The Land of the Suicide Teddy Bears

 

Above are different Evil Eye Talismans.  If it breaks, it is proof that it warded off the "evil eye", the bad wishes or the curse that was thrust upon you.

To keep evil spirts from occupying a house under, Albanians will hang a stuffed animal near the door or window so that the evil spirits will think the house is occupied.

In Albania, to ward off the “evil eye”, people hang teddy bears or other assorted stuffed animals as well as garlands of garlic from their roof tops.  So as you ride down the road, you will see all sorts of suicidal toy images.  In Durres, I saw a HUGE teddy bear hanging by the neck. It was the huge bear you win at a carnival and can’t figure out where to put it when you get home.  If that happens here, they just hang it by the neck to keep the bad spirits out. This could be a child’s worst nightmare!

Garlands of Garlic are also used to ward off evil.

It's not just teddy bears, they hang assorted stuffed animals.  Here is a friendly chipmunk post mortem :)

 

So how are things in the Peace Corps Pre-Service Training you ask? They are structured; Very Structured. In high school I was able to skip a day occasionally.  In college I could skip an entire course and take the final exam.  With my company,  I was the boss and could work 10-4 if I felt like it.  But here?  If I do not show up for class, I would have 5 Peace Corps staff on my doorstep, genuinely concerned and ready to take me to the hospital!  I kid you not! I can imagine the chaos I might cause if I just slept in one day and asked a friend to take notes for me.  It might go like this:

“Rhona, where are you?” says the Peace Corps staff (PCS).

Rhona replies, “I am still in bed.  I am tired today and want to watch a movie. I’m just chillin’.  My friend is taking notes for me, don’t worry, it’s all good. I’ll be in tomorrow.”

What would happen?  I am faced with the unknown. I am in a foreign country and at the mercy of others.  It’s an odd position for me to be in after years of independence.  What would they do?  Release me into the wilderness of Albania to fend for myself? Anyway.... I have never missed a day of class, because I only have me to look out for now, and that shouldn’t be so hard.  I can do this, Rhona!  Obey the rules.  Obey the rules. Don't miss class and be on time!

Sometimes, instead of hanging a stuffed animal, they might use a scarecrow on top of their roof to make it appear occupied so the evil spirits stay out.

 

If someone comes in five minutes late, the class is lectured for 15 more minutes about the importance of being punctual.  This is another tough area for me.  I was married to a punctual military man for many years and he was never able to change me into a timely person.  I was always doing 10 things at once.   I am keeping good time here, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because all I have to worry about is myself now.  I don’t have 4 kids, a husband, 2 dogs, dinner, dishes, laundry, a dirty house, doctor appointments, swim meets and soccer games to get to.  JUST…GET…RHONA…TO…CLASS…ON…TIME…AND…NOTHING…ELSE!!!

A teddy bear above and a doll below keep watch over the house and keep the spirits at bay.

I miss having adult companionship; Friends my age to go out and share a drink and laugh. I miss my friends in Uganda.  I miss my friends in Hawaii.  I miss my friends in Texas.  I miss my 4 children like never before. I am keeping myself together so well right now because I am busy. I take long walks, I study hard, and I read alot,. Sometimes I dont keep it together.  Then I cry.

Both of these pictures are taken near my house in Thane during my walk to the river.

 

They keep us very busy. I have class everyday all day on weekdays, and Saturday mornings.  Then I do hours of homework and studying and preparing for the next day.  I am learning Albanian (Shqip) very fast.  I have heard that this 10 week course is equivalent to a one year college course.  I can believe it.  We move very fast, and the younger PCV surrounding me are so much sharper and quicker to learn than me.  I have to put in 5 hours to their 1 hour of study time just to keep up.

This sign says "The kids are ready for school, and school is ready for the kids".

 I interacted with these children in a school in Durres.  They practiced their English and I practiced by Shqip (Albanian).

