ones, which I’m even more excited about. Little kids make life great.

So far, my students have been very receptive of me, which I thank God for. We have little inside jokes, we smile and play and we learn English. I’ve said in the past that most Albanian teachers are used to the old communist style of teaching, so new teaching methods and activities are welcome. Teachers in Delvine seem to be more progressive, but I’ve seen some ear twisting and slamming on desks to get kids to pay attention. I don’t know about y’all, but those things would not warrant my attention. Haha! Part of me really wants to be a teacher one day when I go back… who knows.

I’m STILL training for the marathong, but I’m quite honestly sick of running. It also doesn’t help that I’ve injured my upper right leg and can’t seem to get over it. I ice it everyday and sit in a tub of freezing water for 5-10 minutes after every run, but it’s still bugging me. I’m not backing down though… just venting.

Okay I’ve gotta cut this short but I want to tell you all a quick story. So last weekend I had to go North to Gjirokaster but I missed the only bus in the morning. So, the smartie that I am, I decided to hitch hike (something I’ve done in the past, but never alone). And once the VW stopped for me to get in and I realized it carried two men, I panicked a little. Despite my reservations I got in the car and initiated a very interesting trip. These guys ended up being off-duty cops from Saranda, who like all Albanians, love the US and Americans. These sentiments were multiplied tenfold when I told them I was teaching English here for two years, in Albanian. It impressed them so much that an American would make the effort to learn their language that they stopped on the spot to celebrate with a cup of coffee. LOL!! Isn’t that great? Well it gets better. So for the remainder of our trip we discussed my marathon training and “collectively” decided that I will wear an Albanian flag shirt with an American flag wrapped around my left arm in Athens. And when I told them that I was returning to Delvine the same day, they insisted on driving me back to save me the 300 leke. And finally, as I dismounted the vehicle they tried to force me to take 500 leke so that I could treat my volunteer friends in Gjirokaster to coffee. Can you believe it? Where else does this kind of stuff happen? Certainly not in the States. If you could’ve seen the enthusiasm and excitement in these guys you would’ve been shocked. Albanians make me happy.

Okay gotta run. I’m having trouble setting up paypal for those of you who are interested in sponsoring me for Athens. Internet is somewhat unreliable here and paypal won’t recognize the IP addresses out here. If I can’t figure it out, you can always send a check to my mom who will gladly deposit the sponsorship into my account. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for your support!!

Love Always,

Mon

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!

As far as I’m concerned, summer is officially over. The beaches are bare, school is in session and the darkness in the clouds reminds us that fall is just six days away. Where did those three months go? Yesterday I realized it was already six months ago that I left Los Angeles to come here and yesterday my sister’s Albanian vacation ended when she boarded a plane to go home. I’m a little freaked out by the quickness with which the days, weeks and months are passing me by and I’m haunted by my dads proclamation that time just goes by faster as we get older. I’m not ready to get older. I think I’ll just stop NOW. Haha!

Maddie was here!! And I just spent the most awesome two weeks toting her around Albania to see the country’s beautiful sites and to meet some of the world’s friendliest people. I’ve posted some pictures of our excursions and I’ll post more in the coming weeks. Man I love my sister. As soon as I entered my apartment after leaving her in Corfu, her absence struck me in the chest with the bittersweet taste of heartache, which immediately evolved into intense homesickness and a longing to be with my family and friends. The interesting thing is, I don’t want to leave Albania, at least not yet. More and more I’m learning to appreciate not living in the fast lane to the American dream. I’m learning about the things that really do matter in this life and the ways I need to grow to address them. The life I live here is nothing like what it was back home. In LA, we are consumed by money, first impressions, the latest gossip and STATUS. America is a place where people miss out on the lives of their children to satisfy their hunger for money and power and don’t realize their mistakes until they’re alone in a nursing home. America is a place where family, or even just communal values have been shot to hell and we focus on individual achievements and climbing to the top of some stupid latter, regardless of who we step on in the process. In Albania I’m strange American girl who teaches English and runs for hours. People know I’m a poor volunteer earning around 2 bills a month who has no sense of Albanian fashion. I eat yogurt on the street and I leave the house with my hair wet (Albanians would never do this) yet I don’t feel judged and I’m not an outcast. Albanians treat me like one of the fam and include me in their everyday routines without the slightest hint of inconvenience. They trouble themselves with bringing me food and ensuring that I’m okay and always reassure me that I shouldn’t trouble myself with doing the same. They yell at me if I do (but not really) :] People here help each other without expecting anything in return and are happy if they can return the favor. People here take a five-hour break at noon to go home and spend time with their families. In Albania family’s what’s important and nursing homes don’t exist (even in rich cities). In Delvina there’s a whole lotta of love.

