It's Summertime!!! That means, it is hot, dry, and dusty in Kosovo :-P~
As usual, there is a problem with the water and lack of conservation and respect for the supply. While residents of Pristina continue to water the sidewalks and streets with a garden hose (which theoretically carries a 50 Euro fine but is not enforced), I am forced to take a bucket shower in the mornings because there is not enough water and pressure in Gracanica...even though we are located closer to the water reservoir. I was fortunate this morning to be able to wring some hot water out of the tap but this past weekend, I was forced to take artic temperature bucket showers. It is disheartening to think that this will continue until mid-August and one of my little joys in the morning is standing under the warm shower to wake-up. So I declare: No more bucket showers for me! I will be purchasing a water tank and perhaps pump (for pressure) after work today so that if the water is turned off or there is not enough pressure, I can at least enough a warm shower and do my dishes (which are piled almost as high as Everest in the kitchen due to the lack of water...hey, you can only do so much with a bottle of water!)
Warm weather also means that the swimming pools in Kosovo are open. To tell you the truth, I don't think many of the internationals go to the local swimming pools for hygiene reasons. One reason is that most pools are not equipped with the regular filters and not chemically-treated as they are in the US. The water often has a green-algae tint to it and you can't usually see the bottom *eww* The other reason would be the sheer number of people at the swimming pool...I imagine that you'd have to tiptoe around the entire pool as to not step on anyone.
This past weekend, I had a "Summer Solstice" BBQ in Gracanica. I invited a small group of friends over Sunday evening for steak, chicken, macaroni salad, and my now famous Bailey's Cheesecake. It was a blast and we ended up competing for louder, better music with a neighbor who has been blaring traditional Balkan music (nicknamed "snake music") for a wedding celebration that has lasted at least four nights so far.