When I am not learning the language, I am learning about other issues in Albania:  Politics, Safety and Security issues, Health habits concerning food and water, Sexual assaults, STDs and HIV, Cultural issues, Gender issues, and Community and Organizational development.  We visit other NGOs, learn to write grants and proposals, met the Mayor of Elbasan, and met the US Ambassador. The list is endless, and actually very interesting and necessary.  I am definitely learning a lot by being here and it is enriching my life. 

This cart is passing me as I am waiting for the bus to Elbasan.  I am right in front of my house.

There is snow on those mountains! 

I look forward to the end of Training and the new beginning it will bring to my independence at my new site.  In one week we all find out where we will be living for the next two years of our lives….stay tuned!  Update:  My site is Kucove.  Small city in a government office.  

"I See God in Every Human Being..."

Village of Thane group: T, Megan, Heather, Me, Eric, and Luke.

This is Group 16 of 34 members at the Hotel in Elbasan.

The Albanian flag flies proudly over many homes here.



Mother Teresa said, "I see God in every human being." Mother Teresa is from Albania, and Albania is where I am serving with the US Peace Corps.  This is my first blog from Albania, so let me start with a few facts about the Peace Corps.

This beautiful Mother Teresa coin was given to me by my first Albanian friend on the plane.  She was SO impressed with the sacrifices we make as PCVs and the work we are doing in her country.





The Peace Corps was started in 1961 by President Kennedy.  It is currently in 75 countries with about 8.073 current volunteers.  There are about current 74 PCV (Peace Corps Volunteers) serving in Albania as of this writing. We have 3 sectors in Albania; HE (Health Education), TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), and COD (Community and Organizational Development).  The first Peace Corps Director, Sargent Shriver said, "Peace requires the simple but powerful recognition that what we have in common as human beings is more important and crucial than what divides us."

 

Both pictures were taken from the PC training site in Elbasan. 



You can google for facts about Albania's size and population, so let me tell you other interesting things I've learned.  Albania was listed as the #1 tourist destination for 2013 by Lonely Planet. It's 70% Muslim (although I've also seen the figure 51%); it has no McDonald's; Johnny Depp is a descendant of Albania; Voldemort is from Albania; George Bush is the first US President to visit Albania and they have a street named after him in Tirane; there are over 750,000 bunkers here.  One is in my front yard.

This is the house that I am living in.  The green frames will hold grape vines in season. 

Heather, Me, and Eric in front of my house.



I have been here for about 10 days.  Yes, it is very cold to me, but that is relative, because I am from warm Hawaii!  I have so many blankets on top of me that I can hardly turn over due to their weight.  I still need my long underwear, thick socks on both my feet and my hands and I have to put my head under the blankets. It's probably around 40F at night and 45-55F during the day.  But this is MY story, and I am cold!



Both pictures are Cala Castle in Elbasan. 

I am in a group of 34 volunteers.  We flew to Tirane, then rode a bus to Elbasan.  We have PST (Pre- Service Training) until the end of  May, or about 10 weeks.  It is very intense training in language, culture, and safety, as well as our sector training (COD).  Yes, I am in school again. All day.  Most of our time is spent on learning the language.  The Albanian language belongs to the family of Indo-European languages.  It is one of the oldest languages. Today, it is spoken in Albania and within the former Yugoslavia areas, such as Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and South Serbia. It has 36 letters.

Both pictures are taken near my home in Thane. 

I LOVE IT HERE!  The food is great; a Mediterranean diet of fresh olives, fresh cheese, home made yogurt, tons of great vegetables, fruits, meat, and fresh bread. I am living with a local family during my training to help speed my language skills along. I am near Elbasan (15 minutes) in the small village of Thane of the Cerrick Municipality. Did I mention that Thane is very small?

Mayor of Elbasan with plaque from US Ambassador, "Elbasan, Continue to Lead and show theWay."

 

My family is a woman, Leta, with 3 teen agers.  She has two daughters, Dhurata (20) and Tila (19), and one son (17).  Her husband is an immigrant in Italy building houses.  They grow olive trees and most of their own food. I couldn't have asked for a better family.  They are so kind.  Their house is beautiful, and I live upstairs in separate quarters, so I even have my privacy.

