And I thought Phoenix was hot

The second month of my service has not only brought temperatures soaring above 100 degrees (with no central air to relieve the discomfort), but it also has been a roller coaster. I started the month off going to Tirana for the 4th of July celebration hosted by the U.S. Embassy. With over 1,000 Americans present, it was a mini America – hamburgers, hot dogs, and of course fireworks to cap the night off. It was also a good time to catch up with other volunteers that I haven’t seen since swearing in. After the 4th, I returned to Tirana on the 16th for Warden training. There are 8 regions in Albania and each region is assigned a Warden and Assistant Warden to be volunteer contacts in case of an emergency – natural disaster, political unrest, etc.

      July 4th party in Tirana

Back in Elbasan, my sitemate that had been working at the Bashkia before me broke her ankle and was sent back to America to have surgery, which shortened her service by two months. As a result, I have a few projects to finish up that she had started. One of them is a tourism project where we will train local University students to be tour guides and develop informational brochures about Elbasan. I am also looking forward to teaching English to one of the coaches who has been running at the stadium. The months of July and August are slow here because most people are taking long vacations. This provides a good opportunity to continue learning Albanian and develop connections in the community for possible side projects.

Other random events: I am continuing to train for the Athens marathon (15 weeks to go!). I had a minor setback and had to take a week off due to a minor concussion, but am starting up again this week and am up to 30 miles a week. I know it is a big challenge ahead since the Athens course is very hilly…I’m looking towards that finish line! Ervin is now up to running 6 miles in the park and he runs every day. I am thrilled that I have been able to have a positive influence on his health habits. Hopefully I can continue to instill my passion for running in others here and educate them about the importance of exercise and nutrition.

Ervin learning to stretch!