Rain and Snow...

It rained on and off on Thursday, and I was really glad not to have school.  It turned out to be a good couple of days.  On Thursday, Thom, Gazmend, and I went to Ferizaj to get a heating unit for the English lab.  We bought the klima, and scheduled delivery and installation for Saturday.  We ordered a printer as well to be delivered on Saturday.  We now have the big ticket items for the lab, and with the heating unit, it will be warm enough to hold class there.

On Friday, Thom and I decided to check out Prishtina Mall.  Prishtina Mall is fairly convenient from Kaçanik, but we have never been there before.  We arrived at noon and walked around a bit before having lunch. The mall was built in 2023, and it is very nice inside.  It is open and airy with lots of windows.  There are a lot of different stores.  We were pleasantly surprised.  After lunch, we met Alyanna and Sarah.  We walked a little longer before stopping for tea and coffee at a coffee shop.  After Sarah and Alyanna left, we walked some more and then picked up some groceries for the Interex at the mall and headed home.  

Fresh snow taken from our balcony

Open area for performance at the entrance of the mall

The mountains from the mall windows

Friday night, the rain changed to snow, and there was a little snow on the ground.  I went to the school while the guys installed the heating unit.  There is a leak in the ceiling, which will need to be fixed.  The printer was delivered later.  It was great to have these items purchased.

Pool of water from the ceiling leak

The installers putting in the heating unit

Saturday night, it snowed some more.  There was a fresh coat of snow when we joined our fellow hikers at the van to go to Reçak.  The hike is a memorial to the 44 people massacred on January 15, 1999.  This was a turning point in the conflict as NATO stepped in after William Walker (US Diplomat) exposed the brutality of the ethnic cleansing in Reçak and throughout Kosovo.

Stopping for tea and coffee before the hike

The whole group

The temperatures were just below freezing for the hike.  It was not too cold as long as we were walking.  The fresh snow was beautiful.  With earlier rains, the snow was clinging to the trees.  We enjoyed the hike and, as always, our hiking companions.

The beautiful trees on the hike

Monday, I went back to school on Monday.  It was a beautiful, sunny, blue sky day.  The students were in great moods.  I met the new counterpart.  Our classes went really well.  After class, I had coffee with Mirvete.  Then we went to check out the new lab.  It was so nice and warm.  Also, the ceiling and the floor was dry.