This is a compilation of just a few of the many things we have not yet fully comprehended.Plumbing

Normally, one gets hot water from the hot tap and cold from the cold. And, generally that is how things work here. But, there are those times when the best you can do is get lukewarm water from either tap. Just warm enough to wilt lettuce and not hot enough to wash dishes. We don’t remember exactly how we figured out that if you go into the bathroom and turn on the water, either hot or cold will do, you correct the flow in the kitchen. So when we are at the kitchen sink and we suddenly make a break for the bathroom, we are just going to get hot water or cold water.

Until coming to Albania, we had never seen a plumber without a plunger. Here, when you need to work on the toilet, instead of plunging out the water, we just pour clean water through to flush the system and then take the toilet loose. The plumber’s assistant waits until the moment the seal is broken and water is free flowing across the floor to ask for a bucket and mop. He then spends the rest of the time mopping and pushing tools. Of course, upon completion of the job, a thorough cleaning of the bathroom is needed. This does help explain why the floors in the bathroom are cold tile and there is usually a drain in the middle of the floor.

One of the legacies of communism, we think, is the focus on process and not results. So, if a plumber is working on leak, he goes through the process: remove the leaky fitting, clean and replace the washer then reconnect. Now the job is complete as the process has been completed. It doesn’t seem to matter that the joint is still dripping and it really is inconsiderate when you point out the remaining leak, which of course just starts the same procedure again. There is no real attempt to determine the cause of the leak or alter the process. It is amazing how you can learn to live with a bucket under the sink.

Odor

We have a smell in the bathroom and sometimes in the entry hall that just comes and goes. To date, we have not determined the pattern that triggers the smell. We have had the plumber in twice to work on it. We have thoroughly cleaned and still the odor returns. At this point, scented candles and spray are the best ways to treat this.

Square rooms

The main construction of apartments, houses and offices is concrete floors with terracotta bricks to form the exterior and interior walls of the rooms of each floor. One tool that is either under-represented or misapplied in the construction of the rooms is the carpenters square. With the main flooring being tile, it becomes very obvious that things don’t align. Square rugs fit at one end and have edges turned under at the end. The space between the dresser and bed becomes a bit cramped at one end. Doors are set at angles to correct for alignment problems. Sometimes you feel like you live in a house at an amusement park and you are just waiting for water to run uphill.

Living in a concrete building has also made us appreciate the value of insulation – another missing component of construction here. So it is not unusual to open the window on sunny days, as you can be sure it is warmer outside than inside. Eggs are put in the refrigerator, not to keep them cold, but to keep them from freezing at night.

The final mystery is why does Peace Corps think a critical component of safety for volunteers living in concrete buildings is ownership of fire extinguishers?