Yesterday I was faced with the difficult decision...work or a wedding. Needless to say I chose a wedding of 200 people...It was a great place to people watch who are from the villages (Lezhe is a city) The person who invited me was a neighbor who was a bigshot during the communist era. The wedding was in is home town. He had a few bigshot relatives during that time and it was easy to see why so many of the Albanian oldschool are like they are. They have a kindered spirit between them...but unless one is family and close family...trust was different. Most of their adult lives they were under the communist rule and knew nothing else. After the fall of communist, property, was either given/taken back by those who had it before the communist rule or just stolen/taken away. Anyone who you knew and how much money you had or how big you are detemimed much of ownership. Needless to say, family, friends and anyone else did not trust one another after the fall. In 1997 the peramid schemes took what ever faith one had in eachother and here we stand. Trust No One, Get the best of whomever, and watch your back. To give you an idea of laws here the laws for driving philosophy carry over to other areas of law and life. 19 years ago there were amost no car in the country under the communist era. 17 years ago the first cars started comming...why have laws if only a few people have cars and only those are rich....now 17 years later...you cannot apply laws to those who have been driving for 17 years so to make it "fair" pretty much don't apply/inforce anyone. 60 mph through town, pass anywhere and anytime. Traffic lights are only for those not in a rush..etc,

As for work, two computers are completely down with viruses and mine is one. I had 0 problems until the "paid professional" installed his antivius on mine. My free stuff was working fine. So today I have been trying to get onto the internet but my virus will not let me or let me get to where I can "restore" 5 days ago...Only 5 hours have been spent on trying to get it to work. I hit the table kinda hard with the ladies in my office kinda getting upset/nervous, so i guess emotions are now a thing of the past.

As for my projects..neser I will have the opportunity to start them.

Thank you to Albanian Internet, I had 2 long paragraphs written and nothing to show for it. Yesterday. I complained about my projects comming to a standstill because neser is the busiest work day of the week. Update is :

Website Development: questionaire and storyboard done. Meeting to get imput on site...NeserDevelop a Financial Advice sector for farmers...yes but...lets wait.Do a survey of farmers needs...Good Idea, wait until September...Of all my complaining, I do have to say...the Department of Agriculture is one of the most progressive or trying to be progressive organizations in Albania. They have a great vision, and play a major role in the development of the country. Besides what I just complained about, a just as important drawback is the lack of funds. What we get for advertising per year would only pay for a one page website made by a professional in the US. So they do have to be very careful what they spent their money on....

So Today I met with World Vision. They have a domestic violence sector, health, education and financial development sectors. I am hoping to work with them on something. They are a good sourse of money, information and well involved in the community.

What I also had written on yesterday was a detailed account of Durres , the city I visited with fellow PC volunteers. The second largest city in Albania and located on the beach....Incredible beach many kilometers long with 1000s of people. Perfect soft sand, no rocks for 100 yards going out to sea...and only 2-5 feet deep going out that 100 yards. Why you ask has no-one heard of it or no-one goes there from the states....Because the city planners feel that emptying sewage on the beach is in "their pockets best interest" So much for looking after the best interest of the city. The shoreline has hotels, good food and plenty of people but the visitors are usually locals and bring own food, stay only 1 night our so and have little money for the rest. So the big spenders stay away and go to cleaner waters. Many of the beaches and cities in Albania are like that. Not a lot of long term vision by those in power. The other city I visited was Kruje...built at the base of a castle it has beautiful views and a castle that is tourist oriented. Of the cities I have visited, this is the only one..including the capital Tirana, that has gift/products that are of quality and unique. Any gifts I will buy most likely will come from there.

As I said before, Lezhe, my city, is built at the base of a castle...empty, no walkway, hours of operation are.....but never has anyone working, even during those hours. It is also built along a river...opps lots of sewage there too. Anyway, the people in charge of getting the rivers clean and building up the castle for tourist may be the same ones that have power outages daily and often turn off the water between 9:00 pm to 6:30 am and for 3 hours during the day. They think to save money or power...but maybe to sell more water, soda, generators, candles etc.... Humm

Why don't big business want to come here?

