It was a busy four weeks in Albania for me in 2009. 

I was able to visit the schools with most of the students and teachers present, something that eludes me most years, as I'm only able to go during summer vacation.  Chemistry teacher, Sabria Çelaj  showed me the science lab in Reç with the equipment and supplies AAI has provided.  I met with kindergarten teachers in Reç and Dedaj, where in response to my question, "how many of these things has money from AAI provided?"  Nafije Hasaj looked surprised and replied, "Why all of it.  We receive no support from the Ministry of Education."  It puts the world into perspective, when $100 a year provides everything in a kindergarten classroom.  And librarians Vera Rakaj in Boge and Mehmet Duli in Reç both gushed over the AAI provided books.

Last year AAI expanded its English classes to Xhaj, adding that village to Boga and Vrithe where we have had English programs for many years.  Aleks Vulaj, our teacher gets better each year, and is now working almost full time for AAI.  I visited the English classes in all three villages, and had a wonderful time interacting with the students with some ESL games that I'd brought along.  Particularly popular was making English words from each letter of "CONSTANTINOPLE" and tossing five dice onto the floor and calculating which letter the dots equal and then which group can come up with a word for that letter.  I'm particularly impressed with the kids in Xhaj, they are all beginners, but all excited.

The third item on my 2009 agenda was another trek into the Albanian Alps. Albania Manager Professor Marash Rakaj and I led three clients on a mountain route that few foreigners have ever traveled which is the major selling point of our treks—be travelers not tourists. We succeeded, only encountering tourists, both Albanian and foreign in Theth, which is becoming a destination for many adventure tourists. We walked through stunning limestone mountains, high meadows, uncut beech forests, but mostly we met wonderful local people, staying in homes all the way. Everyone deemed it a huge success. 

But most of all I had fun, fun interacting with so many people, and fun seeing the wonderful things that AAI money has provided to these poor, but aware mountain people. Meeting scholarship students, librarians, School Directors, English students, and most of all parents who wish their children to succeed.