Opinions

I was really caught off guard the first time I spent New Years in Albania.  The entire country shuts down for several days.  As it turns out Albanians were not allowed to celebrate any religious holidays under their communist dictator, Enver Hoxha.  In fact, they were not allowed to do any thing religious at all.  Instead of getting rid of all the fun of Christmas they just transferred it to New Years.  My first Christmas in Albania was in 2005.  When December 2005 began I began to look for Christmas trees and lights and such.  They were no where to be found.  It was a little depressing that the city wasn't decorated for Christmas.  With some help from my dear friend in Germany we did get decorated for Christmas in 2005, but I was pretty bummed that I felt like a minority at Christmas time.  As Christmas day neared all of the Christmas trees and lights started to appear.  I learned that they were New Years trees and the children were waiting for Father New Year.

Things have changed quite a bit in Tirana and Christmas 2010 was much more pleasant than Christmas 2005.  The decorating began in early December and decorations were easy to find.  We also had a much more pleasant New Year this year because we no longer live in the center of the city where it feels like a war zone come 12:00 a.m.  (I'm referring to the crazy amount of fireworks). 

However, just like 2005 the entire city has shut down.  Only a few people came to church on Sunday.  The roads are empty and there is plenty of parking (you have no idea what a miracle that is).  All the stores are closed.  There is no fresh milk or bread anywhere.  I was excited for Monday to arrive thinking that we could load up on some fresh milk, bread and produce.

The kids woke me up at 7:00 a.m.! (as usual).  I can't believe now how excited I was to go grocery shopping.  I got myself and 4 children ready all by myself, started some laundry and piled in the car.  We had to slow down a bit because I new the stores wouldn't open until 9:00.  I drove slow.  We arrived at our first store at 8:56.  They let us in.  The storekeeper "bragged" about how she had just rolled out of bed.

This was a specialty store where we get our refried beans and grits.  We usually go there on Thursdays after we play with our foreign friends at the botonical garden, but because of the holiday everything was off.  The storekeeper talks a lot.  I really didn't appreciate it this morning because Charlie was fussy and I just wanted to get out of there.  Unfortunately, my children love people and they think everyone is our best friend.  So, B.D., mentioned to her that I'm not eating sugar. 

The storekeeper then began to give me a lecture about how I should eat oatmeal because it stablizes blood sugar.  I explained that I love oatmeal (don't gag, Mom), but I need to figure out how to eat it without sugar.  She tried to convince me that I should eat it with sugar because oatmeal was like a drug for people with diabetes.  I tried to smile politely and keep my mouth shut so she would finish checking us out and let us go.  She then started into a speach about the economy and George Soros . . . . I just wanted some refried beans!!!!  See what I have to suffer just to get what is normal for people who live in America?  Finally we got out of there.

Next we headed to our "big" grocery store.  We checked some labels hoping that they didn't have sugar - no luck.  So we got cheese and a beautiful bag of olives.  We turned the corner to load up on produce, but the produce section hadn't recovered from New Years yet so there was nothing to buy, but some beautiful almonds.

We had barely anything in our cart.  I guess we were only eating sugar before.  We did get some tuna and some popcorn.  We got our two packs of bottled water (the only safe drinking water in Albania) and checked out.

Next we headed to the bread store.  Like most places in Europe we buy our bread freshly baked every other day.  Because of New Years we hadn't had fresh bread in 5 days.  We also get fresh milk at our bread store and we hadn't had that for 5 days either.  I sent B. D. in while I waited in the car.  He came back with 2 loaves of bread and no milk.  I was so bummed.  He said there would be milk tomorrow.  Guess who's having a fresh milk party tomorrow!!!

To sum up: 

1. I didn't eat any sugar, but I did eat way more than normal in order to keep myself from eating sugar. 
2. I had a headache almost all day, but now I feel better. 
3. There are many things that aren't that nice in Albania but here are some things that are way nicer in Albania than the US.

Our daily bread (about 70 cents) and delicious olives (about $1.50)

Byrek - no sugar, but plenty of fat!