Out and About

Tirana International Hotel & Conference Center 

This past week has been one of both getting some work done at the school and seeing sites beyond LAC. First, a little about my work. Right now I am spending a lot of time organizing the student records. I have been making files, figuring GPAs, making report cards, entering new students, tedious stuff like that. More interesting is that several student have been volunteering in the mornings cleaning and preparing the classrooms. It has been fun to meet them and see their interest in learning. They are mostly 11th and 12th graders so their English is good. I have also seen the same group of kids at church which is really encouraging to see them involved there as well. On Wed. Dini and I went to Tirana to run errands. We both had a shopping list of things for our areas of work at the school. My main mission was to find a filling cabinet. Now that we will have student files and records we should be keeping them locked and secure. Thanks to the generous financial support of family and friends I have extra money in my budget to use for these types of needs. I found that Tirana is a modern city and has all the traffic and shops of any European city. However, after visiting the Mall, a shop like Wal-Mart, a shop resembling Lowe's and a small version of Office Max we couldn't find a filling cabinet or even someone who knew what we were talking about. I bought a projector screen and I had no problem tracking that down. I am still baffled! It was a fun day for me to get out and see the big city (400,000), also made me thankful that I live in a smaller city(27,000). 

A bit of Albania history. I drove by the "Piramida" pictured left. The pyramid was built in 1987 according to the design of Enver Hoxha's daughter and was originally a museum of her father. Hoxha was the evil dictator of the communist era. US president George W Bush gave a speech in front of this building. The building was the most expensive erected under communism. Today it's derelict building halfway occupied by a TV station. Much of the façade has been stripped or stolen and the glass is broken and boarded up. There is an ongoing discussion and disagreement among the people if it should be torn down or remain as a piece of their history. 

From this spot I was able to find LAC below.

I finally got to visit the Lehza Castle that I see every day from LAC. The church took a picnic up there Sat. morning and it was a fun walk and a beautiful morning. We had a time of singing and sharing and then played some games, ate food, and enjoyed the space. I hope to get there a lot since the walk was fun and the view incredible! I am appreciating getting to know the church group a little. We have very interesting demographics as there are now four countries represented, in addition to Americans and Albanians, we also have an Italian teacher at LAC, and several Brazilians including the Pastor. So we are all trying to communicate and often relying on others for translations. I have been so impressed by the welcome that I feel from the church community. 

In the distance you can see the sea.

Next weekend is Klementina's daughter's wedding reception will be at the castle. She has invited the LAC staff to attend so next time I am there I will be wearing very different clothes.  

Transition

The Past lies upon the Present like a giant's dead body.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of Seven Gables

It would be predictable if I told you about my transition to Albania, and I may do that. However, my goal in this blog is to share with you a bit of the transition I am seeing in the country and culture. I hope over the course of the year I will be able to articulate more the dichotomy of old and new and hope for reconciliation of the two.  This cart I saw this morning is a perfect example of the old but I could've just as easily found a new Fiat or Range Rover to snap a picture of. I just figured you have seen those fancy cars before and this one may be more unique.

Klementina says that, "God created Albania to be beautiful but the people have not done their part to take care of it." Granted we are in the city and it is always a challenge to keep a city clean, but the amount of garbage in the streets and in this case, the river, is obscene! Klementina also has told me of  beautiful spots in the north, and to the south that I will hopefully get to see.

The past few mornings I have been to the gym! Klementina has encouraged me to get up early with her and walk around the city and than go lift weights. We both look like foreigners power walking around in our t-shirts and shorts. This is not a common sight but we both are used to being the center of attention. Me because I am a foreigner, and her because she is Klementina Shanini.  I finally am friends with someone famous, only just in Lezha Albania. The reason the gym is empty is not only because we are early but because she has her own key! She also has a key to the city's soccer stadium if we feel like running on the track.

Klementina and I having our morning cappuccinos at "My #1 Bar."

More on "Transition" later as I sort it all out.

Apartment

I am starting to feel settled. The flight was long and left me very weary. The time difference is 6 hours ahead so that took some adjustment. Last night I finally got a normal night's sleep. I was greeted at the airport by Dini Shanini, husband of my Principal, Klementina. They have been wonderful at making me feel welcome and at home here. The school building is 5 stories and I live on the 4th floor right next to the Shanini's. We have all the comforts of home, though I have already experienced power outages and times no water.

 

 

I like my kitchen which connects to the living room.
The concrete white walls are very bare but I am
hoping all of you will send pictures!

My apartment has it's own bathroom.

Back view from my patio.

Front courtyard.

On top of the hill is the castle. They light it up at night and you can see it from everywhere in Lezha. I hope to explore it in the near future.

 

 

 

 

Embarking on an Adventure!

“The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.” - C. Joybell C.

On Monday I board a plane for Albania! Of course I am both nervous and excited as anyone would be! I also am amazed at how quickly this all came about. The idea of leaving everything I know to go be a counselor at LAC was only planted in my mind in May. I took until late-June to be accepted into Virginia Mennonite Mission's TranSend program and begin to make plans. I announced my plans on facebook the beginning of July, and the second week of July I sent out a mailing informing friends and family of my need for financial and prayer support. On July 16th, I booked my flight and by July 18th I had all my funding in place. OH MY! I have to view this crazy whirlwind as an act of God! My Grammy Moyer once told me that God doesn't usually reveal what He wants us to do until we need to know. In other words, He is planning ahead but we don't get to see those plans until it is time to live them. I have always viewed my life as a journey and so I have accepted the challenge to blog while away as a way to document this adventure and so that you may join me.

Lezha Academic Center