It is a crazy world we live in these days!
Yesterday, an 18 year-old boy was shot in a drive-by shooting in Cagalavica, a Serbian village near where I live. The Serbs blocked the highway to Skopje in protest. The Serbs in Gracanica, the Serbian village where I live, is also closed due to a protest near the police station. Basically, Kosovo has been shut-down because the major roads are blocked by protesters! In fact, the roads have remained blocked the entire day. I almost had to spend the night in Pristina but luckily, they opened the road to UN vehicles at 5pm :)
This past weekend, a grenade was thrown into the President of Kosovo's house from a passing car, which supposedly has been identified. On Saturday morning, there was an explosion at the UNHQ in Mitrovica...but of course, no one knew about it unless they read the local media! I only heard about it from Emin Monday morning and he didn't know any of the details...just that there had been an explosion and no one was injured. I am surprised (and at the same time, not) because UN Security did not issue any warnings to stay clear of the area or alert the staff in any way. The common joke is that it is "Un-security" :)
Two weekends ago, a bomb threat was called in to MHQ (Mission Headquarters in Kosovo) where I work. Local police discovered a 4.8kg plastique bomb alongside our perimeter fence set on a timer. Two days later, they evacuated the compound a little after 10pm for another threat while earlier in the day, a bomb threat was called into the Grand Hotel next to MHQ.
On a brighter note, spring appears to have arrived (knock on wood!!!) The weekend was beautiful and sunny. Sinan and I spend the weekend lazing around his flat, watching movies and chatting. We decided to walk the streets of Pristina on Sunday afternoon and took in some of the sunshine. It was an absolutely wonderful weekend :)
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Let It Snow!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!! Master Winter has not let go of Kosovo yet. Last week, it snowed almost every day (just a light dusting that doesn't stick.) But last night, about an inch of snow got dumped on us after dark! While the snow is great, I would have to say that I'm ready for some sunshine and warm weather!
I found a great new restaurant between Pristina and Gracanica called Rron. I was so pleasantly surprised to find a restaurant with great food and excellent, elegant service. They even have real chocolate mousse, not the pudding pass-off that so many other restaurants have :-P
Smokey has a new girlfriend in the neighborhood. I heard barking like crazy this past weekend while he was outside in his kennel (why, oh why, can't he let me sleep in?!) When I looked outside, it was actually a female dog barking at him in his kennel while he ran (or that funny little doggie-prance) back and forth. Emin informed me that she is small enough to actually get in the kennel with him to eat his food and play with him! I think I will need to find a way to "lock-down" the kennel so that he won't have any uninvited visitors...the blackbirds already steal enough food as it is!
We'll try to escape this weekend to Skopje for some shopping. There is a great Irish Pub on the ground floor of the shopping center called (surprisingly enough) "The Irish Pub"! There is also another good restaurant (great ice cream in the summer but pass on the lemonade which is really lemon juice!) kitty-corner from the shopping center's fountain. There's a large terrace equipped with misters that is heavenly during the hot summer months.
I found a great new restaurant between Pristina and Gracanica called Rron. I was so pleasantly surprised to find a restaurant with great food and excellent, elegant service. They even have real chocolate mousse, not the pudding pass-off that so many other restaurants have :-P
Smokey has a new girlfriend in the neighborhood. I heard barking like crazy this past weekend while he was outside in his kennel (why, oh why, can't he let me sleep in?!) When I looked outside, it was actually a female dog barking at him in his kennel while he ran (or that funny little doggie-prance) back and forth. Emin informed me that she is small enough to actually get in the kennel with him to eat his food and play with him! I think I will need to find a way to "lock-down" the kennel so that he won't have any uninvited visitors...the blackbirds already steal enough food as it is!
We'll try to escape this weekend to Skopje for some shopping. There is a great Irish Pub on the ground floor of the shopping center called (surprisingly enough) "The Irish Pub"! There is also another good restaurant (great ice cream in the summer but pass on the lemonade which is really lemon juice!) kitty-corner from the shopping center's fountain. There's a large terrace equipped with misters that is heavenly during the hot summer months.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Happy Valentine's Day
After a successful Christmas Concert, I was asked to MC the Valentine's Day Concert titled "This One's For You". The SRC (Staff Recreation Committee) agreed to follow the concert with a Valentine's Bash. We filled the cinema hall and had a wonderful time :) There was no charity drive this time, it was for the pure musical enjoyment of the staff.
