no pig

So I didn't go to the pig roast...I was slightly sad, but its ok. I will get onto the base another time. No fun stories from last night to tell you all.

pig roast

So I am intrigued...I have been invited to go to a pig roast on one of the military bases here. Not sure what to expect, but I am sure it will be fun. I will be sure to let you all know how it goes. I am just excited to finally get on a base...and this means I am now able to buy my favorite American treats. I can't wait. I don't know if I will be able to hit the PX tonight, but at least I will get to know some of the soldiers and it will be easier to ask them to let me on to buy stuff.

Peppers and Tomatoes

Thankfully the weather has finally cooled down a bit. There is a nice breeze that is actually refreshing, and the evenings are cool again. Its very good. The only problem, now I don't have an excuse to sit around and not do anything. So today I have cleaned my flat some, baked a cake, and did some work on the computer. Tonight I will go to a friend's house for dinner.


Here are some pictures from my friend's family's garden. This weekend I picked peppers and beans. But no proof because my camera battery died before we started working. The interesting part of the beans...they pick them after they are dried. They look like sugar-snap beans, or some kind of bean like that. And I ate one green...and they taste pretty good...but my friends thought I was crazy when I ate it. They just use the beans inside once they are dried. Maybe next weekend I will get some pictures of the beans. For now here are peppers and tomatoes. I have become very fond of peppers since living here. They cook with them so many different ways. This weekend we even ate them raw, not in a salad, but just chowing down on it like a carrot. It was strange at first, but good.
And these tomatoes are unbelievably good. I can not eat enough of them. Thankfully my mom's friend sent me home this morning with some freshly picked tomatoes and peppers (and onions and eggs too). Yummy!!

chickens

I would rather be here in the village right now....enjoying the cool breeze.

Chickens....do you go to bed with the chickens?

Do we say this in America when someone goes to bed early? I love watching the little baby chicks walk around and follow their mom everywhere. I grew up in the city, so village life is so interesting to me. I am always asking why, and I am determined to learn to milk a cow before I leave.

hot

Its too hot to actually do anything today. No one is here, as most students are all home in their villages, so there is no one to go out with. But its too hot to walk in the city anyway. Then its too hot to get any work done in my flat. Basically today I have done nothing. Its too hot to sleep, too hot to sit in front of the computer and work, too hot to try to study. Right now its 6:30pm and the temperature gage still says 104 F. Lately the nights have still been cool, so I am waiting for that...but we'll see. I haven't spent a night in the city for awhile. I think I will go try to watch a movie now, and then do some work once it cools down.

GRE

So I believe I will be starting grad school next fall. I have picked out the school I would like to go to, and now the only problem is that I must start studying. Its no fun. I like being the teacher, not the student. I actually like learning, finding out about new things, but not taking tests. Just the thought of taking this test after not being in school for so many years really frightens me. I used to think I was a smart person, but I sometimes doubt that these days. I have not been challenged mentally, educationally in a long time. Yes, I read books, the news, and random other things, I plan lessons, write recommendations, and supervise other teachers...but I do not study, I do not memorize. I am not good at memorizing. I am not good at vocabulary. My English vocabulary has actually gotten pretty bad after living here for 4 years not often speaking with other native English speakers about intellectual topics that may broaden my vocabulary.

Well I just printed off two test prep booklets. I will start with the Math section first, thats easy. Its concrete and understandable. I am good at math. I just need to remember it. Its been 10 years since I have taken a math course. Fun times lie ahead.

I am off to my friend's village....and maybe I will study there.

Odd place

"With its population of a little over three million, Albania is rather an odd place - a country where the expected rarely happens, and the unexpected often does."

This is a quote from a BBC article about a neighboring country over here. I find it is true for most countries here, especially where I live.