Experience Albania: Travel, Pictures, History, Culture

It was a beautiful day today here in central Albania.
Temperatures around 65 degrees … clear skies … sunglass and sunscreen weather.
I was over dressed with my jeans, REI thermal layer shirt, and light down vest.
I’m loving every minute of it, however we desperately need rain if we want more hours of electricity. The hydro-electric [...]

After reading through my 3rd year students’ latest writing assignment, I quickly saw that I’d made a mistake.  I didn’t give them a written example of the assignment before sending them off to write their own.  This was an impromptu assignment, and due to the nature of my going in and out of various classes throughout the day it [...]

 
Two photos from last weekend, when I was in Durres with my friend Ersa and her parents.  Taken early Sunday morning as the five of us (including their little dog, Jessi, who isn’t in the photo) enjoyed a walk along the beach.

 If I made a ‘Top Five’ list about my favorite things about living and working in Albania as a Peace Corps volunteer, these women would definitely be on it.  I call them my ’English Club’ regulars - women who attended my English Club this summer and have stayed interested and active in meeting up and studying English together.  As [...]

What do you want to accomplish?
What do you want to change about yourself?
What do you want to change about your life?
I gave this topic to one of my 3rd year (junior) classes.  I’m having them practice ‘free writing’ and it’s going pretty well.  Here are some memorable quotes from reading through their responses to [...]

  
January 6th is an Orthodox holiday (we have quite a few Orthodox Albanians in Berat) called ‘Epifania di N.S’ in Latin, or ‘Day of the Holy Water.’  It was quite the holiday to observe … take a look for yourself!
Tradition has it that the holy Orthodox priest of Berat arrives in the middle of the [...]

Mike and I were quite camera happy throughout our 15 days of traveling and I figured I’d carry on with it after getting back ‘home.’
Nothing special, just more of the things I see …
A gas station and one of millions of little snack stands on the street:
 
A look over the seats toward the driver:
 

 
A look from the outside at where I live.  And don’t miss the sweet little motorbike out front (although it’s not mine).  That is my balcony (the second floor) and a set of windows in my kitchen area.
 A nice little courtyard, which serves as both a turkey hangout and a make shift soccer field for [...]

 
Numbers that have to do with a few things on my mind.  I had a really good day today and it honestly feels great to be back in Albania after the wonderful Christmas/New Year’s trip with my sister and brother (in-law).  
We’re going without electricity for 10 hours during the day here in Berat.
I head back to school and get back [...]

A little find that we’ll pass along to you - a warm, relaxed place off the beaten paths of Wien (the proper Austrian spelling) that serves excellent Georgian food.  We also liked the wine.
 
Along the beaten path:
 Getting ready for New Year’s Even celebrations.
 It snowed a little bit the one night we stayed.  The next morning [...]