I’m happy. I love and I’m in love and God has blessed me with family. I couldn’t ask for more.

Gotta run. Love you all!! Mon.

p.s. A week of rain has prevented me from training. Pray that the rain stops so I can continue. With Maddie here I’m two weeks without serious running. 7 ½ weeks till the BIG race. I’m setting up paypal this weekend for those of you who feel generous enough to help. It’s almost here!!

p.p.s. Happy Birthday Haikston!!

p.p.p.s. www.myspace.com/83til

Happy September 10th Everyone!! First I want to wish my dear friends Alison and Dang Happy belated Birthdays. I'm sorry I'm late, but I couldn't get to the internet sooner. I love you and I hope you had wonderful 24th anniversaries.

I don't have a lot of time so this entry is gonna be short and sweet. I've posted new pictures on shutterfly so have fun with those. My sister's here and we're having an amazing time traveling Albania, eating great food and hanging out with wonderful people. My toenails fell off and got a little infected so I've stopped running while Maddie is here to let that situation handle itself. School officially begins next week and I'm nervous and excited to start working with the kids. 8 volunteers from Georgia began their intensive 5 week training in Albania this week and I wish them the best of luck. One of them will be placed in a site very close to mine and I've been asked to help mentor them. I'm pretty stoked.

Okay, gotta run. I'll post again soon. Love you all!!

P.S. if you're on myspace check out 83 Til and vote for their video!!

Okay so I know I write a lot about how wonderful Albania is and it is, but I'm super homesick. I miss my house and my family and my friends and forgive me for saying this, Oreo McFlurries!! It's just a little rough patch and I'll be over it soon, but I just thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you all that I miss you. Have a great weekend!!

Happy Friday Everyone!! I'm spending this weekend in Elbasan with my dear friend Amanda to celebrate her bday. So far it's been super fun!! Maddie missed her flight and won't be here until Tuesday which sucks but is still amazing all the same. I can't wait to have her here!!

So as you may know, Russia and Georgia are going at it and the PC volunteers were pulled out of Georgia and temporarily sent to Armenia. As of now the rumors are that the volunteers will be redeployed throughout the region and some may be coming here. It isn't for sure, but it would be exciting. I feel really terrible for the Georgia group and I hope the stress of the situation hasn't been too much for them.

In other news, I had to take this week off from running because I lost a toe nail. Haha gross! It's pretty revolting but also pretty cool. Sorta like a battle wound. Next week I'll run 15 - 15.5 miles and once I'm at sixteen I'll be stoked because a lot of the marathon training websites say that if you can run 16 miles you can run the marathon. We'll see about that. I don't have pictures of the bare toe but I'll post some that I have just before the falling off point. Gross, but exciting!

Work starts in two weeks (9/15) which is something to look forward to. I can't believe summer's over. The rain has begun and fall is creeping in on us.

I hope to have new pictures up on shutterfly by today or tomorrow so be on the lookout.

Much love from Albania,

Mon

Happy Sunday America!!

This week I celebrated the fifth month anniversary of my coming to Albania. Can you believe it? 5 months!! I’m nearly a quarter of the way done with service which is a little weird because I don’t feel like I’ve been here that long. This point makes me feel good about the rest of my time here and in light of recent events that are taking place in Georgia and Mauritania, I’m very appreciative of my situation. After being bombed by Russia, the volunteers in Georgia have been sent home and my dear friend Amber is on steadfast, unsure of her immediate future, as Mauritania’s first democratically elected president (since the 60s) was overthrown by a coupe last week. She reassures everyone that she is safe and that Mauritanian’s aren’t phased by the situation as its one that they’re quite used to. But the weight of the issue and the implications for Peace Corps rest on the fact that the coupe overthrew a democratically elected government. According to Amber The US has suspended all funding to Mauritania except for food, the EU is threatening to do the same, and the African Union has suspended Mauritania's membership. Amber and the other volunteers are definitely in my prayers and I hope she gets to finish her service after already being pulled from a country once before.

