Seeing my host sister from the village get married! …and getting to see all of my host family together celebrating!
*Host dad, host sister who just got married, and host mom
4th of July camping at the beach…sparklers, seed-spitting contests, thunderstorms, creepy lagoons and impossibly large-sized bone found on the beach [I’m talking dinosaur-sized!]….and going to a restaurant where amongst other things, a guy serves you from a HORSE!! [health code violations, I laugh in your face!].
**our sand painting of our tribute to America!
*seed-spitting contest for 4th of July
A SURPRISE birthday party that my sitemates threw me after I had already thrown my own birthday party (awesome for my Albanian friends because in Albania you always treat your friends to coffee/desserts instead of everyone treating you…so it’s kind of hard to throw yourself a surprise party….unless, of course you have American friends to do so!)
….and make-shift slip ‘n slides! rain tarps for tents make for a good alternative, in case you are ever in need....we are resourceful in the Peace Corps!
Having a 2-week summer camp in Burrel for 80 kids aged 7-13 and having fellow volunteers come and teach subjects from dance, Karate, art, theater, English, and outdoor adventure activities!
*in the dance studio at the cultural palace
Getting to see YOUR LOVELY FACES in America!!! And getting to see one of my best friends Morgan get married to the person she’s in love with!
*Rehearsal dinner...bride + bridesmaids!
*...my 7 am wake up surprise from the college roomies after my first day back in America!
Having my mom and sister come visit in a whirlwind tour of Albania in 5 days! […and I’m sure they will never forget that whirlwind either!]
**Mom and sister with 2 of my best friends/colleagues in front of the city hall where I work in Burrel**
A birthday hike through the mountains from Burrel to Kruje and spending the night in a thunderstorm on top of a gorgeous mountain!
*one more reason why Albania is awesome? ...because we weren't expecting any cafes on the top of this mountain...and of course, there were! AND we had planned on cooking our own food over the camp fire, but when we realized they had food at the cafe but no french fries, we offered them the potatoes we had brought and they cooked them for us!!
Going tubing on our river in Burrel every day for 2 weeks in August. …sometimes in a child-sized inner-tube. [below: my sitemates Kristen and Bree in the river by Burrel....no, contrary to what you might believe, they are not getting baptized...]
Meeting Walker Texas Ranger’s side-kick [Clarence] in Tirana randomly (he was here on a Fulbright Senior Specialist program with the National Theatre of Albania) …talking my way into a dress rehearsal of a play he was directing/lead actor in….and going to coffee afterwards to discuss the adventures and downfalls of life in Albania (who says no one famous ever comes to Albania!?).
Having one of my best friends Jess come visit in May and getting to travel around Albania/Montenegro and having her teach TANGO lessons to my dance students at my site (my class of teenagers around 11-13 years old) and the university dance students that I work with in Tirana.
*Jess + me with dance students at the art academy in Tirana where I sometimes teach modern dance and composition classes
All-in-all, an amazing summer full of awesome activities and fond memories of Albania! (and America!)
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