Whoa X 100%!!! I spent around 15 hours without power yesterday. It was probably due to the huge thunderstorm that descended on Kosovo like a rabid, starving pack of dogs would on a discarded steak. I very sarcastically offer my opinion that maybe the power plant was struck by lightening and blew up AGAIN (happened in the summer of 2002 where the lightening insulators had a shelf-life of 25 years but in the power plant, they were over 40 years old. Lightening struck during a storm and the station was pretty much destroyed). Today the power situation appears to be stabilizing to four hours on and two hours off. But I have to admit that last night tested my resolve (why oh why am I here?) while I sat in the semi-dark of my house listening to the hum of the neighborhood generators.
On the waterfront, it has been raining non-stop since yesterday night so there isn't a lack of water in our flat now. I had a nice shower this morning before running out of hot water because there wasn't electricity to run the boiler...yeah, yeah...can't have my cake and eat it too, right? Anyways, I'm looking forward to coming home to the States for two weeks to take long hot showers, eat Taco Bell Seven-Layer Burritos, shop in the Galleria Sunset Mall, and see some of my friends from the university...ah, the life!!!
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Sittin' in the Dark
Whoa! What's up with the power??? All of a sudden, we are having severe power problems. Severe means that we are going with two hours of power and then four/five hours without power. It for a lack of better description...really sucks! I'm afraid that I will end up tossing all my food out of the freezer and fridge unless the situation improves in the next couple of days. Luckily I still have the trusty Honda generator on the porch so it is running now so I can update you :)
It's almost ten o'clock at night and I just had my shower. The water was off last night and this morning.
Actually, this morning really wasn't a good one for me (other than being sick) I had just finished lathering my shampoo when the water went out. I had to rinse the soap out with a tiniest trickle of water while hanging my head upside-down because the trickle was ice cold and I wasn't about to let it run down my back!!!
The wild dogs in Gracanica are running around in a pack now. They seem to like coming in our yard around one o'clock in the morning and picking fights. Smokey is kept in his kennel for his safety so that he doesn't get his butt kicked again...and isn't mistakenly shot by KFOR when and if they decide to clean up the streets.
It's almost ten o'clock at night and I just had my shower. The water was off last night and this morning.
Actually, this morning really wasn't a good one for me (other than being sick) I had just finished lathering my shampoo when the water went out. I had to rinse the soap out with a tiniest trickle of water while hanging my head upside-down because the trickle was ice cold and I wasn't about to let it run down my back!!!
The wild dogs in Gracanica are running around in a pack now. They seem to like coming in our yard around one o'clock in the morning and picking fights. Smokey is kept in his kennel for his safety so that he doesn't get his butt kicked again...and isn't mistakenly shot by KFOR when and if they decide to clean up the streets.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Where'd the Time Go?
Wow! Has it really been two weeks? I've been working like crazy and I really lost track of the time! I've hardly been online from home lately to chat with those of you who are online in the mornings in the US...you know, those of you who are getting ready to have lunch and I say "Well, off to bed!" My project is getting ready for deployment and that's why I've been offline and spending so much time in my office.
I do have to share with you though that I believe I had my first case of food poisoning (or at least bad food) in three years last week. I woke up in the middle of the night last Tuesday with a stomach ache and things progressed from bad to worse on Wednesday. I ended up going home in the afternoon so I could be close to the bathroom...so I spent the rest of the day running from the bed to bathroom. I won't share all the gross details with you but let me just say that I've never been so miserable in my life. Now, it may have not been bad food to blame...because of the water shortages and rationing of late, it is possible that the water that was used to wash vegetables or the dishes was contaminated.
The temperature took a dive last week into the 60's and it rained for a couple of days. The summer has been rather interesting this year...so mild that I fear we will have a harsh winter. Luckily I still have quite a bit of firewood left over from last year and it will be nice and dry!!! But the weather got a bit nicer over the weekend so maybe summer isn't quite over yet :) Our water problems seem to have been solved by the rain last week as we've had an abundance of water up until this morning. This morning I had a regular shower but without a lot of pressure...but I won't complain too much as long as there is warm water coming out the showerhead! I just hope that the water isn't connected to the rain but rather the work they've been doing along the road in the next village.
