Feels Like Spring...

This weekend really felt like Spring.  Not only does it feel like Spring, but it looks like Spring as flowering trees are in bloom, the hillsides are green, and the willow trees are leafing out.  I enjoyed the two walks I took on Sunday; the first one in the morning when I walked along the Lepenci River for a bit and the second along the Nerodimi.  The rivers are pretty high with snow melt and the recent rains.

On Saturday, I did not get enjoy the weather outdoors, but I did enjoy being a part of the Hamilton House Spelling Bee held in Prishtina.  I was already planning on going to Prishtina on Saturday for the book club gathering with other volunteers.  The book was The Women by Kristen Hannah.  The story takes place during the Vietnam War and followed the life of a nurse that was in Vietnam, but also followed her struggles as she returned to life in the States and the animosity of those who protested the war.  I had originally plan to take the bus to Prishtina and go to the book club gathering at 11 am.  But the another volunteer said that he was helping at the spelling bee and they would love to have additional Peace Corps volunteers.  So I planned to help with the 2 pm session, so I could do both.  

On Friday, I was talking with my co-teacher at work and found out that there was a bus going with the students from the elementary and that I could get a ride.  My co-teacher's wife (Teuta) is an English teacher at the elementary school and she had some 8th graders participating as well as some younger students.  I had already met several of the 8th graders as they also participated in the WriteOn competition at the beginning of March.  Because I had a ride, I decided I could help out with the first session at 9 am, then go to the book club during the 2nd session, and then come back for the third session at 2 pm.  I let the organizer know and she was happy to have the additional help.

So on Saturday, I caught the khombi (small bus) with the students,  Teuta, and several adults that went along at around 7:45 am.  We arrived shortly before the event started and I was one of two judges along with the other volunteer (Jerry), who read the words.  The first session took longer than planned and when I finally had a chance to look at the time, I realized I would not make it for the book club, so instead I stayed for the second session.  Jerry had to leave, so I read the words with two other judges during the second session of upper elementary students (middle school in the U.S.).  I think it was around 3:30 or 4:00 when the second session ended and the prizes were awarded.  In the end, one of the 8th graders from Teuta's class won first place.  She was phenomenal as were all the participants.  It was amazing to see students perform so well in their second language.

The Hamilton House Spelling Bee in Kosovo uses the same rules as the Scripps Spelling Bee in the U.S.  Hamilton House is an English Language publisher.  There were classroom bees, school bees, regional bees and in this case it was a national bee with the top winners coming together other events coming together.  I don't think it has been going on very long in Kosovo and they definitely need to figure out a better schedule and possibly a way to reduce the numbers in the final round.  It was still a lot of fun and I got a ride back with the group.  It was a good way to spend Saturday.

This weeks photos:

Ljuboten from the shesh in Kaçanik

A tree in bloom

The moon from the balcony as it rise of the hills

This dog found a breakfast bread

Daffodils are blooming

They pruning the trees in the ugly way they prune trees here

They prune them so far back every year 

The 8th graders before the Spelling Bee (Florina in the black sweatshirt won Session 2)

All the students and Teuta

Jerry with the microphone, another judge, and me during Session 1

Session 2 Winners:  Teuta holding the laptop in the center and Florina to her right

A picture of the group at the end of the day

The Newborn sign from the Youth and Sport Hall -- site of the spelling bee

The weepy willow by the river leafing out

A flowering tree fully in bloom

Three More Mondays in Ramadan...

Monday, when I walked home from school after a pretty marginal day, I thought "only three more Mondays in Ramadan".  It was the first Monday after the start of Ramadan and students in the morning class were barely awake.  Actually, some were already asleep after arriving at school just minutes before.  The afternoon classes with Besim weren't much better.  Fortunately, classes were better as the week wore on. 

Most of the high school students are fasting for Ramadan.  That means they are fasting during the day from Suhoor (around 4:50 am) and Iftar (around 5:45 pm).  The time changes slightly each day in keeping with dusk and dawn.  While fasting, they do not eat, drink, or smoke.  Most of the staff at school are also fasting as well.  

Students asked me if I am fasting, which I am not.  They tell me that it is healthy (which I don't believe) and that it is cleansing (possibly).  Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.  I was talking about it with two 11th graders on Friday.  They told me it helps them to be disciplined and Ramadan is not just about fasting but a way to get in touch with your religion.  They told me during Ramadan, you should refrain from using bad language, drinking, and that you should work to be a good person. 

Ramadan is also a bit of a celebration and most people seem happy to participate as they spend time with friends, family, and co-workers in the evening.  It does, however; effect the sleep of people who are fasting and that is why students are tired at school.  Students are staying up later at night to visit with friends and family.  If they do go to sleep, they are getting up for Suhoor.  Some go back to bed after eating, only to get up in a few hours for school.

