The last few days...

Happy Monday!

To update you on the last few days...

Last Thursday I spoke at a women's gym on nutrition.  It was a crazy experience because I was expecting maybe 5-10 people.  I think there must have been 25-30 people at least.  I spoke on the basic subject of the food guide pyramid, noting how many foods you should eat out of each food group, etc.  It was honestly a really nerve-racking ordeal because I had never met these women before and didn't know their knowledge levels or what they wanted to talk about.  I had just heard that there is a basic LACK of knowledge on nutrition in general, and so I took the ultra basic route.  It was even more difficult because the methods of measurement are in different units here as well.  Lacey and Landon (a couple that just moved here recently--- Landon speaks fluent Albanian!) translated the USDA food guide pyramid into Albanian for me and I was able to give them a visual in their own language, but it was still very hard.  I think it was just hard for me to feel like I did a good job, knowing that the information was so basic.  But it's what they needed... so I should feel accomplished, right?

  *sigh*  

Afterwards, I spent the night at Senada's house and we looked through just about every picture on my laptop.  haha!  They wanted to see pictures of other places and of my home.  I didn't have too many of my home, so I will have to be sure to take some when I get back.

Friday we had a game night with the high school students and we played CLUE.  The first game was fun and went by fairly quickly.  The second round was full of intensity; no one talked to each other except to drill them with questions or repeatedly ask what someone just said, and everyone was taking crazy notes on everything anyone was saying.  Literally... it took 2 hours.  I now hate the game CLUE.  haha seriously it was the most stressful 2 hours of my week!

Saturday I had coffee with my sweet friend Arzana.  She says hello to all who know her back home :)  Late Saturday night two more students came from the US to help with camp next week. 

Thera and I also ate at a place up the hill called "Old Time."  It was a really cool place and you sure got your exercise getting up to it!  The view was phenomenal and I ate a calzone that was bigger than my face... literally. 

Sunday I visited bedside baptist and listened to a John Piper sermon on my computer on the woman at the well.  I really like his insight to various topics.  I am also reading a book by him called "When I Don't Desire God" and it's all about how to fight for joy.  It's good so far and I have really enjoyed it!  After lunch with the team, I took them to Senada's for another home visit!  We came bearing lots of food and had a great time playing Twister and Dutch Blitz.  I was so glad to share my Albanian family with them and I know that Senada's family really enjoyed having us.  It was a good afternoon! 

 Joanna returned from her conference in Greece late Sunday night and it was SO GOOD seeing her!  It's been raining all week (literally ALL week) and I just knew that when she came back, she would bring the sunshine with her.  Sure enough, it's a sunny day today!  YES!

Today (Monday) is the halfway point in my trip!  It's hard to believe that I have been gone about 4 weeks.  I will be home 4 weeks from tomorrow... so crazy!  This week will be full of camp meetings and preparation, then the following week (July 6-10th) is camp week for the high school.  Lots to do, but somehow I don't feel a huge sense of pressure or urgency.  Things are more organized this year and it's a nice change of pace.  I worked on my nutrition talk for this Wednesday and I am already feeling more prepared and ready for the challenge.  I am thankful for that!

Until later!

-Katie