I’m sad to say I did not complete my 14-mile run today. Being chased by SEVEN stray dogs coupled by an upset stomach lent to my decision to run tomorrow. I did 10m on Thursday and I could definitely feel my endurance building. With 10 weeks to go I’m pretty confident that I’ll be ready for the 26.2. Also, the registration deadline is approaching (October 19) at which point I will be officially running this race. Participation is a lot more than I can afford on my Peace Corps allowance so if any of you are feeling generous, feel free to sponsor me. I need to raise around $300 for the race, travel to Athens and lodging. I’ll try to set up a paypal account in the coming weeks, otherwise, you can send my mom a check and she’ll deposit it for me:

Monica Crooms

c/o Nancy Crooms

17200 Wyandotte St.

Van Nuys, CA 91406

Any contribution will be greatly appreciated and soon I’ll create a facebook page to track my progress. THANKS GUYS!!

I’m officially counting down the 9 days until my sister arrives. I’m SO SO SO excited to have her here for 3 weeks. Wooha!!

It’s finally August and the grapes are here!! Throughout Albania the grape vines are dropping these sweet little balls of all colors and sizes: red, purple, green, seedless and the ones with the big pit in the middle. The joys of grape tasting are indescribable. Especially after they’ve been chilled on a 100+ degree summer day like today :] Albanians are crafty with their fruit. They make all kinds of delightful treats like preserves, jam, juice, breads and cakes. Lucky for me, they’re eager for me to try these goodies and compare them to other ones I’ve tried. I love it!! As I run in the mornings I see the pomegranates ripening, getting ready to be plucked off their trees and put into salads and desserts. Of course I’ll happily eat what the Albanians prepare for me with this fruit, but already I know it won’t compare to the beet and pomegranate salad Haik’s mom makes in America. Oh man, I love food. I should have been a food critic for vegetarian cuisine to just eat a whole bunch of good eats. Haha!

Speaking of running. This week I accomplished the half marathon (13.15 miles). It definitely kicked my rear and it doesn’t help that I’m having problems with my toes. I’ve always heard that runners’ feet are pretty bad and I’m now experiencing them for myself. The nails on both of my second toes have decided to lift off the skin and the left one has begun to split. It’s pretty disgusting and I’ll post some pictures for your viewing pleasure. The rest of my nails are okay but I have all kinds of blisters and bruises. My shoes are the right sizes but I think I’m running funny. I’m gonna try positioning my toes in different ways in the coming runs. If anyone has any experience or advice in this area, please share. Rest assured, this small inconvenience will not stop me from running in Athens. I’m doing it! Also, I’ve started getting free rides from the furgon drivers who see me running on the main road. It’s pretty great. They’re always really eager to talk about the running to figure out why I’m crazy enough to go so far. The funniest part is when they find out I’m American they respond with an “ahhhhh.” Like that explains it. Of course Albanians are not as crazy. Hahaha! They crack me up.

This week I discovered the glory of the pressure cooker. Until now I had not mastered bean preparation in my womanhood training and I was getting tired of having to cook them for 4 hours! Lucky for me my apartment was furnished with one of these bad boys and my Albanian bean stew was ready in 35 minutes. It was damn good too :] Haha! I was so excited about it I went on this cooking spree and made two other dishes: rice and lentil salad with onions, carrots, parsley and olives, and tourli. Tourli is an Albanian vegetable medley with potatoes, carrots, eggplant, peppers, onions, peas, zucchini and a little tomato paste. After I cooked all this food I realized that I’m the only one here to eat it. It was so much that I gave some away to my site mate and landlady. This dilemma is precisely the reason that I need friends and fam to come visit me from America, so that I can have someone to share my food with :] Haha! In the coming weeks I’ll post some pictures of my meals for further enticement. Two nights ago I baked an apple pie which was pretty amazing. Apple pie crust is my new favorite things. Top it off with a little vanilla ice cream and it's heaven on earth. mmm...

Okay gotta run home to watch Olympic games. Lucky for me my landlord furnished me with a TV with 2 channels. Lucky for me one of them plays the games all day long :]

17 days till Madeline’s arrival in Corfu!! Can’t wait to have my sister here! Yay!!!

Happy Friday America!!

It’s a rainy summer day in Delvina and the breeze flowing through my window is a welcome treat after weeks of unforgiving heat. Albanians and I have been enjoying the summer siestas in consistent 90* temps and sweaty naps might be better if I had a fan. I’m excited for the next pay cycle because it will be purchasing that fan for me :] Despite the heat I’ve still been marathon training and rising with the 5am sun to do so. Yesterday I increased my mileage to 11 miles and had a hell of a time doing so. The run was fine until the last leg that leads you two miles uphill before reaching Delvine. The climb is insensitive to tired legs and gasping lungs. Some days are better than others but overall I’m averaging a 9.5 minute mile during the long runs and I’d be happy to keep or even reduce that pace for the actual race. The thought of running for over 4 hours straight turns me off… just a little. Haha!

