Copiation" is the new word that students coined in class today. This is the word they made up for when someone is copying their work. Tuesday is my long day, but it is one of my favorite days. The classes are fun and I enjoyed the students, but I also like Wednesday and Friday as well. Today, we had seven classes in a row, but it went really fast. I have been doing only morning classes up until last week. Now, I have added five afternoon classes on Monday and Thursday and I am working with another English teacher, Besim.
Along with the teaching schedule, we had a Peace Corps Climate Change workshop last Friday and Saturday in Brezovicë. I missed my classes on Friday, but enjoyed the workshop and the experience. I brought, Mirvete, a colleague from work; and Elisa from Bonevet. Bonevet is a NGO that does STEAM classes. She is also developing environmental curriculum. Brezovicë is in the Sharr Mountains and the fall colors were really beautiful. The workshop was a joint venture between the Peace Corps and the EPA. In fact, Lek who came to Kaçanik in September, was back in Kosovo for this event.
Along with learning about the project management process and how to design a climate change project, we took a field trip up to the nearby ski resort. We went there because there is a hydro-power plant next to the ski resort. This plant is being protested. While hydro-power sounds like a more environmentally friendly source of electricity, the environmental impacts are far greater than the small percentage of electricity derived from it. Kosovo is landlocked with a limited supply of water, so hydro-power is really not cost effective. There are two hydro-power plants between the resort and the hotel that our conference was in. These are both in the Sharr National Park. We were told that they were built illegally and so they have been protest against them. We have been to Brezovicë twice before and did not know the hydro-power site was there as it is well hidden behind a chalet built by the same person (company) that built the power plant.
Yesterday was Thom's birthday and the guys from his Gjethi took us both out for wine and appetizers at Uda Restaurant last night. It was a nice evening and we enjoyed the conversation. They got him a sweatshirt with the Albanian eagle on it.
My birthday present to Thom
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