Today, after lots of time packing and repacking my bags and then many hours of traveling, I arrived in Albania! I'm jet lagged and about ready to get some sleep, but wanted to post some pictures before I do.
Here's what I saw from the airplane as we were descending into Tirana (the capital) - Albania is rich with natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes.
Luke came with a taxi (and friends) to pick me up at the airport and so I got to see a just little bit of Tirana as we headed about four hours south to Korçë (pronounced Kor-chuh).
Tirana felt like a mix of Bucharest and Cairo... Eastern European, but with Middle Eastern flair (probably the result of being under Ottoman, or Turkish, rule for about 500 years).
The double-headed eagle is the symbol of Albania.
We passed a random carnival in Tirana
And here's a statue of Albania's national hero, Skanderbeg, who stopped the advancing Turks in the 1400s. Albania was eventually brought under Ottoman rule, but they still celebrate him for what he was able to do.
One of the beautiful sights on the way to Korçë is Lake Ohrid. The hillside on the other side of the lake is Macedonia.
I'm settling into life with my host family here. They have been very gracious and hospitable - and I'm looking forward to spending these months with them. I'm also looking forward to learning more Albanian so that I can talk with them more! Thank God that Elektra, their daughter, speaks English and is home from college for a couple of months.
Prayer requests -
This is a transition week for me. I'll be getting settled and meeting people. Please pray for a good transition, for good health and rest, and that the week will be well spent. Thank you!
Lydia
aka Ledia (lady-uh) in Albanian
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