"Shortcut to Mushrooms"

A couple weeks ago, we spent a day out at a mountain camp called Shelegur. 

 We enjoyed a lovely, treacherous furgon ride along a beautiful switchback road.  I would have let the not-so-gentle swaying lull me into a restful sleep, but the bench that I was sitting on (facing sideways) was not attached to the floor of the van.  Each time I started to nod off, I was jolted awake as I caught myself from falling on my face. 

When the furgon could take us no further, a 30 or 40 minute walk to the camp gave us a chance to calm our stomachs and enjoy the beauty of the uphill trek.  After setting up tents and gathering firewood before dark, we threw our suppers in the fire and waited expectantly.  Tin foil dinners, games, stories and songs around the fire finished off the evening.  Marjus took it upon himself to teach me and Andrea songs in Albanian.  Each song inevitably ended with both of us collapsing in giggles.  :)


I learned a very valuable lesson overnight: always take my inhaler with me.  Always.  Unfortunately, of course, it was too late, and I spent a miserable night trying to convince my lungs to work.  My asthma stayed with me all day, making the hike up to the Greek border less than entirely pleasant.  On top of that, it rained (for the first time since arriving).  My raincoat was hanging out with my inhaler back at the school.  Oh well - lesson(s) learned.  In spite of my oversights, it was a great hike and a great couple days!

On the border of Albania and Greece

I've already shared several pictures from Shelegur (half of the pictures from the last entry), but I saved a few.

I had better fast forward a little bit, or I'll never be up to date with these blog entries!

Since coming back from Shelegur, life has become a little more predictable and school has become a little more, well, school-ish.  Now we usually have 4 classes in the morning (9:00-12:40) and one or two after supper.  The afternoons are fairly free, though they are sprinkled with English or Albanian classes, meetings for the various ministries that all of the students are involved in, visits with the families that 'adopted' us, and just generally keeping up with reading and projects.

It's been raining quite a lot in the last week, but before that, I was really enjoying walking into town, or going slack-lining, or just reading or playing my pan in the sunshine.

Tomorrow morning, we're all leaving for the weekend.  We'll be visiting Butrint (an archaeological site) and Sarande (a beautiful city on the Mediterranean).  Expect some stories and pictures from the other side of Albania next time you hear from me!

I'd feel dishonest if I didn't admit that this mushroom was in the walnut grove and not at Shelegur...

And, today's random fact about Albania:
I don't think I've ever seen a store that posts hours.  Sometimes they're open, sometimes they're closed.  And sometimes they're closed when you walk past and open when you walk back.  Sometimes the grocery store has rubber boots and sometimes the carpet shop serves soft ice cream.  Just enjoy what you find!