KFOR can't seem to make up their minds whether or not they want the checkpoint to be manned. As of late, the American KFOR soldiers are coming after dark and setting up a checkpoint. They gave us a bit of a scare one night because it was pitch black as the power was off, no moon, and no one was wearing reflective gear and the only lights they had were the little green chemical glow-sticks. A stroke of genius on their part...and luck on ours that we didn't hit anyone!!!
I do have to share with you though that I believe I had my first case of food poisoning (or at least bad food) in three years last week. I woke up in the middle of the night last Tuesday with a stomach ache and things progressed from bad to worse on Wednesday. I ended up going home in the afternoon so I could be close to the bathroom...so I spent the rest of the day running from the bed to bathroom. I won't share all the gross details with you but let me just say that I've never been so miserable in my life. Now, it may have not been bad food to blame...because of the water shortages and rationing of late, it is possible that the water that was used to wash vegetables or the dishes was contaminated.
The temperature took a dive last week into the 60's and it rained for a couple of days. The summer has been rather interesting this year...so mild that I fear we will have a harsh winter. Luckily I still have quite a bit of firewood left over from last year and it will be nice and dry!!! But the weather got a bit nicer over the weekend so maybe summer isn't quite over yet :) Our water problems seem to have been solved by the rain last week as we've had an abundance of water up until this morning. This morning I had a regular shower but without a lot of pressure...but I won't complain too much as long as there is warm water coming out the showerhead! I just hope that the water isn't connected to the rain but rather the work they've been doing along the road in the next village.
KFOR can't seem to make up their minds whether or not they want the checkpoint to be manned. As of late, the American KFOR soldiers are coming after dark and setting up a checkpoint. They gave us a bit of a scare one night because it was pitch black as the power was off, no moon, and no one was wearing reflective gear and the only lights they had were the little green chemical glow-sticks. A stroke of genius on their part...and luck on ours that we didn't hit anyone!!!
Monday, July 5, 2004
Happy 4th of July!
The 4th of July passed with little notice for me this year. There were no parades, no fireworks...only a small gathering at Didem's flat just for fun (not to celebrate American Independence.) An interesting thing is that many Albanians celebrate the 4th of July simply because they credit the US with ending the war. I believe it is on the 2nd of July that Kosovo received its autonomy in the 1980's from Serbia and last year, the celebrations were deferred to coincide with the 4th of July.
I went down to Prizren on the weekend. It is about a one and half hour drive from Pristina through the mountains to Prizren. I was surprised to see four marked mine fields right on the side of the road and then discover later that the mine fields were just found last week! Three years ago when I went through my UNMIK orientation, we were informed that Kosovo was 99% clear of mines...but really, I wonder how accurate that statistic is if they find four new mine fields after three years and the fields exist right along the highway?!?!
I am becoming the queen of the bucket shower...okay, it's not really a bucket but a really big mixing bowl :) The water pressure is so poor in my flat that I haven't had a really good shower in over a week! Yeah, I know what you are thinking and the answer is yes, I have been bathing :-P But how I would love to stand under a strong warm spray of water for five minutes! And if I get home after 10pm, there isn't even a gram of water to wash your face, hands...unless your bathroom looks like mine with 15 refilled water bottles sitting on the floor *chuckle*
The checkpoint is completely unmanned now except for Saturday night. The soldiers were doing thorough checks of the vehicles entering and it took us about 20 minutes to go the distance of six houses! The concrete blocks, barbed wire, and metal barriers are still there so the soldiers can setup the checkpoint on the fly if they want to. I imagine that they probably will be around during the weekends.
I went down to Prizren on the weekend. It is about a one and half hour drive from Pristina through the mountains to Prizren. I was surprised to see four marked mine fields right on the side of the road and then discover later that the mine fields were just found last week! Three years ago when I went through my UNMIK orientation, we were informed that Kosovo was 99% clear of mines...but really, I wonder how accurate that statistic is if they find four new mine fields after three years and the fields exist right along the highway?!?!