My favorite fast food, Sofllaqe 

It's just so much more than I expected.  Everything is really good.  Even my language skills are coming along so much better than I thought.  I had to acquire two new things; gloves and mud boots.  Mud boots for the long walks in the valleys of mud, and gloves to even hold a book at night!

Genti and I.  He is Albania's Peace Corp Training Manager.  THAT IS A COAT I AM WEARING for those that are not familiar with all these layers upon my body! 

 



The group in Thane is 6 people.  We study together here in our small group 4 days a week.  The other 2 days we take a furgon to Elbasan and study with the big group of 34.  The Albania Peace Corp staff here is great.  The whole experience is very intense and structured.  I sometimes have to pull back a little, take a deep breath, and remember why I am here; Finding Peace Through Service.

It won't always be like this.  At the end of May we are placed individually throughout Albania in both government and non-government (NGO) organizations.  Albania is one of the few places that Peace Corps volunteers are placed in government offices.  So in June, I will have another new beginning in my own house, in a new city, with a new job.  It's a time of new beginnings for me in many ways.

So enjoy the pictures and my stories and let me bring to you my Albanian experiences with the US Peace Corps.



 

Final Days...Making Them Count!



I have ten days left in the USA and then my life changes in every way. I will be in Albania, Eastern Europe for 27 months with the US Peace Corps. I have my movies and my music stored and my endless books downloaded. I have packed my life into two 50 lbs suitcases, which was a very difficult feat. This will be an entirely different experience for me as I will be traveling with a large group of 33 other volunteers (in contrast to my previous solo service trips) into a country I have never visited.  I already know that the hardest part is being away from family and friends. Sooooo....

I will fill the next ten days with everything I love to do and will miss doing. Here we go:

Day 10:  I went to the Houston Rodeo with my son, Jeremy and daughter, Kayla.  They didn't remember that I grew up in Wyoming going to rodeos every weekend.  I knew all about the events, what a "good" ride was, what the judges were looking for, etc.  The rodeo was fantastic. The Tim McGraw concert was after the rodeo. We sang, we swayed, we laughed, we cheered.  Today I was surrounded by 1,000's of handsome Texas Cowboys. How good is that?

Kayla, Me and Jeremy at the Houston Rodeo 

Tim McGraw Concert

Day 9: Today started at 12:30am going dancing at a country bar with Jeremy.  We line danced and did the two step.  He twirled me and spinned me till my head was dizzy!  How awesome is it that a son WANTS to dance with his mama all night?  Tonight I cooked a large spaghetti dinner.  Then we had some surprise company.  Two kids that I used to coach on my swim team for many years came to visit!  The last time I saw Christian and Karen Iglesias they were 13 and 14.  Now they are a very grown up 21 and 22 and are making good life choices.  They remembered me and all the good times we shared and searched for me on facebook! 

With Karen and Christian Iglesias, two of my top swimmers in 2004 when I was coaching in Texas. 

My two sons with their childhood friends Karen and Christian Iglesias.

My Jeremy :)

Day 8: Jackass 1, Jackass 2, and Jackass 3 Movies mean lots of fun and sooo many laughs with Kayla!  I had never seen these movies and I couldn't believe what crazy, stupid things they did.  I even almost vomited at the grossness of some of the stunts they did.  Also today, we went to Dustin's place of work and visited him.  He waited on us and we got to meet his bosses and friends.  We were sure to leave him a good tip :)  After we ate, we got a bike for Dustin to ride to work along the Galveston Seawall.  I cant buy him a cruiser car, but I CAN buy him a cruiser bike!

My son Dustin and Kayla at The Brickhouse Tavern 

God, I love this boy! 

Jeremy riding the new bike home.

Dustin trying out the new beach cruiser.

 

Day 7:  I had to take Kayla back to school.  Will pick her back up in a few days.  Also took a LOOOONNNGGG walk on the Seawall of Galveston.  It was such a beautiful, perfect weather day.  It's Springbreak in Galveston, so even though it is cool, many snow birds are frolicing in the water.  Watched the movie 007 Skyfall with Dustin.