Now I have 3 projects that I would like to start working on but the Albanian Way is to wait and see, maybe have a meeting on them...then maybe not...After one idea which the director said he liked, he then quickly took me over to World Vision...(source of money for grants and micro credit) to what I thought to discuss it. Myself the director and one other co-worker go over to the World Vision and there we spend 45 minutes discussing Bee Farms and Farmers....We leave and my idea was never discussed...Albanian Moment....Just establish a relationship first, then do business. So now, I sit her writing my blog with all these projects on the table...well my table...nobody else knows about them. Just so you know, you can replace the knobs on a fan with corks.

The other day, I was sitting in a cafe and another peace corps volunteers friend came over to join us. This friend was one of the premere painters in Albania and lives here in Lezhe. He invited us up to his home/studio and checked out his paintings. Beautiful paintings and an even more beautiful home. After about 1 hour of a private tour, he invited us to stay and have coffee with him on the roof of the home...overlooking Lezhe. Who are we to say no...after lots of vegetable, cheeses and sausages, we left his home at 12:00 at night. So you are asking what did you talk about Peter. I just sat there and occassionally got a translation...the other volunteer, who has been there over a year, helped my out once in a while. He was impressed by her Shqip and they talked on places he visited, artists in the area etc...Now I am sure you are asking, do all PC volunteers, speak Shqip like her...she is in the top 1/2. Hopefully someday I will find his work on the internet but as of now, not yet.

Something horrible happened to me the other day. No not what you think...worse...yes I got my butt kicked in Ping Pong. Not by the young guy that thought he could be the old guy...not by they Italian speaking guy with long hair and played without his shirt...not by the former chief of police, but the fat guy that played the whole time with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and stood the hole time in one place leaning on the table. He played so close to the table that when ever I hit it, he took away my angle. I just could not recover in time to return his shots. Give me a couple more weeks, I will be more consistant and able to hit the corners. He was quick with his hands, but too big to move around. That just killed my ego. The works there and I guess he has nothing else to do but play...but still...he was way too big.

I am sorry it has been so long but I only have my laptop now and it gets hot after an hour and needs to rest for an hour. A lot has happened and since it is a weeks worth it all goes without stories. Since my counterpart is gone, I have to talk to all my co-workers in Shqip. They all are so patient. Asking me important things like what did you have for breakfast and listening to me struggle with it for the next 10 minutes. But they do and I think it is helping...well somedays I think it is. Otherdays, I think I am worse.

This last weekend Bill Trunk a Peace Corp Volunteer from another city came to visit. It was great to have another male around. He was the person who I mentioned serveral months ago advised the locals on how to act when George Bush visited Albania last year. Anyway after a day at the beach and eating pizza its good to get back to work...

Last week went okay with teaching and my shqip lessons.

As for any albanian moments...only 3 lights of the 5 in my house are working. Only the kitchen, entry and bathroom. The rest I am in the dark

It has been a while since my last blog, but it just means that I have been more busy than before. We have our big meeting for the year neser and all had to be okay. I got to pick the pictures for it and believe it or not I did much of the fixing of the Powerpoint Presentation. I was my counter-parts responsibility but whenever she was busy I got to play around with it. At the end it was a pretty tight presentation, at least appearance wise. It is in Shqip so I have no idea if anything was spelled correctly. The exciting part of the week was yesterday. I arrive to work, ready for a day of intense powerpoint work and the director comes into my office and says, we are going to a bigshot meeting, in 5 minutes. Meet you outside...

The Director of USAid was there (lots of money to the Agriculture industry from US) and a group that is putting together information for farmers on a website. While the endeavor seems good, you my think, one of the largest suppliers of watermelons was there a not even he had a computer or access to nearby internet. I am sure most of the other farmers don't have it either. So much for him or the other farmers using the latest information. We are looking at just the computers being 5-10 years away.

When we got back from the meeting I learned that shortly after I left, the electricity went out and was out all day long. In otherwords, I would have sat at my desk looking at the walls...or studing shqip for 8 hours. Instead only 3 hours due to the meeting and following coffee.

I heard today (lastest information) that one of watermelons core ingredients is the same as Viagra. Now I am sure you will all go out and get a good supply of them...

July 4 party pretty fun, met some oldtime PC volunteers, and most importantly met a couple who is traveling through much of Europe on Bicycles. Their website is www.road2istanbul.com.

There was another party on the 5th of July at the Ambassador's house. (he was not there. In the States at the time) He lives in a compound many call little America. 18 homes built American style with American furniture. Kinda of a Bad thing if you want the people of the area to think of you as one of them. Good Food, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Lots of Soda and much more.