I am becoming the queen of the bucket shower...okay, it's not really a bucket but a really big mixing bowl :) The water pressure is so poor in my flat that I haven't had a really good shower in over a week! Yeah, I know what you are thinking and the answer is yes, I have been bathing :-P But how I would love to stand under a strong warm spray of water for five minutes! And if I get home after 10pm, there isn't even a gram of water to wash your face, hands...unless your bathroom looks like mine with 15 refilled water bottles sitting on the floor *chuckle*
The checkpoint is completely unmanned now except for Saturday night. The soldiers were doing thorough checks of the vehicles entering and it took us about 20 minutes to go the distance of six houses! The concrete blocks, barbed wire, and metal barriers are still there so the soldiers can setup the checkpoint on the fly if they want to. I imagine that they probably will be around during the weekends.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
It's Official :(
News came out today that the water company will start rationing the water supply between 1000-1700hrs every day due to outstanding debts of 13M Euros and illegal connections to the water supply. They are also (I happily note) encouraging people not to misuse the supply to water sidewalks and/or gardens...but as I have learned, a great many of the people here have little respect for anyone other than themselves. It is apparent in the way they drive, conduct themselves in restaurants and lines...most aspects of everyday life.
Oh, I probably forgot to share earlier, but my contract has been extended until June 2005. While I doubt that I will stay in Kosovo all that time due to the foreseen end of my project, who really knows what will happen in this crazy world of ours?! I've learnt that in the UN most of the time it is "believe it when you see it" and the same applies for the rumor mill that is ever circulating information :)
The checkpoint is again unmanned although there is still a tank parked there. But I haven't seen soldiers since last night...maybe their napping inside the tank? It is unlikely that KFOR will be "allowed" to leave the entrance of Gracanica. According to UN Resolution 1244 which created the mission, Serbia is allowed to have troops in Kosovo for the safety and security of the citizens (read Serb written between the lines.) Now, because of the violence last March and the inability of KFOR/UNMIK to protect the Serb population, there has been a lot of discussion about whether or not KFOR can actually handle the security for the Serb population in Kosovo to prevent this kind of reverse "ethnic cleansing".
Oh, I probably forgot to share earlier, but my contract has been extended until June 2005. While I doubt that I will stay in Kosovo all that time due to the foreseen end of my project, who really knows what will happen in this crazy world of ours?! I've learnt that in the UN most of the time it is "believe it when you see it" and the same applies for the rumor mill that is ever circulating information :)
The checkpoint is again unmanned although there is still a tank parked there. But I haven't seen soldiers since last night...maybe their napping inside the tank? It is unlikely that KFOR will be "allowed" to leave the entrance of Gracanica. According to UN Resolution 1244 which created the mission, Serbia is allowed to have troops in Kosovo for the safety and security of the citizens (read Serb written between the lines.) Now, because of the violence last March and the inability of KFOR/UNMIK to protect the Serb population, there has been a lot of discussion about whether or not KFOR can actually handle the security for the Serb population in Kosovo to prevent this kind of reverse "ethnic cleansing".
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Sum-Sum-Summertime!
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Updates Galore!
I know, I know! I finally received my new laptop which allows me to edit my photos without the hassle of a physical memory dump...so for your viewing pleasure, I have added photos with hopefully more to come as I continue to search for non-incriminating photos of my life and friends :)
Now, about the laptop. You wouldn't believe the interesting time I had while ordering from Dell. I am for about six years a loyal Dell customer so when the time came to update my laptop, I naturally chose to order online from Dell. The difficult part was sending the laptop to Kosovo so I decided to order to my friend's house and have him ship it to me. So, I placed my order and waited patiently for the ship-date (approx 1.5 weeks after ordering.) The day after it was supposed to ship, I checked the order status and it was still in production. So I called Dell Customer Support from Kosovo (at the tune of 10 cents/minute) and asked why the order was delayed. The response was that because I had truthfully indicated that the laptop would be exported from the US, they needed more information from me. So, I spent a half an hour verifying my personal information with the rep. Then it came time for the export information:
Do you work for the US government, agency or an international organization?
Yes, I work for the UN.
The UN?
Yes, the United Nations.
The United Nations?
Yes, the United Nations.
Pause...the United Nations?
Yes, I work for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
Pause...umm, okay.
So after this little bump in the road (and serious cause of I-can't-believe-this on my side), the rep entered all my export information. So now the laptop should ship. I check back two days later and this time, the order is cancelled. I am slightly upset as I call Dell Customer Support. The new rep apologizes and tells me that the order was cancelled because the export office needed more information from me (I'm thinking, so logically they cancelled the order rather than contacting me? Right!) So, we place the order again and thankfully, because of the mishap, I retain my special online deals that had since expired. Then the next day, I receive an email from the very helpful rep asking me to fill out some supplementary information for the export department and fax it back to them on my company letterhead.