On a positive note, the students who were not too tired to participate, seemed calmer and after Monday, the rest of the week went pretty well.  On Tuesday, after we got done with our classes; Gazmend and I went to the municipality building to meet with the municipal director of education.  I needed permission to do the WriteOn competition at the upper-elementary with Teuta (as per the director of the upper-elementary).  He readily gave me permission and said that I was welcomed in any of the municipalities' schools. 

Wednesday, I left the last class at the vocational school early to meet Teuta and go to the upper-elementary.  Nine 8th graders took part in the WriteOn competition.  After I got home, I read through their creative writing and was impressed with their ability to write in English.  

Wednesday evening, I went with Teuta to a show at the house of culture that commemorated the 27 years since the start of the armed conflict in Kosovo.  The show had two singers who sang classical and traditional music, and it was a nice performance.

Beautiful spring weather in Kaçanik

Friday was teacher appreciation day and Saturday was International Women's Day.  To celebrate, all of our classes were shortened to 30 minutes and we got done teaching early.  The female teachers received a potted flower and some of our staff met for coffee or tea in the evening at Trofta (which is a restaurant not far from our school).  The day was a nice surprise.

My potted flower from school

Where the Lepence and Nirodemi Rivers come together

A gorgeous view of Ljuboten Saturday Morning

The top of the peak from near the old mosque

Date muffins for breakfast

Since I got done early with school, I contacted Noah in Ferizaj to see if he was available to witness my absentee ballot.  Fortunately, he was, even though he was just getting over the flu.  I took the 1 pm bus to Ferizaj. We met outside near his apartment and then I took it to the post office in Ferizaj to mail it.

Saturday morning, after making some date muffins and eating one for breakfast, I took a walk.  During Ramadan, those who are fasting will sleep in and even at 9 am when I went for my walk there were very few people out.  The high temperatures since Wednesday have been in the low to mid 60s and it has been Sunday.  One week of Ramadan is done and three to go.

  

Ramadan Mubarak...

Saturday, March 1 was the start of Ramadan and Saturday morning when I went for a walk there was a lot of traffic coming into Kaçanik.  I decided to walk up the hill towards Stagova and away from the noise and traffic.  Saturday's walk was really good.  The temperatures were in the low 50s and there was no wind.  It was really comfortable.  

Congratulations on Blessed Month of Ramadan (sign from Kaçanik Islamic Council

Ramadan gifts given out by the river:  dates, calendar and booklet

I saw this goat on my walk

The view of Kaçanik as I went up the opposite hill

Sunday, however; was much cooler and rainy.  There was no hike schedule.  I am not sure if that is because of Ramadan or the bad weather.  I went out for two walks and got wet both times.  I still got a 4 mile walk in even with the rainy weather.  

Dead cat getting rained on

On Wednesday, I went with Mirvete to the village of Biqec.  Mirvete is subbing in English classes for a teacher who is on medical leave.  WriteOn is a creative writing competition is put on by Peace Corps volunteers and Mirvete had seven 6th graders that wanted to participate.  The competition takes place in Albania and Montenegro as well.  After WriteOn, I visited the 4th and 1st grade classes to talk with students, before returning back to the vocational school for the last class.

Jusuf Gërvalla Elementary in Biqec

On Thursday, we had our normal 2nd hour class.  Then we have a break.  Gazmend had to go to the gjimnaz for a union meeting.  Our 4th hour class is a automechnic group and they weren't into the last lesson we did on fashion.  Since I had a break, I decided to see if I could find an ESL activity related to automechnics.  I actually found several.  One had a paragraph with a brief description of some of the parts of the engine and how they worked.  In the paragraph, there were some words in bold and they matched to a diagram starting with the battery and the flow of electricity to various parts.  The students had to label the parts with the bold words and then match these words to their correct definitions.  This is a class where it can be hard to get 100% participation, but today all of the students worked on the worksheet.  I had a harder worksheet with a diagram of a car and a dashboard.  There were 35 parts of the car that they had to identify.  About 1/2 of the class work on that one.  It was a really great class and a lot of fun.

Thursday is also the day I have afternoon classes with Besim, however; he sent me a message on my way to school that he had the flu.  So when I got to school, I did two of his classes on my own.  These are senior classes and they were get a vaccination for Tetanus shots.  The first class didn't want to work because they were anxious about get their vaccines and second group did not want to work, because they had just got their vaccine.  

With Thom gone and nothing on the schedule, calls home are much more important.  I talked with Thom on Saturday and with my niece and her family on Sunday.  It is nice to talk with the girls (Rori is 6 and Maggie is 3).  

I am sure that the month of March (Ramadan this year) will be hard for students and I am not looking forward to it.  They will be tired, thirsty and hungry.  Since many of the students smoke and they also can't during Ramadan; many will be craving cigarettes.  I think they will have a hard time focusing, but I hope I am wrong.

The lettuce I'm growing in the apartment