I’m headed back to Gjirokaster this weekend for a fun filled reunion with Greg and Amanda from Hajdaran. Amanda arrives in Delvine today and I can’t wait for the silliness and laughter to begin. Already we’ve made plans for chocolate chip cookie baking and a sweets binge. Oh man… it’s gonna be great. I’ve also discovered a delightful new way to make coffee. Many of you probably already know this and will collectively decide that I’m late in the condensed milk game, but iced or refrigerated coffee with milk and condensed milk is my new favorite thing. I know coffee dehydrates you so I try to only drink it before non-running days, and it’s amazing!!

In terms of work, I’m pretty excited because I’m helping a boy in Delvine with his application to the University of Teesside in the UK. He wants to study computer programming and while I think he’s in for a rude educational awakening, I think it’s great that he’s actually applying. Most kids that actually have a chance don’t even try. I think I’ve talked about it before so I’ll briefly say that the educational system here is quite discouraging. Kids go to school for only 4 hours a day and I think the statistic is that over 50% of students nationwide pay their teachers to pass. And just to give you an idea of the general level of education, fist and second year university courses are about the equivalent of an American eighth grade class. This isn’t true everywhere and I’m relieved to say that parents and teachers in Delvine take education seriously (from what I can tell). Most of the kids here receive private tutoring in specific areas that their parents hope they will study in Universities outside of Albania. Foreign language tutoring is a big deal here and nearly everyone speaks 2-3 languages at least conversationally. Elvis is a smart kid and I think he’ll manage the pressure well.

Finally, I watched Legends of the Fall last night to see what all the hype was about and I thought it was pretty good. It’s a really sorrowful, depressing film, but it’s damn good chick flick and I liked it. I still don’t know how I feel about Brad Pitt with the long hair, but he acted decently. Haha okay, that’s all for today. Thanks SO much to everyone who so generously sent me packages. I got your messages and I’m still anxiously awaiting their arrival. They generally take 1-2 weeks to get here and I’ll let you know when they do.

SMOOCHES!!

Love,

Mon

Hi Everybody!! Hope y’all are doing well. July is progressing steadily and life in Delvina is happy and fun. This last weekend was great. My landlord’s family lives in a house next to my apartment building and has adopted me as a member of the family. Ilir’s wife’s name is Ida and she’s like my mom in Albania. Everyday she calls me to see how I’m doing and to invite me over for lunch and sweets. I’ve started giving her English lessons 3x a week and we have a lot of fun together. So like I was saying… last weekend was Ilir’s dad’s birthday and the whole family came up from Greece to celebrate. We spent Saturday and Sunday sipping Nescafe frappes and eating Mediterranean food on a coastal paradise called Ksamil. Ksamil is about 30 minutes South of Saranda and from the beach you can see everything that’s going on on Corfu. It was pretty amazing and the whole time I was there I felt super grateful for being placed in the coastal south. (Sigh) I love Albania.

Summertime as a volunteer in Delvina is great but induces some serious guilt about living like a beach bum on taxpayer dollars. Before we moved to permanent site they told us it’d be difficult to find work because Albanians take summer vacation very seriously, so to be prepared to have a lot of free time. I’ve been successful in setting up private lessons and this week I start teaching a class at the language school but I’m probably only working 15 hours a week. It’s cool though because I have plenty of time for womanhood training. I’ve started cooking at least a meal a day and experimenting with new and exciting recipes. Last week I found vegetable bouyon and I made my favorite childhood meal of sopa de caracol con papas (seashell noodle soup with potatoes). That soup, some rice pudding and Bing Crosby Christmas music made for a nostalgic walk down memory lane and a happy Monica. Amanda says that when we go back to the states we’re gonna be the laziest people ever and that no one will want to hire us when we ask for midday siestas. Haha! Come autumn we’ll be really busy with school, private lessons, Model UN and secondary projects so I’ll try not to feel too guilty while I’m hanging out in Saranda eating ice cream and being fed lunches by my Albanians :]

A few more updates… Maddie’s coming to visit!! Sometime in September my awesome little sister is coming to hang out with me for a few weeks. I’m super excited and I’ll be even more excited when she finally has her ticket. Also in two weeks Amanda’s coming down for a little Hajdaran reunion in Gjirokaster. I miss my Hajdaran site-mates so it’ll be great to hang out with them for a few days. And finally, I’m still marathon training. I haven’t increased my distance since the 8 mile run b/c I was so sick but now I’m that better I’m shooting for 10 miles this Thursday. I’m almost at half-marathon status!!

