Bosnia and more

This weekend we made our trip to Bosnia..about 40 people from work loaded up a bus and went to Sarajeva, and spent 3 nights and 2 days there...we then headed back and made going through Montenegro stopping at various towns on the way...Going out to lunch/dinner etc with Albanians is an experience...they get frustrated with people and show it. A new server who spoke very little English/no Shqip. and after we had the bill almost taken care of, one of the guys didn't quite understand, just took his money back from her tray and changed how he wanted to pay and not listening to anyone just 'insisting a lot"...anyway...not fun. I shared my room with 2 other guys who wanted to hang with the American..good guys and were very patient with my limited speaking skills. What was funny is they would walk into a shop and ask the shop worker (in English) if they spoke English. They then would turn to me tell me what they wanted and I would translate..
Both Bosnia and Montenegro had suffered through various wars recently and the countries had rebuilt and at the same time embraced the damage. Very beautiful countries with a good combination of history and modern planning and development. Beach front shops, clean beaches, good sidewalks and new modern docks with many boats..If only Albanian Government can see beyond their own pockets and plan for the next month once in a while. While the people in Albania are on the average, my size, in Bosia, a potentional basketball paradise, many women are nearly 6 ft and most men were well beyond 6' and many over 6'5. The people there also had a underlining feeling of hope and happiness. In Albanian the people have an embedded sense of frustration which trickles to all parts of their daily routines. I felt sorry to leave those counties and then felt sorry for my co-workers. In a month I will be off visiting somewhere else and in year back in the States...They on the otherhand lacked that freedom.
As for my mood however...not really a good week...the frustration here about work, not having a computer and other stuff is starting to get to me at night. While I do as much as possible to stay busy, coffee and the beach are your only options during the summer and only coffee is your souse of recreation for the winter. (Writing it on paper sounds pretty good, but with otherstuff often lessens the appreciation.) With my Shqip speaking skills, my coffee company is limited.
I came to work today, to find no internet...part because of the internet guy and most today because the secretary is probably too tired from vacationing to make it to work..all of 100 yards from home to get into her office and let me or someone try getting it to work.
I had a lot to say this morning but I forgot....much....oh well, neser.

Followup

So looking into my computer I learned that it is still in customs in Greece...since May 2...I guess I cannot blame Albania for this one.
This has been a big, get in touch with the other PCV month...Bills going away party, Bethanys birthday party, a play put on by kids in a neighboring village, and my sitemate Winnie taco dinner then Going away party. Winnie, last years PCV got a computer lab built, a womens group of 60 people started, taught lots of English and did various youth education projects. She has a unique personallity but did a good job as a volunteer and introducing the rest of us to the people of Lezhe and what life was like in Lezhe.
The play was the second play put on by this PCV and I got mentioned in the credits as the Juggling Coach...the play had a clown and while I taught her to juggle all of an hours worth of instruction, the clown practiced for weeks and did a very good job. About 50% of the the other PCV came to see the play, many traveling over 6 hours.
I am still frustrated at work and am just hoping to get some new energy soon. Today I sent an email to my PC supervisor...as a CC. The email was to my director as a followup to the projects that are "in progress" here. I am hoping when he sees that it will be added incentive to followthrough but there is a possibility that it will back fire....I may have to be ready for that situation.

My kids in the hood are no longer asking for the reading hour but just the money for Ice Cream. Few if anyone reads for pleasure in Albania and never do they do so in public. The Ice cream was the incentive, which was fine, but what came back to haunt me is now they think that since I am an American, i should and can buy them things. Testing the limits of a culture, seems to always have twisted consequences.
As for my Shqip everyone including myself is loosing patience. Most of the PC can hold conversations...still a few of us cannot...and whenever they meet my sitemates...there is always a look of "what is your problem dude" At work there are ways around the problem, but for social and pleasure...it really changes the experience.
This week for work, we were supposed to go to Bosnia..it has been postponed for 4 days. It is out of my own pocket however and I am just hoping worth the leke. As of now instead, of Sunday we will leave Thursday. Luke another pcv was supposed to visit but because of the postponement, that is cancelled.

Workman blues.

