Pushim (Vacation)
August is the month of vacation here in Albania, except for Peace Corp volunteers. This is the time vacationers (local and foreign) abandon the office and flock to the beach. It is also the time the locals here in Durres
Albanian Money
30 or 40 years ago, the Albanian government re-issued the currency and revalued it, adjusting it by 10%. So the old 1000 Leke note is equal to the new 100 Leke note and the new Leke is about equal to a penny. So this is not unusual or difficult, unless…..
A request for information
If anyone knows of any organizations that help people when they need operations to help correct deafness, please let us know. Our host family has good friends that are looking for a place for their son to have a second operation to correct his hearing. They’re not looking for a handout, just an opportunity. Apparently, they… Continue reading A request for information
Durres Update
We have been in Durres for about four weeks, yet it seems like it has been much longer than that. Learning the new city, learning the new jobs, arranging tutoring and getting a new routine makes each day feel so busy. You really lose track of time.
Final Thoughts on Peqin
Peqin is behind us and as we think about our stay there, we are surprised at how comfortable it had become. Through our community project, we had planning and work sessions which were held at the local coffee bars. As a result, we visited nearly all the coffee bars, which was no small feat, and… Continue reading Final Thoughts on Peqin
The End of Training
It has been a busy month for us as we returned from our week visit in Durres, the final two weeks of training consumed our time. One week was presented in a university course format where you choose from the 3 or 4 class offerings for each time slot. Language training was offered in each… Continue reading The End of Training
Durres
We’ve had our one week visit to Durres, our permanent site, and will be going back there permanently on June 18th. It’s been a great success. We have a very nice host family to live with there until we find our own apartment. We’re supposed to stay with then for 4 ½ months but it’s… Continue reading Durres
Half-way through Training
It is hard to believe we have been here almost 7 weeks. In some ways it feels like it has been much longer, with all the changes and adjustments. Yet, we have been so busy, it is hard to believe it has been that long.
Permanent Assignment
Last night, Friday, we received our permanent post assignments. We will be going to Durres, the 2nd largest city in Albania, located on the central coast of the Adriatic Sea. Criss will be working for the Archaeological Museum on a computer project and Carol will be working for a Women’s Center, an NGO that works… Continue reading Permanent Assignment
Internet Access
Well internet access is not exactly what we had anticipated. In the community we are living in, Peqin, there are no internet cafes. In fact, there are no high-speed connections anywhere. A few families have dialup service, but it seems to be rare. At least once a week, we get into a larger city, Elbasan,… Continue reading Internet Access