Halloween party in Berat..

80's Workout Glitz.

Devaughn as a 'divan' or couch...

Representing Albania..

Biker & Pooh Bear...

Gjush & Gjushe (Grandpa and Grandma)...

Sexy ghost..

Black eyed peas..

Leprechaun..

Language Refresher in Elbasan...

This week we had our Language Refresher in Elbasan. We all met back up in the hotel that we spent the first few days in when we arrived in Albania. We had language and cultural classes and it was amazing to see how far everyone has come since we were in that hotel last. I headed up the Cultural Fair and everyone brought someone from their communities, such as: wine, mountain tea, sugared plums, honey, raki and even rocks. It was really interesting to hear stories about peoples towns and get a better look into where everyone else living. The next night we had the talent show which was amazing. John & Kip won first prize with their American pop songs turned Peace Corps & Shqip. It was so good to see everyone again and be refreshed.

Welcome home to the Motherland..

OA meeting, brainstorming environmental presentations..

Making Corey's Halloween costume..

Interviews with the Dida Family...

Such a great family!.. 5 sisters!..

Judo in Albania..

While doing the GAD documentaries across Northern Albania, I have been able to meet and get to know some of the most incredible people in Albania. One of them is Anton, a Judo instructor in Vau-Dejes. Corey takes Judo lessons under him in his town. Anton learned Judo outside of Albania and was on his track to the Sydney Olympics as the first Albanian in the Olympics. While training for the olmypics, a few short months before he left there was a freak accident during a Judo practice and Anton became paralyzed. He opened a small Judo studio in his home and it grew so much that he opened his own studio in Vau-Dejes. His daughter and two sons are very proficient. His daughter has her black belt and his oldest son is traveling to Macedonia next month to compete internationally. His passion for his trade never died and he inspires children in his community every day. I was honored to get to talk to him and get to know him.

English class in the back of a pizza parlor..

Vau-Dejes in Autumn..

Soccer game in Koplik...

First girls ever in the soccer stadium..

John's coworker's playing their weekly soccer games...

D.T. Emily and me at the soccer game...

Gender & Development interviews in Koplik..

Oh happy day! Wood stove delivered for the winter...

Worldwise program, first Skype sesh...

What is Cloverdale World Wise Program?

A keni ftua ne Amerike?..

Today in the office, Endrit, my office mate and good friend walks in and hands me an oddly shaped apple (or so I thought). He asks me if we have these in America and I look at him and respond, well I'm not quite sure what that is. Ftua, he responds. Never hearing this word before for any food we go to the computer and pull up the all not so faithful Google translate. He enters in ftua and translated into English is quince. This leaves me even more puzzled. So do you have these in America, he asks again. I have never heard of this food before, even the English word for it. So then our Googling frenzy begins. We search pictures, recipes and the origin of these strange fruits. Turns out the quince is closely related to the pear and apple, which might explain why it looks like a lumpy combination of them both. Endrit then gives it to me as a present and explains that he doesn't like to eat them but they make his house smell good. The quince tree is native to various countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, Albania included and Turkey being the largest grower. Uses vary from making quince jam, wine to quince stews. So that probably leaves you wondering what I did with my quince? I thanked Endrit for my gift and took my quince home with me. I got my potato peeler and sliced it up, sprinkled some cinnamon on it and made it into some what of a potpourri. I did try a piece and was extremely disappointed with the bitter taste and the fruit that seemed to suck all the spit out of my mouth at once. Thus, made my apartment smell good.

Albania in the news...

Albania's mushroom bunkers: Like mushrooms in a forest, Enver Hoxha's bunkers still stand as a reminder of the country's communist past. One can find beach bunkers, gun pillboxes, mountain bunkers and underground facilities throughout Albania.

Albania: Increase in prices. Cause: Decrease in local production: The decrease of production from greenhouses and local farmers caused the increase of prices for consumers. These changes with opposite directions have been present for several days in the retail markets, but according to the farmers, the increase of prices will not be similar to the last years.

Albania, Kosovo and the EU: The dream that Albania has of joining the European Union is in deep trouble.

Swimming to Corfu, from the coast of Albania: Throughout Enver Hoxha's rule, hundreds fled communist Albania by crossing the sea to their nearest neighbor. Twenty years after the regime fell, a freestyle swimmer retraced their perilous route.

EC: Albania is refused the status: Albania’s progress was blocked by the political stunt. During a press conference on the progress report on Albania, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule explained why Albania was rejected for the second time the status of the candidate country to the EU.

Albania's last communist leader Ramiz Alia dies: Albania's last communist president Ramiz Alia — credited with opening one of the world's most isolationist political systems to democracy — has died. He was 85.

Happy birthday Dad!...

I love you Dad! Thanks for all your support and love since I've
been in Albania, and my entire life! I love you!

The only picture we have together since I've been in Albania.

What is now known as 'the before time'...