One month since landfall

Finally, notice of my arrival.  I’m happy to report that I’m alive and well.

REAL QUICK: In case you just want a few snapshots into life here, I’ve taken a page out of the playbook of some of some fellow travelers and have a bunch of pictures with captions at the end of my report for your viewing pleasure.  If you’re really short on time, you can find bulleted prayer requests right between the prose n’ pics.

What is my blue dot doing there?!

Hey folks! Allow me to come back up to the surface for a moment to catch you up.  On August 19, I flew out of Washington, D.C. heading to Tirana, Albania via Rome.  Those days immediately before and after arrival were so non-stop, hectic and full that they felt utterly surreal as I floated on the help and provision from loved ones, international travel infrastructure, complete strangers, and new friends.  I should have lobbed a quick update to inform you of my safe arrival, but you’ll have to forgive me as I hit the ground sprinting.  Those connected to me through Facebook received a brief communique a week later that all was well as the entire high school student body and staff returned from our weekend retreat which had immediately followed four days of teacher training.

When I initially arrived here, I had a fellow teacher named Kyle living in my spare bedroom.  Returning for his second year at GDQ, his introductory guidance through the city proved a true God-send.  Through Kyle I found the church I plan to attend for the rest of the year as well as many teacher friends from the middle and lower schools that I wouldn’t have connected with as quickly otherwise.  Over the course of the first few days during teacher training I met all the staff and they are a lovely bunch.  I couldn’t ask for better compatriots and friends here.  Kyle has since moved into an apartment with friends he made last year, and his previous housemate, Sajmir, will be moving into my spare bedroom shortly. Sajmir is a native Albanian from a nearby city who works for Cru among university students here in Tirana. Exciting stuff.

The students at GDQ are terrific young people who temper their feisty teenager-hood with genuine faith and a respect for us faculty.  They know we’ve come a long way to teach them, and they seem to appreciate that we’re here to help them.  I wasn’t entirely sure how things would go with my classroom management, but so far I haven’t completely embarrassed myself or let them down.  Between calculus, physics, and business math there are plenty of ways to screw up, and I’ve already made a number of mistakes.  My hope (and prayer) is that, as I build a routine of rest and steadier lesson planning, I’ll be more present in the moment—I’m already noticing improvement in my handling of the lessons and I’m so appreciative of the students’ hard work.  Can’t believe all three classes are transitioning to their respective Unit 2’s already!

It is nearly impossible to capture the moods and experiences I’ve had during these four weeks (two and a half of them teaching!), and there’s certainly more to unpack.  My hope is I’ll do an okay job of conveying God’s continuing grace as this year passes by, hopefully every six weeks or so.  For now, here are some key prayer requests and a number of snapshots.  Thank you so much for joining me in this adventure!

• Please pray for GDQ School as the year continues to pick up pace: that the students would learn both the class content and the life lessons God has in store for them. Also, a nasty stomach virus has been afflicting faculty and students for two weeks now, pray that it ceases.
• For my fellow teachers and myself: I’m slowly getting into a groove but lesson plans and need for rest remain big challenges for me as I adapt to life and work here.
• For continued fellowship and purposeful living in and outside of school.

 

Thar she blows. Seeing the city and Mt. Dajti for the first time with my own eyes.

Simple, cosy decore

First walk to the bus stop to get to school

A tremendous downpour happened in the middle of teacher training week. I was caught on a block for a half-hour.

Of course there had to be a steam roller! I cannot believe my new fancy gortex shoes actually kept my feet dry as I hopped on tip-toe dodging the *wave crests*!

Skanderbeg Square after the storm

The coast near Lezhe (ryhmes with beige), during high school retreat before school

Nothing like a good bon fire to end a retreat!

Blurry image of a group of us teachers on our way to dine out someplace

The Historical Museum, the most imposing bus stop location ever

Another major project underway. I’ve been told that many projects come before and after elections.

New sidewalks have been in the process of being built the whole time I’ve been here. You can just mozy up the construction area as you please. That makeshift cross was probably put there by one of them catholics from the school across the street, but it could have been anyone.

“I am the vine, you are the branches.” Growing grapes on the roof.

Part of the trek from the K8 building to the high school

This schedule is so essential, I’ve set it as my phone’s lock screen picture!

Room 301, my classroom!

Just saw this the other day on Kyle’s door, over in the K8 building. I’m startled by how comforting a Gandalf reference is in this strange land.

The famous Stephen Center, a restaurant that specializes in catering to expats and missionaries alike. A frequent gathering place for sure.

You better believe they’ve got good tiramisu here.

The Lanë, a river/stream that flows through the city. It’s presence is seen from many blocks away, flanked by trees the whole way as it cuts through the city.

Don’t ask, just take pictures.

My new church home in Albania: Guri i Themelit (translated Stone of Foundation or Cornerstone)

Here’s Mr Docci the pastor, who is also the father of one of my students

And a long time expat worker, Alan, giving a sermon on 2 Corinthians 8 about giving. We’ve had some delightful conversations about missional theology over at the Stephen Center; he’s a big fan of Christopher Wright’s “Mission of God”–a favorite of Biblical Seminary where I studied this past year!

I knew it as suvlaki in college, they call it suvlaqe here, pronounced “soovlach”. If I don’t get a cooking routine down quick, I will be made of the stuff by next June.

Modern technology has its pitfalls, but it can also warm the heart over great distances.

Technology has multiple ways of warming the heart over great distances. Yep, I brought my Xbox. It requires a step down power transformer to run. I’d rather not let it share the fate of my poor little beard trimmer, which died suddenly in a moment of obliviousness on my part.

My first haircut in Albania. Maybe next time I’ll work up the courage to request an “Albanian” haircut.

They say that anything over five stories tall was built since the fall of communism. This image shows the stark contrast between the old and the new in Tirana.

This nearby open market has been making tremendous headway while I’ve been here. Watch out, you get to walk through the construction site. I’m not kidding, I had just come through there.

Besides Jesus, this has been my closest companion: it holds coffee, it hold’s ice water that tastes a little bit like coffee, it is precious to me.

Still acquiring stuff, like a drying rack…and a deep sense of belonging. But I know I belong here, at least for this season.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.  ~2 Corinthians 5:15-16