Hey All,

It has been a while since my last blog because finally I have been given a few things to do. Everything from helping to put together a flyer for a big event in 2 weeks, to fixing copy machines to it being my turn to buy desert for the office. Anyway that is the work stuff. The fun stuff, consists of a retirement party for a longtime co-worker. It had a bit on dancing..., and lots of great food. Just like last party I attended, the food is very good but there is much too much. Somehow I should have gotten the hint when all the big shots were not eating much from the first few servings, that there was going to be more food. Needless to say...I ate a lot of the good stuff and left the better stuff on the table. I did manage to get down some Albanian Cabernet and a beer.

My English tutoring is going well, but yesterday was the last day of ideas for lessons that are fun. We did dialogs from my Shqip book. I read them the dialog, they translated into English. That was going well until the girls got the great idea to read me questions in English and I had to translate into Shqip... a good way to kill a lesson...I showed them.

I finally found Shqip Tutor. We are going to start Friday and hopefully all will go well. She just graduated from college as a teacher. She is the daughter of a teacher at the school I will be working at come fall.

Neser is the 4th of July. One of the local PC volunteers is having a party at her house and there will be another party on the 5th put on my the American Embassy. Damn..I guess my Shqip studying will have to wait a few more days.

Type to you all in a couple days. Have a great forth of July. I think it was 10 or 11 years go today that I rolled into the Black Hills of South Dakota and saw fireworks for the 4th of July. If you want... visit my site at www.petesrideusa.us and look for that day.

Hey All, the Director is gone for the day and therefore it is a free day at work. My co-worker has dropped off to asleep a couple of times and the internet is keeping me awake. My counter part is also gone so there is not much for me to do..after this letter I will wander to other offices to listen to for a few words of Shqip.

As for excitement...

1. I have a new best friend...a guy that speaks Enghish, and owns 2 dyqans, (stores) of houseware goods.....So far he has taken me and my fellow peace Corps friends on a hike to to Castle, and to the beach. He has worked 2 years in England, spent time in Greece and Italy and traveled over much of Europe. Now he is nearing AARP status at 25 years old. By this time next month I will have found everyone in the town that speaks English. Still have not found a Shqip tutor for myself.....

2. This week I gave English tutoring to one of my co-workers daughters and now it has turned into all her daughters...

3. I have now cooked 3 good edible meals in my home. Potatos me deri(pork) Macron me mish giri (hamburger) and pilaf me (deri) Not dead yet..only a couple extra trips to the .........

Just in case you are all wondering, I occasionally have a salad and each day a couple figs/apricots/peaches/apples etc..Not all at once. That would be too healthy.

Hey All, I am not having a good typing day, so I will keep it brief:

Pictures are of the two cats Mace 1 and Mace 2

My host family and the other host families at our going away lunch party. It would have been a dinner party but remember, the women in villages do not go out after dark.

This weekend, went to the Castle. Pictures soon.

Went to the beach...not planned. Did not have camera.

Did some English exercises with 4,5 graders. Wednesday I will hang out with 1,2 graders. That day will be just so they can hang with the American. The director of the school recommended that.

Had a major leak in my bathroom for 5 days. Landlord never came around to fix it so I fixed it myself with some plastic wrap. No washer needed. Next I will use the bottom of a shoe for a door hinge and steel some bricks for a table. Albanian Moment

Hey all,

I am typing to you after 3 shots of raki and a shot ouzo at work given to me by the department of agriculture lab technician. Of course it was quality control related. As for new events, I kicked the former police chiefs butt in ping-pong yesterday. He may not want to play me again, but we will see. I cooked my first meal at home last night...spagetti with meat sauce ...very good, especially the cheese...shume mire (very good) Your should learn that phrase. And another event consisted of sharing a half bottle of wine with the director...for lunch...he taught me the Albanian word for Bullsh___. Humm if the director only teaches you one word and it is ________life is good.

Other news outside of raki stories. So I got my own office. It is on the first floor, cool, next to the raki (the lab), in the same building as the director...all good right....no..WHY you ask...sepse, I am the new guy, have not accomplished anything yet and I get my own office (most all here have 2-4 to an office). My Peace Corps responsibilities here are to work with, and just like everyone else...Needless to say..I complained and now I get to share my office with the wine specialist in the office....Romona...a hint.... On Monday, I will get my own computer and maybe printer.

