Miredita

Hello From KOSOVA!!!
     So these past... two maybe three days is it now have been so CRAZY... I have had so much I wanted to blog about yet could not because of Wi-Fi, but I had it on my phone.... NO COMMENT! Anywho, lets give details on the process to Kosova. In total it was about a 14 hour trip and jetlag is an UNDERSTATEMENT. I felt like I had taken on the world and had maybe one meal in a 48 hour period. Both flights were nice, and the flight from Vienna to Prishtina (Kosovo's capital) was a great flight with awesome views. You see the landscape transform before your eyes from winding rivers and plains, with large acres of green undisturbed land to low mountains and then higher elevation mountains capped with just the lightest amount of snow in June. I absolutely love it. To me Kosovo is reminiscent of Salzburg, Austria (the town I studied abroad in). Once we went through security there was a host of people their to welcome us and I have an extremely embarrassing photo and an awkward stance on the Peace Corps Kosovo page (which you should also check out). I was the first to leave customs so upon seeing the welcome I was a little shocked and laughing which explains the posture. Anyhow, I feel at home here which is fairly weird considering we JUST arrived and it hasn't even been a week. The Peace Corps staff are very nice, and definitely seem to care about us and our overall well being which is very reassuring.

     I am going to jump around a little bit simply because it is 130am at this moment and jetlag will have me CRYING tomorrow... so quickly I will say the following-

     People: The first thing that struck me about the people of Kosovo was they are fairly good looking. They DEFINITELY can tell our entire group is NOT Kosovar and the staring eyes remind you of that. However, it is so funny because I expected it and to actually experience it on a DAILY basis makes me feel almost like a celebrity I guess but it is SO weird to have so much attention, I guess I can see why celebrities try to be incognito. The people are friendly and definitely so helpful. The one thing that has stood out to me is the pride. Our wait staff at the hotel stopped myself and a fellow volunteer to inquire about our feeling being in country, how we liked the food, the service and just their culture. Considering this is strictly based off first impressions we told him basically we love everything (which is SO true) and the expression on his face was priceless like a kid trying to cover up their excitement on Christmas morning. These are a proud, ambitious and growing people, and I am glad to be part of this community and to say I, in some minute way, was able to help them advance is an indescribable feeling.

Food: So my fellow trainees laugh at me because I keep talking about how I cant wait to try different foods. Firstly, this is such a CARB heavy culture, then add MEAT heavy on top of that and this lady is about to put on the 20lbs I JUST lost *major side eye*. I am giving myself this week to eat kind of whatever and enjoy every bit. Then I think it will get better once I get into my community because I will have more say in what I eat and can be more discerning. I will say this the Crepes we had were AMAZING today, as well as this salad and cheese dish they make, and lets not forget strawberry nectar juice YUMMMM! I am awaiting to try Flija then I think I will just lose my mind and mindful eating will go out the window hahahaha.

Training: Ok, I knew Albanian was hard but my LORD! I have to take this moment by moment otherwise I will get too overwhelmed. I also am going to make a conscious effort to not be too hard in myself. What makes that easier is that every time I fix to "scold myself" someone says something hilarious and the class erupts in laughter i,e. Today I actually cursed in Albanian without knowing it while trying to learn how to pronounce a LETTER. Yes, you heard me correctly pronounce a letter. I do not know what I said all I know is the look of horror on my facilitators face and the frantic waving and yelling of "NO, NO, NO That's bad!!" pretty much told all that was necessary. As I frantically apologized and covered my face in horror, my fellow classmates roared in laughter thus relieving the stress in me not grasping the sound (comical right?) But this will be a learning process... I will not be able to understand most, and others will look at me in utter confusion/crack-up laughing... Guess Being flexible and having an open mind are DEFINITES to my survival!

So that's it for right now, hopefully I can work on this after we meet our families Wednesday, but my schedule is already packed and I need a NIGHTLY study session of Albanian as to avoid cursing other people out at risk of possibly being punched in the face lol. So I am sure you will read more of my awkward moments but until then, I am signing off from Kosova!