Experience Albania: Travel, Pictures, History, Culture

McCormick House

Originally uploaded by treenie.

The McCormick House, located in Hayward, Wisconsin is just a three hour drive away from the Twin Cities. The owners have done an incredible job with the the restoration and design of this beautiful house. Ben and I certainly recommend it. Check out their website!
http://www.mccormickhouseinn.com/
It feels like home, yet has touches [...]

IMG_8928

Originally uploaded by jimmyloubill.

Technically speaking, Fitore is my Albanian counterpart. We were assigned to work together, having no idea about the other until we met in early June of 2006.
Fitore is turned into so much more than a counterpart. She is my colleague, friend and a mother to me here in Albania.
We’re a good team [...]

Room

Originally uploaded by treenie.

Bravo, Emily!
It’d be challenging enough, starting up a debate team with native English speaking students.
Emily navigated the challenges of coaching students and their coaches (teachers) on the ins and outs of debate AND dealing with various English levels and abilities within the group of debaters.
A group of us volunteers sat in the [...]

Katie making Turkish coffee

Originally uploaded by treenie.

This implies that I’m the ‘woman of the house,’ which is what my host mom, Anila tells me when I take charge of making the Turkish coffees at their house.
All it takes is some water, a teaspoon of sugar, two teaspoons of finely ground coffee and some flame.
Serve with [...]

Katie and Mirela

Originally uploaded by treenie.

James’ counterpart, Mirela, and her husband and young son just moved into their own apartment. We were invited to a lunch in celebration of their new place and in light of good times ahead.
Suksese!

Trainers - Juvina and Valbona

Originally uploaded by treenie.

In addition to training a group of 30 high school students from around Berat, we went into the girls’ dormitory for an hour on Monday, our first day of AIDS Week. The two woman standing are a local doctor and psychologist who run a newly opened testing center [...]

Play practice

Originally uploaded by treenie.

Some very creative students put together a theater performance that centered around the topic of AIDS. This photo says it all, as a student with the ‘Scream’ mask (still makes me shudder!) represented ‘AIDS’ in a variety of scenes.
In recognition of AIDS Day, on December 1st, my sitemate Marisa and [...]