A Day In My Albanian Life (5-18-2011)

Almost two months ago I set out on a journey that I was sure would change my life, I just didn't know exactly how. I have been to Albania many times before, but have never stayed more than a month, and even that was only one time. Most trips were 10-14 days and then I went back home. To "normal" living. Back to everything I am well adjusted to.

I think we all realize that the life of a missionary can be difficult, but we may not always be able to directly identify what exactly makes it so challenging. Every day has its surprises, both great and not so great. Every day is a challenge. Learning to communicate in a place where you speak little of the local language and where customs and traditions that are a must in local lives are completely odd and unsorted to a new missionary.

I would tell you what I do on any ordinary day here, but really, no day is the same and no day is ordinary. Most of the time I wake up around between 7-9 depending on what I need to do that day. I might shower (IF we have running water at that time), or get dressed and pack my computer and cameras into my little backpack.

If I am going to the church that day, I will walk about two blocks to the bus stop and catch the bus to the other side of town. I will wait with people at the bus stop who I cannot communicate with other than to greet them or to say "God bless you". When the bus finally arrives, I will jump on and hope to get a seat so that I do not have to stand the whole way on a jerky stop-and-go ride across town. Normally I am blessed enough to find a seat, but a few times I have stood. There is a man who works on the bus who will come up to me and hand me a ticket, and for that I will hand him 30 LEK (about 30 cents US). Then I am off, through the town of Elbasan, over the Shkumbini river and to the little village where the church is.

I really enjoy arriving at the church and greeting the 15 or so young children who attend our kindergarten. They always run out into the hall and great me with a shout, "Julie, Julie!!!". I catch them all in a hug and they always try to give me "high fives". We always have high five competitions to see who is shume forte, or very strong. I always leave with red, sore hands but the kids will have smiles on their faces. I then venture down the hall of the church to help Mama Vera cook lunch for the kids. Some of the kids in the kindergarten will only get the one meal a day, so we try to make sure it is nutritious and filling. I will help Vera finish up whatever she may be cooking and then we will wheel the table into the classroom and serve lunch. The kids devour it every time. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing them smiling and full.

After that I will leave the church and head home. So, I will go stand at the bus stop again and wait. Normally the bus comes at the :20 and :50 minute of every hour, but if I have somehow miscalculated the time I might miss the bus and end up standing there for half an hour. This has only happened a couple times =).

On the way home, I may decide to stop at the market. Cooking has been a chore for me to relearn. At home I never realized how reliant I was on prepared meals. If it wasn't something I could quickly make, then I didn't bother with it. Here in Elbasan, we make everything from scratch. So, stopping in the market I might pick up things like fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, eggs, flour, sugar, water, juice, milk, etc. I have to be careful though, to only buy what I can carry home. No huge purchases that will last for two weeks. Only what will fit in 2-4 grocery bags that I can walk home with.

Before leaving, I will pay the for my purchases. The clerk/shop keeper will tell me what I owe them in OLD Albania money and then in my mind I have to convert that to what I owe them in the new Albanian money, since that is what is currently used. I do not know why they do this. Maybe just to make it more difficult for newbies like me. I will take my change and my bags and say "Mirupafshim" or "Goodbye". I might even say "Zoti ju bekoft" or "God bless you". Then I walk my two blocks or so home and begin to figure out what to do with the rest of my day.

Normally I would clean the house during this time and catch up on laundry, but if there is no running water at that moment (since it goes on and off throughout the day) then I will have to find something else to do. I might go upstairs and visit my neighbors, who are a family of 5. The lady of the house is from Scotland and her husband is from the Caribbean. They met and married in Albania as missionaries. So, I might go have a cup of coffee with them, or watch their kids while they get some things done in town. In the evenings Kerri (my roommate) and I like to play dominoes with the upstairs missionaries.

Such is my life in Albania right now. I am working for the church as I can, building the youth group as I can. With school about to finish our youth activities will blossom in the coming months. It will be a great time of fellowship. I am studying hard every day to learn the language and hope that I will be able to communicate with the teens without much translation as soon as possible. Such is the life of a missionary.

Thanks for reading!

Julie