 

Day 6: David (my son) came from Nederland, TX to spend the day with me.  He is in the Coast Guard. David, Jeremy and I rode bikes on the Seawall, then had dinner at the Brickhouse Tavern with Dustin.  It was a wonderful afternoon.  My kids are just so funny and we laugh a lot when we are together.

Jeremy, Me and David riding/skating on the Seawall of Galveston. 

David and Jeremy crossing to the Seawall 

David and Jeremy 



 Jeremy, Me and David at BrickHouse Tavern

 

Day 5:  Sometimes things don't go as planned.  Things happen.  Plans change.  That's what happened today.  It's hard to live up to the pressure of ten good days.  Life just doesn't deliver that many good days in a row.  Today I packed my bags once more and headed to Houston with Kayla.  I am staying my last few nights in a hotel near the Houston Airport in preparation for my departure on Monday.  It was hard to say goodbye. David had to go back to work and I only saw him for one day.  But we laughed.  Remember the laughs and good times, boys.  I'll be back for Christmas.

 

Day 4-2: A few days of relaxation, TV, computer,  and long walks and fitness room sessions. We ate at Subway, my FAVORITE fastfood place in the world. JITB tacos was also on my bucket list.  Kayla and I had a nice relaxing time and spent lots of quality time together. 

 

Last Day:  I got up at 4am to catch a 7am flight from Houston to Philadelphia for the Peace Corp Staging (Orientation).  I have met my group of 33 fellow travelers.  They are amazing.  We had 5 hours of intense information sessions.  Then we broke up for dinner.  I had to eat a Philly Steak and Cheese while in Philadelphia.

 

So begins my new chapter of life, with new friends, doing a new job, in a new country.  My prayers and thoughts will be forever with my children as they face life's difficulties without their mom for so long.  Kids are supposed to go away....not moms. So if you see or run into one of my kids, give them an extra hug and smile and ask them if there is anything you can do to help them.  That's the best way you can support me.  Love to you all  XOXOXO 





My Long Road to Albania

Joining the US Peace Corps is not an easy thing at all!  There is a big application form, long interviews, essays, resume updates, a security background check, finger printing, and lots and lots of medical and dental exams, more interviews, electronic forms and paper forms, BIZ questions, aspiration statement (huh?), another job specific resume, insurance forms, another PC passport application, online security class, etc. The whole process is very time consuming and can take about 18 mnths to 3 years.

Let me start at the beginning of my journey to Albania.  I ran into my first US PCV (Peace Corps Volunteers) in Northern Uganda in 2011.  I was in Gulu doing volunteer service on my own, connected to no organization, with no safety training, and no organization to watch my back. If I were to disappear, it might take a few days to figure it out.  I knew I needed to change the way I was doing my service travel if I wanted to keep it sustainable.  There were about 15 PCV in the Gulu area.  They gathered once a week at a restaurant for dinner and this is how we met.  They ranged in age from mid 20 to mid 60.  They were all very close and shared a unique bond that was almost visible.  Here they were, in war-torn Northern Uganda, doing what I was doing, but doing it as a unit.  I respected their projects, their friendships and their unity so much.  I yearned for what they had.  I spent time with them and learned all I could before I started my own journey to join the Peace Corps.

I sent my initial application to the USPC when I was still in Uganda in July 2011. About a month later, I was in Dehradun, India when I had my first 2 hour interview.  A few weeks later, my finger print/security information arrived.  I had to get finger printed?  In Northern India?  Imagine, a single, white woman entering the police station in a developing country asking to be finger printed!  No one would do it.  That is, until some money exchanged hands.  Yes, a little money (bribery) always speeds things along.  Then they refused to sign it. I took care of that problem.  Let's just say it got back to the US and I passed security.