All for now

Today I had a somewhat eventful day where I went to my counterparts kids school to talk to the director of the school. It was bit of a curve ball, since we have only discussed teaching English to her kids and to my coworkers, but you never know in Albania. Anyway, the way it looks now, if I choose, I will be teaching 8 hours of english a week to 2,4,5,6 graders. I am pretty sure however it will only be 4 hours based on my unknown job responsibilities, but it will give me something else to do to stay out of trouble. Many of my fellow PC English teachers are teaching in the in villages and/or cities and if they have 10 kids of 30 that are not yelling and spitting out sunflower seeds, they are happy. If any of my fellow Peace Corps trained English teachers saw the quality of the school, the kids, the books, they would kill me. The teacher now is a Nun who herself is a first time english teacher, but has the class pretty well under control. She says we will be jointly teaching, and I hope she wants that. While I met her and talked to her, she may be only happy because the director told her to let me...Like I said before...you never know in Albania. Since school ends in two weeks, I will start in the fall.

I did get my first opportunity to try my teaching skills yesterday. One of my co-workers daughters in taking a test in a couple of days, and wants me to help her out. I went over there and after 10 minutes I found she is about where I am in Shqip and that her difficulties are the same as mine....just like life..ones weakest areas are the areas tested. After about 15 minutes we developed a teaching method that went pretty well. The lesson lasted about and hour and a half. I will be going over there again tonight. Lesson two is all ready....

Another Albanian Moment.

Because my co-worker would not be at work today and I have yet talked to the director about my job responsibilities, she/we set up this meeting/observation with the school director. Half way through my observation, I get a call from the director asking where I was and if I could be there in 5 minutes for my 'formal introduction to the staff'. I was 1/2 walk away and had 2 hours left of my observation/meeting. Needless to say, I missed my introduction and will have to wait until neser or likely next week.

The reason this is an Albanianian moment...they told us many times during training, that while at work, you will be sent away on day trips miles away, you will have reports to write with one days notice and formal meeting will be had with only a few minutes warnings. Needless to say, I went back to the office and told that he would be gone for the day. One hour later he calls me again...I am drinking some tea at a coffee shop working on tonights tutoring season...He says, Peter, can you come to my office, I say sure, when? NOW. okay off I go. This meeting was not as expected because he wanted to introduce me to his American Friend of 15 years. A good meeting and one that could be meaningful fairly soon in my career here in Albania. His name is Paul and heads up a bee farm cooperative with many big time financial supporters. All for now, next listing I hope to have some more pictures.

I arrived at work today at 8:00 am was ready to go. I have now been here for 3 hours and have done nothing but play on the computer. Why you ask...my English Speaking counterpart is the head of the statistics department and she is always busy...But the real reason is that the director, who is going to assign me projects...who I was supposed to have a meeting with, is now in Tirana, 1 hour away, and will not be in until 2:00 or so...My guess, is that he will not get here at all today so we will have our meeting neser. If you have not guessed yet, neser is the busiest work day of the week. . gotta go, someone is inviting me to coffee. ...Sorry I left you there, I had to go have a coffee and raki( shot of hard booze) with my co-workers. Now it is 11:30 and I have a Buzz going. I am now waiting for lunch so I may eat and hopefully loose my buzz before I meet with the director. Like a said a few weeks ago, the director keeps close tabs and since he is away.. I am guessing the men get coffee and raki. Something did happen to me the otherday which I am sure you will enjoy.

...A woman very very attractive I might add, about 30 years old, saw me struggling with my suitcase. She offered to help, walking me about 3 blocks to the bus station so I may go to Lezhe. My first thought was, "hold on tight", take advantage of the help and make sure she does not run off with my stuff. As it turned out, she did have alternate motives...Her father also came over and then proceeded to tell me what a great wife she would be. I held out for a better offer...We then met up with my Female Peace Corps Travel partners. I then thought I was off the hook but she asked them if one of them was my girlfriend/wife. When she found out that they weren't, she then upped the bet by saying she would take me to Italy and Greece. This part I understood because they bypassed me ,and talked to my female PC people who speak much better Shqip. Then the Furgon was ready to leave and I left her.....and I am sure broke her heart. All for now and hopefully my work adventures with start soon.

