First few days in Tirana

Hi everyone!

It is Tuesday, June 21 – day four since my arrival in Albania.  I was going to post earlier but things have been a little busy, plus the fact that I wasn’t able to download the few pictures that I’ve taken so far. My computer and camera weren’t communicating L.  However, today I had success so I won’t just have to post words, but a few pictures as well.

Saturday, June 18^th:  I was met at the airport by my college friend Ned Spiecker and his boys, Nathan and Marcus, as well as my long-time friend Lola, an Albanian woman I befriended in Chicago 20 years ago.  She is now back living in Albania, and I was thrilled to get to see her as well.  My luggage arrived safely with me – always reason for much rejoicing!!  On the ride from the airport, I saw lots of signs with words that appeared to be cognates of Latin- or Slavic-based languages but turned out not to be.  Like the sign that said “Mir se Vini,” which I thought was “World of Wines” but really was “Welcome” – a sort of convenience store! It is so strange to be able to decipher so few words and not to be able to communicate.  “Nuk flas Shqip” (pronounced Nook flahss sheep) means “I don’t speak Albanian.” 

I discovered to be true what I had read about prior to traveling:  summer in Albania is HOT!  June is somewhat reasonable, though, with temperatures “only” in the upper 80s and 90s.  Still, as the vast, vast, vast majority of Albanians don’t have A/C, the heat can really get to you very quickly.  Normal afternoon behavior is, apparently, to take a nap between 3 and 5 or 6; then everyone comes alive and the streets are busy with cars, people strolling, and restaurants/cafes full until late in the night.

Ned and his wife, Jorid (from Norway), are missionaries in Albania with YWAM – Youth With A Mission.  They are country leaders for YWAM in Albania (they’ve been here for 18 years) and work particularly to help build up families, teaching couples how to develop a strong marriage, parenting skills, etc.  They are great role models for the Albanians – a great marriage, and three fantastic kids (Nathan 14, Marcus 12, Lydia 11).

My first day, I stayed up until 10:00pm to try to get over jet lag as soon as possible – that evening, we went for a long walk through Tirana’s park (the only one, apparently), which is very extensive with lots of trees and greenery, winding asphalt paths that are full of people bicycling, strolling, jogging.  Ned & Jorid showed me where the US Embassy is, just 1.2 miles from their apartment. We had dinner at a sit-down restaurant with a fast food feel called “Big Bite.” Food is reasonably priced; a big salad and wrap-like sandwich cost about 600 lëk or $6.00.

My first night:  I slept 14 hours and got up at noon, only after Jorid had pounded on my door for awhile to make sure I was ok! Lunch of qofte (pronounced CHOF-teh), a spicy ground meat shaped into a fish stick- type shape and grilled, Norwegian potato salad and tomato/cucumber/pepper salad. 

Church in the late afternoon; some worship choruses had been translated from English; others were new to me and clearly Albanian.  Very cool to hear the Albanian singing and could follow along a bit since the words were projected on a screen. 

Monday:  up early to get ready for work.  Dress already ironed; bag packed.  Still, my plan to get out the door at 7:30 a.m. in order to walk the 1.2 mile distance didn’t quite happen – by the time I got out the door and down the slooow elevator from the 7^th floor, it was already 7:40! In my dress and relatively comfortable shoes (to be changed out of once I got to the Embassy), I speed-walked (I know no one can imagine that!), weaving in and out around the other people on the sidewalks, past shop keepers opening up their shops, sprinkling water on the sidewalk in front of their store or stand to keep the day’s dust at bay; past the tailor whose old sewing machine was already humming and the butcher who was hanging freshly skinned, whole lambs in his store front.  Down the Rruga Qemal Stafa about ½ mile to a wide central street, Rruga George W. Bush, take a left, past more shops and banks, across the canal, finally reaching the Embassy at 8:02!  Whew.  Already a hot day; speed walking is not the way to arrive at a new job with decorum J. My HR contact, with whom I’d e-mailed before leaving the States, was waiting for me and escorted me past security, onto the compound.

Monday was full of orientation training – a Cyber Security Awareness webinar and test (I passed), going around to different departments hearing their spiel (I felt like I was a new hire at America World Adoption!), etc.  I will be working mainly in the Regional Security Office (RSO).  One thing I can’t do is take my camera with me to the Embassy, so that means that most days, I won’t be able to take pictures.  Yesterday after work, I wandered around the neighborhood and took pictures as much as I dared – I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself – will have to get over that!!  There are such great scenes that need to be captured J.  The men all huddled around a motorcycle that is being worked on right on the sidewalk; the old ladies that are animatedly chatting together; the old man riding a bicycle with his grandson sitting on the handle bars, the three wheeler motorized “dum-dum” motorcycle-carts that carry anything and everything.  I wish I could capture the smells on camera, but that will be an impossibility.  By the end of the day, those sheep hanging in the window are not quite so fresh!

Today, my second day – gave myself a bit more time to get to work. Still no substantive work – participated in some interesting meetings, helped draft some memos.  My supervisor will soon get sick of me saying, “Is there anything you’d like me to do??” Next week will be a big 4^th of July event (on June 30^th) for the community at large, and I will likely help with that in some capacity.

I will close for now but will write again soon.  Miss you all!  And I wish you could be experiencing Albania with me.



View from the Spieckers' apartment, 7th floor




Another view...




Rruga George W. Bush




A shop on my street




New friends :-)




Albanian flag




"My" street




The Spieckers recently got a swimming pool... very welcome addition to their great balcony!





Family dinner; clockwise:  Marcus, Christina, Jorid, friend Hannah, and Lydia

 


The Spieckers' apartment building they are on the top floor.