Thinking of the washing machine, I was slightly surprised to discover that European washer and dryers are smaller than our "economy-sized" washers in the US when I arrived in Kosovo. I can usually wash two pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts but that is all. Then, if I am lucky, there will be enough power to run the dryer but usually not. I often end up spinning the excess water out of my clothes by removing half the laundry and running the spin cycle again...and then remove a pair of jeans or sweater from the laundry for a hang-dry.
| The weather is still rather gray and dreary. Of course, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow so we can expect six more weeks of winter :-P Didem screened "Groundhog Day" for the movie committee as it is ever the classic Groundhog Day movie :) On the 13th of this month, the temperature dropped down to -15�C (or 5�F)! Brrr!!! I finally kicked Smokey out of the bedroom for excessive shedding and muddy paws. Whenever he had the muddiest paws in all Kosovo, he would run straight to the bedroom and jump on the bed. Luckily, this winter I was a bit wiser and purchased a duvet cover since the comforter never fit in the washing machine. |  |
Thinking of the washing machine, I was slightly surprised to discover that European washer and dryers are smaller than our "economy-sized" washers in the US when I arrived in Kosovo. I can usually wash two pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts but that is all. Then, if I am lucky, there will be enough power to run the dryer but usually not. I often end up spinning the excess water out of my clothes by removing half the laundry and running the spin cycle again...and then remove a pair of jeans or sweater from the laundry for a hang-dry.
Friday, January 23, 2004
Brr!!!
I wrote to my mom last week to tell her how the weather was wonderful and the temperatures was up to 55�F but this week, I take it ALL back! Brr! It is freezing cold now! The temperature took a sudden dive from pre-spring into the bitterness of a Kosovo winter. Two days of 20mph wind with temperatures in the teens! Today it is clear and 14�F, which is still bitterly cold! I am fortunate to have those two wood-burning stoves in my flat to heat the house up when I get home from work. I usually spend 15 minutes in the morning hauling firewood upstairs before taking a shower. It's a good work-out for me! Plus, you really can't beat the crackle of a wood fire while you sit on the couch and drink hot chocolate :)
Thursday, January 1, 2004
Happy New Year
I have been in Kosovo for the past two and half (2.5) years now. While many people complain about how horrible it is, I can see that a lot has changed for the better since August 2000 when I first visited. I remember the days when you didn't know if you could cook dinner because the power might go out, mornings where you took a cold shower out of a bottle, piles of burning rubbish on the streets, packs of wild dogs roaming the streets, and worse to all...bad pizza was all you could find to eat (ketchup as tomato sauce, bologna as meat!)
The power still occasionally goes out but life goes on. At least it is regulated now (5 on: 1 off,, 4 on: 2 off during peak hours.) Winter is a little worse than the rest of the year because power consumption goes up due to heating...the worst I can remember the winter of 2002/3 when it was one on/five off for a week or two (usually it is four on/two off.) The winter of 2003/4 was not that bad. Yes, the temperatures dipped down into the low teens but the power was only regulated to four on/two off during the worst days (maybe three hours off every once in awhile.)
There is still an estimated 50,000 stray dogs in Kosovo but there is a Humane Society trying to help take care of the problem. I have taken two litters of puppies born in the UN compound to their facility in the hopes that they'll go to good homes. Plus I did take that one special (sometimes I think he's "little yellow bus special" but I still love him) puppy home :)
There are some problems with crime. Last month just after I left, we had reports that unknown persons booby-trapped two UN Police vehicles with hand grenades. Luckily, no was was injured because the officers were aware of their surroundings enough to find them. Additionally, there has been a group of men attacking women and stealing their handbags. Two ladies from my office have been mugged but fortunately, the assailants did not manage to steal their bags. Petty and organized crime are two problems that Kosovo still faces and the UN along with local authorities will need to work on resolving.
Overall, I have learned quite a bit about myself in the time I have been in Kosovo. I think that when you come to a mission, you discover new things about yourself that you might not have in a comfortable environment. I made great friends from all around the world and learned much about the world around us for a unique perspective that I might not have gotten elsewhere.
The power still occasionally goes out but life goes on. At least it is regulated now (5 on: 1 off,, 4 on: 2 off during peak hours.) Winter is a little worse than the rest of the year because power consumption goes up due to heating...the worst I can remember the winter of 2002/3 when it was one on/five off for a week or two (usually it is four on/two off.) The winter of 2003/4 was not that bad. Yes, the temperatures dipped down into the low teens but the power was only regulated to four on/two off during the worst days (maybe three hours off every once in awhile.)