Hey All,

Not a lot happening the last couple of days. Training is wrapping up and our trainers are trying to get us out the door. I had coffee this morning with my counterpart at the department, but the person stationed in Elbasan. I was figuring spending only about 30 minutes or so but it became over 1 hour and I was late for class. He gave me great insite on what to expect from workers and the general roadblocks I will be facing. It was a pretty heavy conversation about the politics and how it relates to the office. Most of the people working there believe, and pretty much know, that in a year, there is and election and if there is a new political party, they will lose their jobs. All for today.

Like I said it has been slow in out here.

Another Albanianian Moment: As I was out taking a walk the other day, I got waved down by a local and yells "American" I respond with Po (yes) and he then waves me over to him....His 9 year old kid who was with him he says "hello Peter". Anyway the man then asks me to check out is Pig Farm right there on the side of the road. He had about 25 pigs, including baby ones, and one nearly the size of a hippo...so it seemed. They were all white pigs, looked pretty well cared for and seemed pretty happy. There was only one male, and the rest were females. The oldest pig was only 3 and that was the male. Them being so young, we can only guess what happens to the others, and he then proudly showed me the one in his car he was just then taking to the Mish dyqen (meat shop). Wow we do things differently in the States. He asked if we have pigs in the States and a few other questions. ....I thanked him for the tour...and off I went to finish my walk.

Please check out my new links on the right side of this page. They are sites we should all frequent....and besides are some of my best friends.

These are 4 of the 40 plus pictures from our Volleyball Day in Shales. Two of the pics are of the game, one is the Mayor of Elbasan speaking at our game, and the other is us with the mayors of both Shales, Elbasan, the School Director and my fellow PC volunteers. Don't we all look glad it is over. Like I said, it got bigger than planned. The School Director had no intention of being there and when he found out the the Mayors were comming...well you see he is happy to be there. Tall guy in back.Want too much info? The last 5 days my stomach has been going wild. I am fine otherwise, but food is a touchy situation...I am only eating very small portions at a time. My host family and I will be watching Big Brother Albaniana...real big here, it makes the news everyday...and my stomach will start screaming...their heads spin to make sure nothing has popped out like in the movie Alien. They think it is because I am not wearing a jacket when it is 80 degrees out and has nothing to do with the milk that sits out all day and night or the food that is both my dinner and breakfast the next day...good thing they have that refrigerator for 12 eggs and cheese. I guess they are saving the rest of the room for body or something. That is all for now.

Hi All,

Simple update,

The weather here has been wild. Lightning Storms that are incredible to watch and a few flash floods in Elbasan. During one I was almost got stuck in a furgon. A small van that drives us home each day, like a bus.

The Story,

So I get on the furgon about 5:00ish..I was the first one on the van so like always, we wait until it fills up with people. Shortly after I got on, it starts rainning like crazy, and lightling struck only a few hundred yards from us on one occassion. Now we are waiting for the rain to slow but it gets worse. Then 4 others get on the furgon so we take off on our way.(it holds 8 very closely. As we go now, it is rainning like crazy and we find that the road is flooded...we try another...and another...now he just trys to go through the water. Many cars are stranded but we are still moving slow. He sees a family of 5 stranded so since they are only a few yards away. We pick them up...still rainning.. water now gets into the van and my feet are getting wet. We stop for a while, because he cannot tell where the road is at all. As we are stuck, lots of back seat drivers are putting in their two bits. He starts moving slowly and finally gets to a road that leads out...but that is flooded more than the other ones...he trys it...we barely make it and see many smaller cars stranded. Just like the movies. The flooding only lasted about an hour but long enough for the Peace Corps Secruity officer to call all of us to make sure we were all okay. By the time she called me however, I was nearly home. All for now.

I have just read a few of my entries...maybe I should proofread before I post....Nahhhhh. Maybe next time.

Now I am here taking a break from the books and trying to get away from the heat. It's humid and I am sticky and gross....the mediteranian life. As for being back in Shales it is fine.

Things to think about for the next week:

...While in Lezhe, I am thinking of saying I am Greek or Italian, since most ask me that as soon I start trying to talk Shqip. If they think that am I won't be headline news...

Nothing new these last days. Just very hot and I broke out the shorts. I have not seen one person oer the age of 20 wearing them so I wonder if I will get taken behind the bar and beaten.

Again more to think about..I am still alive.

I am back home in Shales to my old pay by the second computers.