I wish everyone a wonderful week.

Much LOVE from Albania,

Mon

Hello Friends and Family! Happy week after Independence Day. I’m grateful and happy to be writing you after a fun filled weekend of Albanian bus rides and bout with food poisoning that almost killed me. Haha, okay maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but without any dramatic license I can say this is the sickest I’ve ever been (worse than amoebic dysentery!!). Today I’m back in Delvina and feeling much better, happy to not be vomiting and able to eat again. Haha, sorry.

Despite getting sick with my dear friend Amanda, I had a fabulous weekend. I spent most of the fourth traveling to Elbasan with Alexi. Upon arrival I enjoyed the company of a few other volunteers eating french fries and ice cream. T’was nice. Saturday morning Amanda and I woke up early for a byrek breakfast and playtime at the gabi. To recap, the gabi is a huge open market where the Roma community sells used clothes and anything else you can think of for really cheap. It’s a little weird at first, but when you’re on a Peace Corps salary, you get used to it really quickly. In fact, gabi escapades become amazing little shopping adventures that are surprisingly therapeutic. You’d be surprised what you can find there: playstations, original nintendos, 1960s clock radios, rotary phones, crystal, kitchen appliances, all kinds of name brand clothes, etc. In the furgon to Tirana I shook my head at how you can take the girl out of the valley, but it’s something else to get the valley out of the girl. Before I came here I eased my stress and cured my boredom with trips to the mall and dates with ebay. A huge motivator for my joining the Peace Corps was wanting to abandon those habits and detach myself from extreme consumerism. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with treating yourself to a material treat every now and then, but it’s important to be conscious of what that purchase means on a larger scale and how it affects people all around the world. We become obsessed with wanting more and more things that are bigger and better and our ridiculous demands are felt all around the world. How disgusting is it that a new diamond ring could be the product of the African diamond trade that results in an absurd number of deaths every year? Is it fair that all those new pairs of shoes are the thieves of childhoods around the globe? No article of clothing is worth my childhood memories. I know this is a huge heavy issue that runs way deeper than I have time to explore here, but I think it’s important to give serious thought and consideration to. My closet is full of clothes made in Guatemala, El Salvador, Cambodia and Indonesia and it makes me uneasy. I also know that it’s hard and expensive to buy sweatshop free clothes and products that are actually made in the US and it sucks. Some stores are better than others and adopt a cause to contribute to, like the GAP and its RED campaign or ALDO and it AIDS awareness project so I suggest shopping at those and similar retailers. Also, maybe consider buying certain things when they need to be replaced and not just because. I’ve decided to take up sewing to make my own clothes, but that might take a while ;].

I didn’t mean to put a damper on anyone but this issue is serious and easily forgotten about and ignored. No one person can save the world, but we can all do a little bit to help right? RIGHT!

Okay well I hope the sunshine filled days in the US are finding you all in happy spirits and good health. I posted some new pictures so check those out. Still marathon training and doing 9 miles this weekend… wish me luck. Much love from Albania <3 <3

Happy Wednesday everyone!! I apologize for not having posted in a while, but the only internet connection in Delvine is a dial-up that’s not always available so this is the first time I’m logging on in my new city. The title of this post is luck of the draw because I’m pretty confident I have the best site in Peace Corps Albania. I LOVE IT HERE!!! If I didn’t have to go to law school and return to the real world in two years, I could stay here forever. Albanians in Delvina give a whole new meaning to the term hospitality. These people are the nicest people in the world and they make me so so happy.

So… on the first day of arrival my site-mate’s counterpart picked us up on main road to Saranda (huge Albanian tourist city on the coast) and drove us and all of our luggage to our new apartments. My apartment’s pretty great. It’s a cute little bachelorette pad with a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living room. It’s small and it’s perfect. My favorite things about it are the lime green doors and balcony that looks out over the neighborhood kids that play in the colt sac. The view from my living room window is of some pretty beautiful mountains and my landlord’s grape vine. But as I was saying, Ilir drove us to our apartments and on the way stopped to buy us cherry Amita juice boxes. He let us get settle in and take naps after the 7-hour bus ride and in the evening he and his wife Alma had a surprise us with a trip to Saranda. We strolled on the boardwalk with their friend and two sons and they treated us to popcorn and a pizza dinner, topped off by neopolitan ice cream. They’re great and I love them.

