Lessons By Lauren: Olympics

I should start by explaining how much I love the Olympics!  Ok, I really love the olympics!!!!  I try to be impartial to winter and summer, but something about the summer olympics just makes me happy.  I love that athletes compete peacefully for their countries, and when they stand on that podium, their flag, their anthem, and that country, if just for a moment, grabs everybody's attention.  Oh, and I am a sucker for a crier!

So, away from my country, and my patriotism higher than ever before, it became essential to watch this year competition.  Marisa and I bought cable just for the games and began to enjoy watching the events.  Day after day, we watched as Europeans sealed their victories and took home their medals.  We began to ask ourselves about the quality of this years crop of olympic talent from home.  Where were all the American Gold-medal athletes that we have sent in years past to dominate the pool or crush the competition around the track?

Only after a call to home did we learn just what an effect our media has on our perceptions.  Ben (Marisa's boyfriend in America) let us know that America was indeed doing well and had taken home many medals!  We began our analyzation...

We realized that our cable company offered only EuroSport and an Italian broadcasting company for games viewing.  It became so clear!  Of course Europeans were bringin' home all the golds!  That was what this audience wanted to see!  

My lesson learned.  We all must be diligent in collecting our information, news, history, and stories, from multiple sources to make sure that we are getting a well rounded perspective on the truth.  So many times since I have been here, I have been given contradictory information to what I have known to be true my whole life.  Whether about historical facts, cultural norms, political practices, or religious beliefs,  it is only in these times of questing what you have always know for certain, that we are forced to seek facts around what we believe to be truth. 

"When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons.  We cease to grow."  - Anais Nin

Grow!!!

Pickin' Figs

Fig Plantation


Yesterday, Marisa and I were invited by a friend to go to a near-by village to pick figs on a fig plantation.  We had a wonderful time.  The plantation was a half miles walk off the main road.  Ireana's niece and nephew came with us and we all wondered through the garden together.  We had such a great night.  We all ate dinner at this little locale that was on a lake (that had seen better days..the water was a little low) and the wind was so cool.  What a break from the "hair dryer" breeze in Berat.  Our dinner was salad and french fries followed by frog legs and fish.  I tried everything that was served to me, but I have to say the frog legs were a little hard to swallow!  Not one of my favs!

 

Kidnapped

How exciting a unplanned kidnapping can be!!!!  Yesterday, after a Roots and Shoots meeting with Marisa and our youth club, we met up with Marisa's friend who was going to Tirana for a haircut.  A friend of hers, who has a private car, was going to be driving her, so we jumped in for a free visit to the capital.  

Our plans, however changed somewhere along the way.  We ended up in Durres, a city along the beach, a city with an awesome shopping center and import grocery store.  Marisa and I were so excited...this was our chance to stock up and Spicy Heinz Mustard, blue cheese and name brand cosmetics!  After wandering up and down the isles, yes isles, we began to make our selections.  I bought yogurt, cheese, and other things that don't make it to Berat.  The center even had a camping store, where is bought a real yoga mat!

We left the shopping paradise and on the way home, stopped for a beach front dinner.  Our driver, Petrit Cobo, the owner of the only real winery in Albania, treated us, and then we were back in car headed for home.  

We left Berat around noon, not sure where the day would take us, and we were returned about 10 pm, with full stomachs and grocery bags, but empty pockets.  So it goes....life as a Volunteer!

I'm not Contagious

Meet my landlords new puppy.  Someone left her on my front porch a few weeks ago, but I just cannot afford to keep her.  Since Wayne ran away, I figured that my landlord Pirro might be interested in keeping her.  He was, so now the puppy has a home.

She's cute alright, but what you can't see from this pic is that she is a total mess.  I spent an afternoon bathing her and combing fleas and ticks out of her hair.  Not a problem, 'cause you can see those little suckers (ha ha, no pun intended).  The problem lies in the unseen...

Since the bath day a fews days ago, I have broken out with a rash all over my arms.  Any guesses to what it might be, or who it may be from?  RINGWORM....and yes, it's from that cute little fur ball above.  So, after a few sleepless nights from the itching, I have been prescribed athletes foot cream for the rash and a hearty dose of benedryl for the itch.  My advise to you...don't mess with the stray dogs!