Life in Albania. June 29 is the elections... meaning that from 1 month ago to until after the elections, the department of agriculture will do nothing, start nothing and not understand why I am stir crazy...Some fear that they may not have a job therefore don't dare start something new or do anything that the director does not tell them to do. Beside teaching English 8 to 10 hours a week and my Outdoor Ambassdor Program, I have done basicly 3 large projects for DofA...One, a survey of 100 farmers...Before we did the survey I gave the director a list of 3 things that I feared would happen and how to overcome them...none of the precautions were followed and all 3 things happened...Now the survey which was to set the agenda of what the farmers needed and how I can help the DofA help the farmers for the next year here...is on the desk..........The second project, a website is done and waiting for information from my director...now 10 months in the waiting and then needing the approval of the office in Tirana..but not until after the elections...the third is a employee evaluation system...won't be started until after the elections..But then why do one since we never have done before....Then why ask me to do it????
Then other stuff, My Outdoor Ambassador program and my Meet and Greet the parents was bust...so i am putting the project on hold until I can round up new kids...my leaders will be leaving for jobs in the summer so I may have to get new leaders and/or refocus.
Then on the same day I walk home to find 4 of my neighborhood kids in front of my house waiting with books in had for our twice weekly reading club..we read for one hour and if they are good I buy them an Ice Cream...Well we go into our regular cafe...and the owner kicks the kids out saying it is not a place for kids... He has a Store/resturant and tables and the tables are empty...what the F......was his problem..and I cannot speak enough Shqip to get the right if any answer...we always cleaned up after ourselves, where quite, at bought ice cream from his store.
So now as of May 18 today, I am on vacation until my computer gets here...then
off to the NGO's and the water distict company, both have asked for help but I have put them on hold saying the DofA has first priority...
Yesterday was a good day...I worked out for 2 hours, then took a Bus ride to Tirana. Picked up 10 new books to read from the Peace Corps office then sat outside a a cafe for 3 hours reading one. that was followed by a movie Dublicity and then finally at 11:00 pm went home with an Albanian friend who was visiting his girlfriend...something not done inLezhe because too many people talk. For lunch I ate a full/fresh chicken. Serveral months ago I only had a half chicken and it was soooo good, I wanted more...after eating a whole chicken...a half would have been enough. All for now, I am only going to work until 10:15 today and go play. Why, because the elections are comming.

Rotten keyboard

The Outdoor Ambassador Program is still giving me a headache. I sent the letter home and we will see what happens. The school director approved my letter and also said he would give full support during the summer. I am sure he is just pulling my leg so that I will not stop teaching at his school. Today I have a meeting but it is before the meet and greet so I am sure I will have only a few participants. What pisses me off is that he never talked or planned on talking me that there was a concern with the parents...he said he did not know how to approach me....my thinking is if you sure of a decision/activity it should be easy. That is one of the joys of the culture. Get a little information, blow it up, act upon it, and hide.....What he heard and parents heard was that kids went swimming...true but before they were in for 10 seconds they were out and got yelled at and did so after being told up front not to. None of that did the parents or he know.....hence the "concern" rightly so but wrong conclusion.
Other stuff;
The old keyboard broke this new/old one...it sucks, I want my new computer now...My stress level is up just typing on this because I know that the other keyboard was fine and since the lady whose computer I am using is on vacation, someone switched it.
Yesterday took Bethany's cat to the vet...
Someone set me up on a blind date....I went....their idea of a future wife much different than what we think....
Saturday am going to a party thrown by British missionaries (the biker guys from a few weeks ago) Sunday going to a "going away" party for my best Peace Corps friend. So long Bill.
Started reading a great book "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" Albania is experiencing it now and fascinating to watch unroll

Not Good

Overall a bad week.
A couple of Fridays ago we had our Outdoor Ambassador Beach clean-up day...all went very well...The next Friday we had our follow-up Outdoor Ambassador meeting and only 3 kids showed up and none from my school...hummm...after doing some digging I learned that the Director sent a letter home about it....As of now I have 2 stories about the letter.
From the School Director he said...I sent a letter stating the OA is not affiliated with the school and is not responsible for the children after 2:30. I can live with that version
From the kids they say.... it said that they cannot go to classes on fridays or participate in the trips/hikes/beach clean-ups etc...
If the kids are right, I want to ................. the ..........you get the idea..
I have drafted a letter to the parents...I hope with the approval of the school Director, it will invite them to a meet & greet and Q & A of myself and the other Peace Corps Volunteers and my Highschool kid assistants. I wanted to do it this Friday but my other PVC are out of town...
Work Stuff,

• Met with the CAAP website people finally after 2 months of email trying to set up a meeting. That project will start in a week when they back from holiday.
• My Dof A website is done and waiting to be approved by the director, then waiting for it to got to Tirana for appoval...meaning it will never get off the directors desk.
• School Teaching going good, until the OA my crap we will see what happens then.
• Tutoring 3 to 5 hours a week
• Survey...whatever...if director is out of town...no work is done on it..he is gone 4 days a week.

Just got all three eppisodes of Jurrasic Park...cannot wait to get my new computer to watch it. For the last month I have been dragging a bit. While I can still go to the gym and play pingpong etc..my mornings I have cobwebs and in the middays I am just wipped out.