MAJOR UPDATES!!!

Much has happened since I last posted on this blog, and I apologize for the absence. Life of late has been dictated by a packed language and technical training schedule. For a while there was not much time to do anything but study dreaded grammatical cases; over-plan for lessons that end up either ruining or completely making my day; wile away a few hours in the evening constructing blanket-and-chair forts with Erjon and Mande; and long for more sleeping and fewer waking hours. Noun declension and a roomful of forty silent students haunted my dreams. I just finished practicum this past week, thank THE LORD. Perfect timing; I turned 23 on Friday.

Between the last time I posted and TANI (the now), I have…
1.Traveled to Berat, a small city in the south, to visit a currently serving TEFL volunteer two years into her assignment.
2.Participated in the third day of an intense Albanian wedding.
3.Muddled through practicum.
4.Traveled to Cerme and Lushnjje with Dafina and Tila to visit two other sisters in the Cullhaj family.
5.Gone on day trip with my fellow Lazarej trainees to Peqin.
6.Gone a long hike, waaay up in the mountains, with my Lazarej folk (again).
7.AAAAANNND, I found out my site assignment!!!

This coming weekend, ALL of the trainees are going on a hike and are going to camp on top of a "mountain" in Belesh, another training site. Should be awesome, especially because Albania can only become more beautiful the higher you climb... :)