This morning we visited an Uncle of Genci's (and his wife & 16 year old son). By the way, in Albania, you only use aunt or uncle to refer to the person who is related to you by blood. The other person is just referred to as the uncle's wife or the aunt's husband. Blood relations are very important. They have a different word for uncle (and aunt) depending on whether it's your father's brother (or sister) or your mother's. So, there are 2 words for aunt, 2 for uncle, and the spouses are just spouses of the related person.
Anyways, we were supposed to visit at 9am, but didn't make it there until 10am (yeah, we're slow!). So we should have been safe from having to eat a meal there (Genci's way of thinking - he doesn't like to eat meals at people's houses, because they make you eat so much, he feels bloated afterwards.) But they insisted that we stay for lunch. I didn't mind, since I didn't have time to eat breakfast, plus I knew they would feed us, so I didn't bother to snack. We had a nice visit, since the 16 year old cousin, Teddy, played with our kids the whole time. He had a laptop with internet & some sort of video game system. Enough said. The meal was good. We had interesting conversation. All was well.
We had planned to go on a ride on the tram up to the local mountain during the day (Teleferiku), but we didn't really have time to do that before a visit Genci had planned for 5:30pm, so we went to his mother's house (plus we HAD to go there). All went well there, again. Wow. Who would have thought that this could feel so easy. The kids were hungry, since they only ate rice at the visit, so we fed them. Then Genci took the kids to the center to ride the cars, and I actually went for a jog. My first real exercise in almost 2 weeks. Walking doesn't count, because the kids are walking with us, so we can't walk fast enough for me to work up a sweat.
The jog/run was great because my legs really needed to let some energy out. But it was a little bit weird, because I was aware of the fact that I NEVER see anyone run on the streets/sidewalks of Albania. Perhaps they do it on a track somewhere, or in a gym, or in the woods on the outskirts of town, I don't know. I just know that I felt conspicuous. But I didn't care. I just pretended to be invisible, and ran. I then scooped cold water over myself to do the old fashioned kind of shower at Genci's mother's house. I could have gone back to the hostel, but the logistics would have added a 1/2 hour onto the event, and I just wanted to get clean. I don't know why people do that jumping into cold water in the winter thing. I thought about them as I "showered" and thought that perhaps people that do that (swim/dip in ice cold water for fun) are like people who cut themselves for some sort of release, I don't know. But after I was done, I did feel good (not during, I hope I was clear!) and clean.
Gjushja (Genci's mother) spent some more time with the kids. I think they like the attention. She totally dotes on them. She spent at least a 1/2 hour cutting Nathan's fingernails with tiny scissors, and giving him a manicure with special little tools. I think he was tired - he looked like he was about to go to sleep - but he was definitely into it. Luke was not into it. He suffered through one hand, begging me to get her to stop, and that was it.
I feel bad for Genci's mother. All around her house are little shrines set up to the kids. She has photos of them everywhere, but that's not it. That would be normal. She sets up little areas of little toys that she makes into elaborate scenes that involve the kids. For example, upstairs on top of the washing machine is one where there is a little house with 2 people looking out the front window. That is her & Luke she says. On the back is a kid looking out a window. She set up some stuff on the window sill & says it's Nathan selling sweets (a little store he set up). She has a part of a necklace that she turned into the edges of the path leading to the house. Little pieces of toys & bottle caps, etc., she has turned into things in the yard or the road. She has a few items representing the sea. I forget what that was about. She has a whole story that goes with it. Oh yes, there's a car approaching. In it are Genci & his brother. (Notice my absence from the scenario!) She has at least 5 of these little scenes set up in various places. They all have complex stories involved. I don't know. She lives alone. She spends all her time alone. It reminds me of a book I read as a teenager - Flowers In The Attic. (4 kids/siblings stuck/locked in an attic for most of their childhood & the imaginary world they create there to cope with things). I don't know.
We went on another visit tonight - to Genci's aunt's house (and her husband, and Genci's step-grandmother). We toured their yard (grape vines & fruit trees) and wine cellar, then had a great visit. The husband is very lively, and always sets the tone for a fun visit. We ate a very yummy dinner, which Genci was wishing we didn't (I was glad). They had a kids channel on TV, so we were able to have a leisurely dinner with lots of stories.
We are still at the hostel, and are enjoying it here. The first night we were cold and uncomfortable, but we figured out the blanket situation and positioned ourselves better, and have been doing pretty well since. The hostel has a nice courtyard with fragrant bushes/trees, and lots of areas to sit. The people that run it are very sweet. The kids have been learning magic tricks from the guy.
I should go to sleep now. The clanging church bells (right next door) at 8am will come too soon.
All is well here.
We hope to take a day trip to Berat tomorrow.
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