Since day one things have been pretty busy. I’ve had to meet with someone in the community everyday, which is always exciting b/c I’m guaranteed some kind of juice and sweets, and if I’m lucky it also means lunch! So far I’ve meet with a military official who took me to coffee with his daughter, the German and Dutch nuns who gave me cookies and apple juice, the directors of the hospital and health center who gave me coffee and told me my fortune, the school director who fed me byrek and apricots, the English language school director (who is also my Shqip tutor) who gave me lemon soda and biscuits and others community members. My counterpart Eda, who is my #1 in Delvina brings me lunch and rice pudding on a pretty regular basis and the military major’s children, who I give private lessons to, bring me homemade sweets nearly every lesson. Oh and today my landlord had me over for a delicious lunch of green beans, yogurt soup, bread, watermelon with white cheese and ice cream (side note to the Mkhikian family: I got a little choked up during lunch b/c the food tasted really similarly to your mom’s cooking and it made me miss you. And your house is the only place I’ve eaten watermelon with cheese. Hahahaha!!) Okay okay so doesn’t this all sound amazing? Plus, when I visit a lot of stores, they give me some stuff for free! I’m hoping this is all just because I’m a new face in town and that’ll it’ll wear off soon because I feel really bad that I don’t have much to give in return. We’ve been baking chocolate chip cookies for people as a thank you and they were a hit. Brown sugar isn’t available here so the cookies were a new experience for them and they really liked them. Alexi and I are now known for our delicious biscotÎ Amerikane.

Work has been kind of slow because during the summer months Albanians disappear to the beach and take advantage of the time off. Vacation and Siestas are huge here. In Delvina most shops are open by 6 or 7am. Then they close down around 1 and do not reopen until 6 or 7pm. Isn’t that nuts? They stay open until 10 and if you really need to buy something you can find one or two stores open during siesta. The former TEFL volunteer gave me good advice and I will be holding private lessons at my apartment during the afternoons. I’ve already begun working with two kids and I have about 6 more who will start in the coming weeks. I lucked out in Elbasan and was given a series of English books at a publisher’s workshop so I have materials for my lessons and I use songs and TV shows on my computer. I love teaching. The kids make my days so much brighter and for some reason they like me.

Next week Alexi and I are spending 2-3 days in Bosht helping the Nuns with their summer camp. I love the nuns, and even though I’m not Catholic I’m welcome to attend their mass and prayer in the convent. I haven’t gone yet because it’s in Shqip, but I might start. We also have language class with one of the Sisters who is really cute and a lot of fun. It’s nice that they all speak English and like to chat with us. Also next week I’m traveling up to Tirana to meet with my long lost Hajdaran site mates, and others, to celebrate 4th of July. I can’t wait to see Amanda and Greg!! Greg and I are still training for the Marathon and I have about 4 months left. I’m up to 7 miles and this weekend I do the 8-mile run. I have a decent training schedule and I’m on track but the recent increase in heat is making it hard. I’ll have to start running in the 5am hour to beat the heat that usually reaches the high 90s- 100s 9-10am.

Okay well, I’ve written a lot and I’m sure you all have things to do so I’ll end here. I have a landline now, which should accept calling cards so feel free to give me a ring at (355) 81522091. The better option might be to call through a Skype account. In any case, it’s cheaper to reach me here than through my mobile and it’s fun to receive calls in my new pad. Next week in Tirana I’ll post my pictures of Delvina. Love you all!! Naten e mire!!

<3 Mon

Happy Friday Friends and Family!! I am now an official Peace Corps volunteer. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday I spent my last night in Hajdaran, today is my last rainy day in Elbasan and tomorrow I'll spend my first night in Delvine. Oh my goodness!! I can't tell you how happy I am to be moving out on my own and away from the host sisters who stole everything they possibly could from me. Today my host dad asked me to write down my address with one of the pens that went missing from a care package, that they swore they hadn't seen. Again, I understand the disadvantages of their living situation and their hardship, but I still don't think that justifies stealing and lying about it. Whatever, I won't keep crying over spilled milk cuz I'm moving on and I do have some happy memories with my host family.

So the ceremony was pretty fancy. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday's best and they swore us in on stage at the Skampa theater in Elbasan. The audience was comprised of our host families and the amazing staff that helped get us through training. We had all kinds of official people present and Ambassador John Withers recited the oath with us. There's a good chance that Amanda and I are going to make the evening news which is pretty hilarious. My friend Leslie made this awesome slide show and afterward we had "cocktail" (cookies and soda) in the foyer. It was all pretty fun and exciting. Still, I think my highlight of the day was on the way to swearing in when some guy through a mattress off a 3rd story balcony for some guy standing in a truck bed to catch. Needless to say, he didn't catch it, but he was okay. Hahaha! I've posted photos of the event (http://monitheexplorer.shutterfly.com) on shutterfly so have fun with those. oh man.

