**Written in mid-Nov:...

Thanks to all of you for thinking about us and writing. Sorry we have been a little less communicative--at least in comparison to our last two posts/assignments.  Things here in Albania are much busier for us. Much has to do with me having a "real job."  And the Dutch don't mess around... just like Americans, they work hard.  Jim is busy everyday networking and planning options for himself and the community. The rest of the time he (and often me too) are spending time just dealing with life!  Everything takes soooo much longer here to accomplish than a rational western mind would expect.  For example, we bought a vehicle (more below) and it took nearly two weeks to register it and get license plates.... 8 weeks to get some furniture... Etc.

 ....

Next week, I will be taking a trip with a "study tour" group to another town in southern Albania to see their tax office and talking with their citizens advisory commissioners. We will be taking about 17 people from Peshkopi. Then, I have a 1 1/2 day meeting in Fier (near the coast). It is our country-wide SNV quarterly meeting.  By Friday, Jim will join me (with our new rig ;-)), and we will go to Gjirokaster (beautiful, old (tourist potential) roman and turkish city near Greece. We are going to our new friend, Zino, brother's wedding! His family is looking forward to meeting us. Should be interesting!  We will also be taking a trip somewhere over the holidays, since I have comp time that I must "use or loose."  Oh, did I say that although the Dutch work hard, they definitely are serious about time off too!  This is great and I have been told to take 3 weeks off before the end of the year!  never happen in the US, eh?... This is still not touching my "holiday leave" which is a month per year.  Yahooo!

Fall is in the air and we now have a wood stove, which Jim carried across the boarder from Macedonia to Albania (another story) that we need to hook up before it really gets cold.  We bought a small propane heater that we will use for the bathroom. I have been using it a little to take the chill off this week while Jim is gone.

I guess we're bringing American capitalism to Albania. We've bought a car, wood stove, furniture made locally and drink a lot of the local beer. Ah, economic development!  With that parting thought ---good night.  I need to get up early tomorrow. Even though it is Saturday, me and 2 teammates are doing a workshop in Macedonia for a new client.  Yes, SNV is expanding in the Balkans--in 2 years we will be in 4 countries. That's another story... 

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