There was also a time I needed a form notarized in India.  They wouldn't do it for a woman without a man (husband).  Nope.  Not a chance. Not even if I stomped my foot.  Not even if I was sweet. I tried several places and was told to go to the US Embassey in Delhi a whole days train ride away.  I begged for the option of having 3 witnesses sign my form instead and it was granted. It's not easy being a woman in India....in so many ways!

I was in Ethiopia a month later when a packet of forms came to me to fill out.  It was almost a full time job for a week!  They had received my security forms and I was on to the next stage.

My recruiter called me in March of 2012 with the news she had put my name in for the position of Community and Organizational Development in Eastern Europe.  No country yet.  I was settled in Uganda again and she was insistant that I needed to be stationed somewhere new.  I had hoped to serve in Africa, but she said, "Rhona, you've been living in Africa for awhile now. You already know it.  Try this new place. I KNOW you will love the people there". But it's COLD, I said.  OK, Eastern Europe.

Two months later, in May, my medical and dental forms arrived.  OMG!  Never in my life have I seen such a list!  I needed to see medical doctor for a physical, a psychiatrist, a gynocologist, have a mammogram, see an eye doctor, dentist, and have blood work a mile long!  All of this in a developing country where my results might not meet US standards? I had no other choice but to go forward and give it a try.  I had some VERY interesting experiences.

First, I never needed an appointment.  The moment I called, I was told to come in right then.  I never waited in a wating room.  I was always taken in immediately.  I was the foreigner. The psychiatrist wrote, "Given that Rhona has lived in a developing country in stressful post-conflict Northern Uganda for close to a year, she will be able to cope satisfactorily with difficult contexts".  Check.  Phsychiatrist is done.  Next, I had my eyes examined. Check.  Eye doctor is done. Two days later, I woke up with a fungus around my eyes where their glasses had touced my skin.  I put alcohol on the fungus and burned my face!  Not good! That morning, I was supposed to go in for my pap smear.  NO WAY WAS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN!  Skip that test for now!  If I can get a fungus from the eye doctor, I dont want ANYTHING going up there!!!  (I was able to use the papsmear from Hawaii I had a few months prior, WHEW!).

There are two dentists in Gulu.  Neither do bitewing xrays.  I had no choice but to take the chicken bus to the capital city of Kampala 7 hours away.  I call it the chicken bus for several reasons.  There are chickens under your seat, in the lap next to you, and in the luggage area.  It is also called the chicken bus because as it rumbles along the bumpy pot holed highway without budging for other vehicles, it plays "chicken" to see who will veer off at the last moment at heart stopping speed. Instead of a panoramic xray, I had every single tooth xrayed.  I know my xray exposure this day was ENORMOUS!!

I looked like a drug addict by the time all the necessary blood was removed from my body.  I needed a CBC, an HIV, HepB, HepC, a titus for Measles, one for Mumps, one for Ruebella, another for varicella.  I needed tested for G6PDD.  Huh?  WTH is that? That's not all. It seemed to go on and on.

I mailed the physical exam, the psychiatrist exam, the mammogram, the papsmear, the eye exam,and the tons of lab results to the US.  It was done. I heard nothing for June, July, Aug, Sept.  I forgot about PC.  I figured it wasn't going to happen and started making alternate plans for 2013. Then, on the most amazing pivotal day of my life in October, I got an email from my great friend in Hawaii.  I had received a letter from the PC and they had accepted 100% of all my medical and dental results!!  OMG!  To me, it was a miracle.  A sign from God that I was on my correct path.  OH HAPPY DAY!

In November, more forms were sent to me.  I was in the US now for the holidays.  More interviews. Then, December 11th, 18 long months from my application, I was invited to serve in ALBANIA!  It's been a LONG time since I was so happy.  It is such a great, great priviledge to be invited to be a United States Peace Corps Volunteer. I am so honored!

Since then, I have spent hours filling out more forms, sending off for a totally different PC passport, taking an online security class and reading the massive amounts of information they keep sending to me.  I had to buy a coat and boots, a warm sleeping bag, long under wear, and some warm clothes. I have my one way ticket, and leave for Albania in just a few weeks!