It's gonna be weird starting over on my own in Delvine, but as hard and drawn out as it was, training really prepared me for the next two years here. I can't believe it's been 3 months!! You're all more than welcome to come hang out with me here and in case you were concerned about where to stay, I have two beds and two couches in my new place. One of those beds is a queen and the couches pull out. It's a hard life in the posh corps. lol!! Miss you, love you, GO LAKERS!!!

Three days to go!!! Hey everyone. It's a beautiful sunny day in Elbasan and I have that feeling that I used to have at the end of the school year, when the weather was great and I was itching to get out of school and enjoy the days of summer. Today we signed our official invitations to become Peace Corps Volunteers and this Friday we graduate from trainees to PCVs. I can't imagine how terrible it would feel to complete three months of training and not be invited to swear in. None of my classmates were left out and I'm excited to begin the next two years of service with all of them as fellow PCVs.

It's hard to describe how I'm feeling right now. Three months ago I left the US and was terribly sad to leave my family and friends in America. Within a week we were thrown into the biggest culture shock of our lives, forced to live with host families and figure out how to get around in Shqip. We formed quick friendships with each other as a coping mechanism but I must say, I have met some amazing people in Albania who will for sure be life-long amigos. I lucked out and was assigned the best site-mates who have become my family in Albania. Now I'm moving to Delvine, 7.5 hours away from Amanda and 1.5 away from Greg. Once again I'm overwhelmed by that feeling of attachment and the fear of moving away from my new family. This feeling sucks! I'm comforted by the fact that I have another site-mate, Alexi, who is super sweet and cool to talk to, but it's still hard to leave Amanada. We'll be okay... I guess :[

My leg's doing better and I'm still marathon training. Last Monday Greg and I ran 6.5 miles and tomorrow we're shooting for Cerrrik, a city that we believe is 8-9 miles away. I'm pretty excited about it because it'll be the longest run i've ever done. I can't believe I'm gonna run a marathon!! I looked up the dates and it's scheduled for November 9th. So... if any of you are interested, feel free to come cheer me on in Athens this fall. Being that I'm a Peace Corps volunteer and absolutely broke I'm open to sponsorships. The race is 80 Euro and I need new running shoes so if you're feeling generous, respond to this post and I'll give you the details on how you can be an important part of my Marathon adventure. Any little bit will help and be greatly appreciated.

I move to my new apartment this Saturday which is pretty exciting. I've got all the necessities and the most important of them all, a Western style toilet. You should know that I won't have internet access for a few weeks after I move so please be patient with my late responses to your messages and emails. If you really need to get a hold of me you can text message or call my cell phone (355) 69 34 75 337. I do receive international texts and they're pretty cheap. Besides, the true value is in the happiness they bring me when I receive them :] Hahaha!! The best option for calling me is through Skype because vodaphone has figured out a way to block out calling card companies (which sucks!). It's pretty reasonable and you can set up an account at Skype.com. It works great.

In general I'm feeling really good and happy to be in Albania. I've said it many times before and I'll say it again, this place is awesome and Albanians are delightful people who have made me feel most welcome in their country. I couldn't have asked for a better assignment. I'll do my best to post pictures of swearing in before I leave for Delvina. Ambassador John Withers will recite the oath with us which is pretty exciting now that I've been a State Department intern. I posted a slew of new photos on shutterfly today so check 'em out. Most of them are of me eating or making food that I ate later which is pretty hilarious. So yeah, have fun with the pics. Peace and Love from Albania!! <3 Moni

PCT Group 11 :]

hey everyone!! this is a just a quick entry to say hello and give y'all a quick update. i'm in my last week of training before i move down to delvine this saturday!! i passed my language test at the intermediate-mid (almost intermediate high) level which is pretty cool. the teacher that proctored it said i'm straddling the intermediate-high border. woohoo! i ran my first six-mile run last week and this week we're braving 8 miles!! i'm on my way to running the 26.2 on november 9th. overall i'm feeling good and happy and despite missing my family i really love albania. i hope everyone's doing well and enjoying the last days of spring. i'll write again soon!!