My visit to Lezhe was great. I love the area, 6 kilometers from the beach which I visited yesterday and had the privilage of paying American Prices for an Ice Cream in a Cup..about 250 leke or just about $3.00...ouch. Price of relaxing on a water front cafe, with my 3 new site mates (now there of 4 PC volunteers in Lezhe)

I spent most of today traveling from my soon to be site to Shales with some time inbetween for beer and comparison of stories with the other volunteers. What I know, is that I have one of the nicer aprartment in a less than nice but safe neighborhood. My job will require a lot of time which is contrary to most of the other volunteers. I know already that I will be teaching 4 hours a week of English....2 hours to our staff and at least 2 hours to the kids of the staff. Humm. I met with Director, who speaks English well, and he has a list of projects all ready.

Shqip update: Next

I also found a place to play Ping Pong. It's 200 leke and hour $2.50ish so I am hoping it the rules in the pub are looser pays....otherwise I may go broke. Good thing I am working so many hours. Lezhe is also located very near to the airport...the only airport in Albania...and the road is good. Taxis are not too outrages in cost and if you tell them to drive slow they may think about it...Any visitors????

Anybody seen Speed Racer...Shume Mire...Mire...Jo Mire (Really good, good, no good)

Albanian Window Moment: I may have told you that the Albanians feel it is inhumane to fix the dogs and cats in the hood and most all run wild in the street and neighborhood...my hood is by the river and many dogs hang out here...Anyway at 12 at night every few months the cops take it upon themselves to thin out the population...I woke up to 6 very loud bangs (etc.....)

First of all, the "shift" key on the left side for most all Albanian computers is "" which is why i am typing as such...just figured that out today. Secondly, many of you have yet said, that you have gotten my blog. please rsvp..

Yesterday we met our counterparts/bosses for the first time...It went well, for the most part. The other PC volunteer, who will be in the same town as me and who is one of the best Shqip speakers in the group, also met with her boss...we all met at the same time. The meeting went for about hour, including lunch. Her entire interaction was done in Shqip, with her doing the talking, thankfully my counterpart spoke English...

Yesteday, we left for our future sites and right now, i am typing to you from my new place of work for the next two years. it is with the Depart of Agriculture in the town of Lezhe, located in northern Albania...only about 30 kilometers from where the bombs blew up a few months ago. on the way here we passed the area which consisted of many destored buildings. As for my location, I am not quite as far north in the country as the where the blood wars take place...i am on the coast...near the beach and the wars are in the small villages in the mountains...no worries mom. i am only here for two days before i go back to Shales for two more weeks.

new topic....

i am however starting to feel funny lately...i eating salads with tomatos, cucumbers, onions, lettuce...etc....i had fruit for breakfast...i had a snack of an apple.....what is wrong with me...thankfully, sometimes i have a Coke for Dinner....to make my system go back to normal.

Volleyball update. our big day last Saturday went very well..with both the mayor of Shales and the mayor of Elbasan showing up...them along was also the director of the Peace Corps Elbasan and the School Director. ..Pictures soon....We had about 70 girls participate and most every kid in town came to watch. A few adults also came. What did not go well, is the bake sale...We had 12 local moms say..in writing...the kids brought the comfirmation notices, that they would contribute. On that day however only one mother sent a desert. We raised enough money for one ball and much of that was because the mayor and some of the Big Shots bought food for the kids with no money and paid double price...on purpose...no we did not jack-up the price for them...have not yet been in Albania long enough to learn those skills.

My new house... ..it is only 5-10 minute walk from work/main part of town.

Great bathroom...looks nicer than mine in Petaluma...but does not work as well, Great kitchen, with brand new cabinets ...not all lined up...but we are in Albania.... nice cold tile floors, throughout...view of the complex playground...not pretty, but the kids love it and are playing all day. i am on the second floor with one bedroom, the livingroom with an attached kitchen. I thought it was also in a new building but be building is very old and a bit run down. i did find a scorpion that was a little less than an inch long...luckily, they gave us stuff for that in our first aid kit...no it did not sting me.

in town there is a gym...I visited it....there were a lot guys working out, some without shirts (not very sanitary) and old old equipment. The cost...way out of line for the area...it is 3500 leke....per month...almost $40. More than my membership in the States. All for now.

