House Wife in Trainning

Sorry all, it has been two weeks since my entry...and in case you are wondering, my laptop is finally running well. As good as new. I even have the updated versions of Microsoft XP and everything else. It was almost worth the wait. My wireless is also working so I can now go to an internet cafe plug in my computer and work for free. Now/today is the first day for this.
Work update..Language classes with co-workers...Going well. My first few classes I thought went very well since I wrote the lesson plan myself, but then my co-workers wanted me to follow a book recommended by the local schools. The book was not written by native English Speaker and is loaded with improper grammer and miss spellings. The class likes using the book, so I asked my fellow "English Teachers" from the Peace Corps why Albanians like the using books. They said it was because every subject is highly regulated in the schools, and teachers are required to teach only what they are instructed to teach, and the books are their resourse...This leads to a lack of imagination in the classroom and very boring lessons in all subjects, but it is how most Albanians feel comfortable learning....so for now.."its by the book"
Language in Schools. I am pretty worthless there so far. The teacher and I go over the lesson in the morning before class 7:15 to 8:00 and she tells me what to read and where to jump in. Those books are so messed up that I try to encourage her to skip some of the lessons in them...She says that in Albania, if you skip lessons, even if they are poorly written and impossible to do according to the instructions, you do them...Why...because students will feel that the teacher is skipping them because they cannot do them...We teach them anyway...the kids get them wrong...but are impossible to get right...and the students feel that they are stupid not the teachers....humm......
As for my 3 girls (daughter of those I work with...they are doing well. I did a review of words from many weeks ago, they still got most of them...but now we have to really start working on speaking. They can translate well from English to Shqip and Shqip to English but cannot form sentences orally.
Work Projects...."Neser" i will start them...I tried to set up a meeting with my director last week to pin him down on projects that I have started or can start, or his vision of my role here at the Department. He said he has not had time to think about it, so we went to a meeting in another city...had coffee for a couple of hours with a few people and came home. End of day....
Hows My Shqip.
1. I was walking one day by a cafe and waved to a woman in the cafe that I thought I knew. She looked at me funny and after a closer look, I realized it was not her...Then...3 big guys come out of the bar...one her fiance, and started asking me "What is up!!!"... in Shqip, and made lots of toughguy jestures and words...needless to say...I ended up having a beer with the boys...and the next day played one of the guys in PingPong..He said he was #1 player in Lezhe...Not any more...thank you very much...we had a few beers and called it a night.
2. I set up a pre-test for myself with head of language department in the Peace Corps. She ended or session by calling my language teacher and complimented her on her teachings...She said "not her words" He butchers the language in terms of grammer and pronounciations, but speaks in sentances and I can understand what he is trying to communicate...and he can understand me...His vocabulary is comming along well. ............I am happy with that...See above example for my communication abilities.
3. I am really tired of studying. I just want to start reading some books. I have only read one since getting here.
Ping Pong:There is still one guy I have not seen since he beat me, so am waiting for him to come back in to try again.
Mistakes Made
The computer guy said that in some places around my apartment I have wireless internet access. One day about 5:00ish I set out to find it. I figured most of the kids in the hood knew who I was, and while being interested, would leave me alone. Within 5 minutes I had about 15 kids around me all ages and most of which I had not seen before and some asking for money, thinking I was rich being and American with a Laptop. Most stopped asking for money after a few words but ..... Opps,........ I later talked to my counterpart/coworker about it, she said that they all are good kids and while talk tough, will leave you alone and besides, like most people here, think that peace corps people are really CIA or FBI or Police. Kinda Cool Ey? Others feel that I am in training to be a housewife, since I have been spotted hanging my laundry outside my balcony and cook my own meals....