Headline for today: Delvina is amazing!! I just spent three days in my future site hanging out with my counterpart and visiting my new apartment. I can't believe I'm moving to a village that looks like it was just sort of dropped into this astounding mountain range that's 20 minutes from the Ionian coast and a few minutes more to Greece. The trip south was sort of long and sort of hilarious. The stuff that happens on bus rides here is insane. You'd think they'd be used to the roads by now, but most Albanians get really car sick so all of the buses have puke bags in them that passengers always use. What's more interesting is when they throw them out the window after they yack. gross! The drivers also take random smoke/drink stops so you never really know how long a trip is going to take and people have no problem asking the driver to stop so they can buy fruit or use the bathroom or whatever. On this trip the bus had to stop for 10 minutes to wait for sheep to cross the road! It was hysterical. There was also a little illegal migration to Greece going on and about five guys jumped off the bus and climbed a ridiculous mountain to find work. It was an eventful 7 hours.

Delvina is not like Elbasan. I found that the people were more friendly and more relaxed and similarly to coastal residents in Santa Monica and Venice, they just sort of go with the flow. My counterpart's name is Eda Bobi and she's 25 and not like most Albanian women. She speaks what's on her mind and most of her ideas are philosophical about life and fun to talk about. Eda is a new mom and she has the cutest 8 month old son named Kevin whom I'm super excited to watch grow up over the next two years. She's also married, and her relationship with her husband is beautiful and full of love. They've been together for 10 years, but you'd think they were still honeymooners. Ariani does everything Eda asks and totally lets her run the show. They seem happy to do things for each other and it was really nice to be around. Last night Ariani took us to his dad's petting zoo where I played with miniature horses, a wild hog and this huge dog that looks like and is as big as a lion. How sweet is that??!! We all hit it off and I think I'm gonna develop a pretty awesome bond with that family.

The school is nice and the kids were pretty excited to meet me. I'm a little disappointed b/c I won't get to teach any of my own classes, but I'll get to start an English club and do Model UN and teach private courses. The last volunteer helped get 4 kids into American universities so I have a lot of work ahead of me :] The director of the school was super nice to me but I've been told he takes bribes to let kids pass and that's pretty uncool. He had me over for dinner on the first night and I hung out with his 17 year old daughter Artemisa who is also super cool so I'm gonna have to figure out how to resolve these ethical issues within me.

The coastal city Serranda is your typical touristic paradise and only 20 minutes away. Athens is 6 hours away and Thessaloníki is about 4 so when any of you come visit me I'll meet you in Greece. The airport in Tirana is about 10 hours away from me and way more expensive to fly into so I've decided it's not an option. Corfu also has an airport and it's really close, but I don't think it operates all the time.

Okay so bottom line is I have it pretty great in Albania and I'm really thankful for my situation and all its goodness. I have to get going soon but I want to talk about one more thing... the Gjiro. So Albanians don't really have a lot going on in terms of entertainment and it can get pretty boring here. The summer is unbearably hot and since people can't stand to just sit in their houses, they Gjiro. What is gjiro you ask? It's a sidewalk parade during which people dress up in their best clothes and walk up and down the street/road a few hours before sunset. But wait, it get's better... they do it EVERYDAY!! I don't get it. Some of the girls dress pretty scandalously and a current volunteer said it's because they are dressing for a potential husband. hmmmm... interesting.

I leave you with a picture of the orthodox church in Delvina and an areal view.

Love and Hugs from Albania,

Mon

Hey Peeps. First thing on today's agenda is my new address in Delvine:

Monica Crooms

Lagja Sinan Ballaci

Delvinë, ALBANIA

AIRMAIL

In other news, my leg hurts really badly. In case you're clueless about my latest act of stupidity, I fell into a four foot hole yesterday and destroyed by left leg and elbow. How do you fall into a four foot hole you ask? You step backward off the curb and eat it pretty hard. LOL!! Like I said before, I'm lucky I didn't break anything, but it really hurts and last night I bled all over the place. Pretty gross, I know. Since the injured leg is on the left side of my body, the side I naturally sleep on, I kept waking myself up in pretty gnarly pain. So, I got up a 5 am and decided to practice a little stress relief and cut my own hair. It isn't disastrous, but I do need practice. HAHA!

We're spending a lot of time in Elbasan city these next two weeks so I'm taking advantage of the internet time while I have it before moving south. I posted more pictures today so check 'em out.

One of our English club girls is a student at the Elbasan school for the arts. Today was the school's fiftieth anniversary so they had a huge art show that she invited us to. The artwork was amazing and even more so because these kids are only in high school. I was pretty inspired by what I saw and asked Greg to give me some different types of art lessons [He was an art major at RISD] so those will start once we move :]

Language class officially ended today and I'm an intermediate-mid speaker of Shqipe. Our language test is next week and I'm hoping to be intermediate-high by then. Wish me luck! Love you, miss you, sending all my love... moni

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