The one of the me is in the town of Belsh 8000 people. 10k from my village Shales 1600ppl. The view of the field and small village is Shales, my town. It was taken on the hill behind my house. My room is the indoor shot. The few of the hillside village is Kruje...(forgot how to spell it) Historic City and one that George W. visited. My host mom and dad smilling is the other...just so you know, in their wedding picture they have the same smile. It is not customary to smile in pics..Why...Cannot speak enough Shqip to find out. Off to get ready for our Community Project Volleyball game. Found a new internet cafe above the High Tec store..faster, can do pics but expensive.

I just spent 30 minutes typing and the internet went down. Ask me in two years the following

Cause I am ready to chuck this thing.

How volleyball is going the week before to big day Saturday

How did she get the mayor to come?

All for now

Hey All,

don't get used to this two days in a row blog. i am in Elbasan and in a new internet cafe by the college. it is much faster and only the shift key messes up...don't blame me. it also seems to upload pictures but smart me i did not bring my flashdrive with me.

Today we took the history tour of elbasan. There is no formal guided tour done by the city or anyone else so we asked for one. They did a great job. When we brought it to their attention of starting one as a business, a new look came across their face...instead of the confident teacher look, the "why, nothing changes here in Albania so why try", look came over them...

Albanian Window moment : This why try attitude is why we are stationed here in Albania. For 2 months we have been told that the laws, the infrastructure and system is prime for change, but implementation is almost non-existent. Corruption as i mentioned before is at every level of government and in most areas of business. ie...taxes..only businesses pay city taxes for roads and garbage...but many businesses don't pay taxes because it is cheaper to pay the guy that collects them. He then says you paid, all is forgiven until next year.I did a five page paper on a business out here..the owner knows the mayor...pay taxes??? Bus drivers. This has happened a couple times and i have actually seen it..Cop pulls over a bus to check papers..in the paper folder is ????...hand goes into pocket of cop, and driver drives away...some buses only have registration stickers up to 2006. Doctors are "free'....but my host dad will not go because it cost too much...Lastly, we are holding a bake sale at our volleyball game to raise money for the kids to buy new balls...we have been told to give receipts for goods purchased..about 12 cents per purchase because the folks will think we are going to keep the money..humm...

The department i will be working for has their hands full...if there is any sort of organization started, the Albanians resent it because it is similar to the communist taking over and, nobody trusts one another...Even brothers will not work as team, to increase efficiency, buy at discounts or anything else.....The department seems to be breaking down barriers, but when/if the new administration gets elected and it is a new party, (republican, social..etc....there are 55 parties)...then many people who have just got into full stride will get lose their jobs. The new administration will hire friends, and family and similar party people.

Since knowledge is power...all work..everything will be deleted from the computers and paperwork tossed by the old employees. The new employees start from the beginning with new programs new contacts, new new new..talk about reinventing the wheel...Now your asking how does that affect Peter...if there is an election while i am working for the department and a new party takes over, they may not want or trust me and bang...on the streets...a regular occurrence. Pretty Wild. All for now.

Yesterday was a great to to be followed today by a slow one. On Fridays we have what we call Hub Days....All of PC vollunteers travel to Elbasan, a large city, and a PC office, and we have classes about our field..Yesterday was Working with Curruption....An interesting topic...Anyway after class, the Head of our PC office, had his first ever Bar-B-Que. While it was fun, the last furgon back to the villages is 6:00 pm. In other words many of us stayed much later than we would have otherwise. After it was over we had to spend the night at his house or the PC office. I spent he night at the office..no pillow, no pad and on tile...only my sleeping bag...I am way to old for that s$#%@%^. Since about 10 of us were in the same situation, we watched the first 3 releases of Indiana Jones...thank you 20 year olds for the know how to rig the bosses computer to show movies on the overhead screen. Needless to say, I have taken 3 naps today and trying to stay awake so I can sleep tonight...

As for today it when like this..got home at 7:30 am...Slept til 10:00 studied for 1.5 hours slept about 1 hour. Study/nap for 2 hours, and went to the fields to help harvest some plants for the family...a shower...the first in 3 days...and now here with you all...Internet only has shut down once on my so far this hour. It is now about 6:00 and I hope to get at least 2/3 more hours of Albanian.."in" I read it but little goes in?

Sunday is a free day so some of the language instructors are leading a historic tour of Elbasan. About 20 of us are going...besides language classes...I can get used to this stuff.