How about my family though?  Kids are supposed to go off and do this kind of thing.  Parents aren't supposed to leave their kids and go away so long. Yes, it is difficult and not without a bit of guilt.  I tell myself that I gave them 25 good years. Now it is time for mommy to go do something for herself. I will be safer because I am part of something good now.  My Kayla says, "Why do you have to do this?"  My son asked me what he was supposed to do if he lost his job? Where could he live if I was in Albania?  These are hard questions. They are grown up now, but I still worry about them. I'll be back for Christmas. I need to trust my heart. There is no doubt in my heart that I am on my correct path.  No doubt! So I need to wipe the tears from my eyes because I am going to ALBANIA WITH THE US PEACE CORPS!

A Time of Rest and Love

NEWSFLASH!!

 

I have two more months to exercise, rest, unpack from Africa, and repack for Albania. Yes! Albania, Eastern Europe! I have accepted an invitation to serve as a US Peace Corp Volunteer for 27 months in Albania in Community and Business Development. I am so excited about this opportunity to continue my service work and to travel to a totally different part of the world I have not yet explored. What a joy and a blessing. I am truly a lucky woman...... 

 

Jeremy, Kayla, David, Me, and Dustin 

I returned to the US  after 2 years abroad to be with my children for the holidays.  It was a long, grueling trip from Mombasa to Nairobi (Kenya), to Entebbe (Uganda), to a night in Qatar, and finally Houston, Texas 48 hours later!  Here is a post I put on facebook:

Here I come USA! 25 hours flight time + 20 in layovers....it's gonna be a LONG trip! So happy to be spending the holidays with my kids! This Thanksgiving, I am truly thankful for my country and my family...the two things I missed the most!

A day after entering the US after almost two years of absence, I posted this on my FB Wall:

The 1st 3 things I noticed after being gone so long: 1. Water fountains. Free clean cold water everywhere! 2. So much stuff at Walmart it makes me dizzy and fruit that is perfect like it's been painted. 3. Electrical outlets on every wall. So many to choose from . I can charge everything at once, and not worry about surges or supply.
I am thankful to be in the USA. I missed it so much. I am thankful for my children and am surrounded by their love. I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH THEM; let the cooking, cleaning and shopping begin!



Me, Jeremy, Lindsey, Kayla, David, and Dustin

 

And begin it did!  I cooked and cleaned and cooked and cleaned for almost 6 weeks!  When I wasn't cooking and cleaning, I was shopping for more food to cook.  It seemed an impossible task to keep these grown kids fed!  We watched movies, and spent lots of time together.  It was truly a season of love.  It was such a joy to be with them again!





Our Christmas tree lacked a topper, so Jeremy put his "Golden Surfer" trophy on top!

 

Two years of living with the worst imaginable level of poverty, death that is accepted as a daily occurrence, life taking diseases like HIV, Malaria,  and the still unknown Nodding Disease and accepted daily corruption, bred hopelessness and distrust and has taken its toll on me.  I need to heal and rest.

 

I am still paying the school fees of 13 children in Uganda, so if you are interested in donating, I can send you the information.  

 

Jeremy and Dustin on Christmas morning.

 

David, Lindsey and Kayla on Christmas morning.

 

Christmas morning with the kids.

 

On December 28th, after 6 weeks of "togetherness"  with my kids, I went home to Hawaii.  Yes, Hawaii is still my permanent home in my mind. As each of the kids left home, they migrated back to Texas where they grew up.  Perhaps someday I will have to relocate to Texas to be near the kids if they all stay there, but for now, I consider Hawaii my home.  Hawaii is just so beautiful and peaceful.  I have some thinking and healing and preparing and praying to do, and there's no better place to be than in Hawaii. .

 

Hawaii is actually my home. It is so beautiful.

I took this picture as the sun was setting.  The ocean is calm and the sky is cloudy.

 

Happy New Year to all my family and friends that love me and support what I am doing with my life.  Stay tuned as another adventure awaits for me in Albania 2013-2015.  Mahalo!