There is still an estimated 50,000 stray dogs in Kosovo but there is a Humane Society trying to help take care of the problem. I have taken two litters of puppies born in the UN compound to their facility in the hopes that they'll go to good homes. Plus I did take that one special (sometimes I think he's "little yellow bus special" but I still love him) puppy home :)
There are some problems with crime. Last month just after I left, we had reports that unknown persons booby-trapped two UN Police vehicles with hand grenades. Luckily, no was was injured because the officers were aware of their surroundings enough to find them. Additionally, there has been a group of men attacking women and stealing their handbags. Two ladies from my office have been mugged but fortunately, the assailants did not manage to steal their bags. Petty and organized crime are two problems that Kosovo still faces and the UN along with local authorities will need to work on resolving.
Overall, I have learned quite a bit about myself in the time I have been in Kosovo. I think that when you come to a mission, you discover new things about yourself that you might not have in a comfortable environment. I made great friends from all around the world and learned much about the world around us for a unique perspective that I might not have gotten elsewhere.
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Happy Holidays
Well, it is off to Las Vegas for the holidays. I'm wheels up from Skopje, Macedonia at 7am. Flying from Skopje is always a treat because the airport is such a mess and the people are truly amazing. There seems to be little concept of order when standing in line...it's kind of a push to the front and whoever reaches the counter first, wins!!! I'm traveling light this year so I can bring back lots of supplies with me (cake mix, spices, long johns!) I am looking forward to going home to see my family and friends. It has been an entire year since I've been in the US and I miss the simple things like window-shopping at the mall or meeting friends for dinner at Tony Roma's (yes, that would be Neil & Angela!) Thinking of food I miss, I'm craving a Taco Bell's 7-layer burrito, Papa John's Pizza with dipping sauce, and steak with lobster! You think you have a problem with weight during the holidays?!?
The snow was a little late this year. It just snowed this week and not that much...thankfully because most of the UN-staffers are going home to their families this weekend and it would be a disaster if the airport closed! But I enjoyed it! It was a surprise to take Smokey outside and find snow on the ground. And there is something incredibly peaceful about the silence there is when it is snowing. It feels like you are the only person in the world...that is until Smokey pulls me along and I remember he is there :) He seems to enjoy the snow as well...sniffing around and trying to catch snowballs!
The snow was a little late this year. It just snowed this week and not that much...thankfully because most of the UN-staffers are going home to their families this weekend and it would be a disaster if the airport closed! But I enjoyed it! It was a surprise to take Smokey outside and find snow on the ground. And there is something incredibly peaceful about the silence there is when it is snowing. It feels like you are the only person in the world...that is until Smokey pulls me along and I remember he is there :) He seems to enjoy the snow as well...sniffing around and trying to catch snowballs!
Sunday, November 30, 2003
Happy Thanksgiving
I managed to score a Thanksgiving Turkey this year! Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is a US holiday, so I had to work on Thursday. But I didn't let that stop me. I gathered a small group of friends at my flat on Saturday evening and we had an evening of laughter and fun. The power was fortunately on all the way through the cooking of the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and spiced wine. Then when it came time to carve the turkey and put the cheesecake in the oven, zap! The power goes off! It was an interested experience trying to carve the turkey using a head-lamp (flashlight that you wear on your head - think miner) and not only that, but I didn't have a carving set, so I had to use a regular fork and the biggest knife I had in my set! Of course, the cheesecake didn't cook properly so it ended up being more of a cheese-glop that anything! But it tasted great :)
Earlier this month, Didem and I went to the second finger of Halkadiki (Sithonia), Greece (AGAIN!) We stopped by Ikea in Thessaloniki and had a blast shopping. The normal busy summer life of Halkadiki was non-existent in November. The few stores that were open in October during our last trip were now closed. The whole place was basically shut-down with few places to eat or shop. I think in the future during the off-season, I'll head to Thessaloniki for some fun.
Earlier this month, Didem and I went to the second finger of Halkadiki (Sithonia), Greece (AGAIN!) We stopped by Ikea in Thessaloniki and had a blast shopping. The normal busy summer life of Halkadiki was non-existent in November. The few stores that were open in October during our last trip were now closed. The whole place was basically shut-down with few places to eat or shop. I think in the future during the off-season, I'll head to Thessaloniki for some fun.
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