English, Games, & "Cotton" Anniversary

ESL Update
The future of our English class that began two weeks ago is still uncertain, after another week of low attendance. We suspect that the Iftar dinner (when devout Muslim break their daily Ramadan fast) makes it difficult for interested students to actually come. Lacey continues to meet with one particularly devoted student for practice at a local cafe. Their meetings usually include conversation, review of written exercises from the prior week, and mentoring toward her academic and career goals. We've conceded that we might need to re-invent the course throughout the semester, and allow students to join based on their availability and proficiency levels. While English is a professional necessity for young Kosovars, it is just one of several leadership capacities that Qendra Qiriazi cultivates, so we are trying to continue ahead on those other areas.

Anniversary
On Wednesday (9/9/09) we celebrated our second ("cotton") wedding anniversary. We are so grateful to have one another as soulmates, companions and colleagues! Thanks to everyone who sent congratulations warm wishes.

Since we're planning a vacation to Greece later this month, we kept our celebration low key. We got dinner reservations at the only restaurant in town with a rotating rooftop cafe, which turned out to be funny because all of the other tables were empty.The waitstaff seemed torn between accommodating us and watching a real-life romantic dinner unfolding before their eyes!

Another interesting anniversary: on 9/9/99 I (Landon) visited Kosovo for the first time with my dad, to begin post-war reconstruction. On that visit we spent about 4 hours in Peja, at a landmine safety training that we still remember because of the colorful Danish official who led it and the disarmed landmines they showed us as cautionary examples. Who knew we would be living here a decade later?

Qiriazi Social Event
On Sat. Qendra Qiriazi (we) hosted an afternoon of games instead of a previously scheduled city-wide treasure. Surprisingly, 20 students came in spite of the rain and had a great time.

We're all looking forward to the treasure hunt next weekend (probably a first for . Besides being fun, it is an opportunity to apply the life skills of teamwork and problem solving and managing self-consciousness while doing something unusual in public!