First, I respond that I cannot use the letterhead of the United Nations because the laptop is for my personal use but that I am a US citizen but working overseas for eleven months out of the year. Then I open the attachments. I CAN NOT BELIEVE what I read:
"Accordingly, we hereby agree:
that we will not transfer, export, or re-export, directly or indirectly, any Product(s) acquired from Dell to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan, and/or Syria, or any nationals thereof, or to any other country subject to restriction under applicable laws and regulations, and that we are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country;
that we will not use the Product(s) in any activity related to the development, production, use, or maintenance of Weapons of Mass Destruction, as defined by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, including without limitation, uses related to nuclear, missile, and/or chemical/biological development and or production and that we will not transfer, export, or re-export, directly or indirectly to any party engaged in any such activity; if we are engaged in the development or production of Weapons of Mass Destruction, we acknowledge that we could be subject to and responsible for U.S. export licensing requirements;"
Then after my response that I can't do anything, I don't hear back from them. So I think great, my order is going to be cancelled again. Then I start tracking my order online and it is going through the production process. It gets built and then stays in the boxing prep stage for about a week. Now I'm really thinking that they are holding up the order because I couldn't do the export paperwork like they wanted. Ship date comes...and whoa, the order is shipped! I couldn't believe it...and now, I'm happily working away on my new laptop...meanwhile, very seriously holding up my end of the bargain not to make WMDs with it >:-) Ummm...right!
Now, about the laptop. You wouldn't believe the interesting time I had while ordering from Dell. I am for about six years a loyal Dell customer so when the time came to update my laptop, I naturally chose to order online from Dell. The difficult part was sending the laptop to Kosovo so I decided to order to my friend's house and have him ship it to me. So, I placed my order and waited patiently for the ship-date (approx 1.5 weeks after ordering.) The day after it was supposed to ship, I checked the order status and it was still in production. So I called Dell Customer Support from Kosovo (at the tune of 10 cents/minute) and asked why the order was delayed. The response was that because I had truthfully indicated that the laptop would be exported from the US, they needed more information from me. So, I spent a half an hour verifying my personal information with the rep. Then it came time for the export information:
Do you work for the US government, agency or an international organization?
Yes, I work for the UN.
The UN?
Yes, the United Nations.
The United Nations?
Yes, the United Nations.
Pause...the United Nations?
Yes, I work for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
Pause...umm, okay.
So after this little bump in the road (and serious cause of I-can't-believe-this on my side), the rep entered all my export information. So now the laptop should ship. I check back two days later and this time, the order is cancelled. I am slightly upset as I call Dell Customer Support. The new rep apologizes and tells me that the order was cancelled because the export office needed more information from me (I'm thinking, so logically they cancelled the order rather than contacting me? Right!) So, we place the order again and thankfully, because of the mishap, I retain my special online deals that had since expired. Then the next day, I receive an email from the very helpful rep asking me to fill out some supplementary information for the export department and fax it back to them on my company letterhead.
First, I respond that I cannot use the letterhead of the United Nations because the laptop is for my personal use but that I am a US citizen but working overseas for eleven months out of the year. Then I open the attachments. I CAN NOT BELIEVE what I read:
"Accordingly, we hereby agree:
that we will not transfer, export, or re-export, directly or indirectly, any Product(s) acquired from Dell to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan, and/or Syria, or any nationals thereof, or to any other country subject to restriction under applicable laws and regulations, and that we are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country;
that we will not use the Product(s) in any activity related to the development, production, use, or maintenance of Weapons of Mass Destruction, as defined by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, including without limitation, uses related to nuclear, missile, and/or chemical/biological development and or production and that we will not transfer, export, or re-export, directly or indirectly to any party engaged in any such activity; if we are engaged in the development or production of Weapons of Mass Destruction, we acknowledge that we could be subject to and responsible for U.S. export licensing requirements;"
Then after my response that I can't do anything, I don't hear back from them. So I think great, my order is going to be cancelled again. Then I start tracking my order online and it is going through the production process. It gets built and then stays in the boxing prep stage for about a week. Now I'm really thinking that they are holding up the order because I couldn't do the export paperwork like they wanted. Ship date comes...and whoa, the order is shipped! I couldn't believe it...and now, I'm happily working away on my new laptop...meanwhile, very seriously holding up my end of the bargain not to make WMDs with it >:-) Ummm...right!
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