Bujtina == Albanian for "guesthouse" or "inn"-- refers to an establishment that emphasizes authenticity, local food, and rural hospitality. They are typically family-run and located in scenic mountain areas or historic towns.
March opened with Jordan's arrival! This is his third time coming to Albania, but instead of coming for one week, he is staying for three months! We are so happy to have him and his helpful attitude and optimistic spirit have endeared him to many.
How fun is it when old friends are traveling through? We met Lavonne and Justin for lunch at the airport before their flight back to the USA. Justin was finishing a stint with YWAM. It was a short, but sweet visit because of its unexpectedness!
The next day we welcomed four ladies from Kentucky! Above, I pose with Monica and Marie who arrived on the afternoon flight. (Diana and Michelle arrived earlier in the day, picked up by the Artonis). The ladies wanted to experience Albanian culture as much as possible -- including attending a Women's Day celebration later that evening! Click here for a 49-second video.
I had lots of friends in attendance, including these sisters-in-law...
.jpg)
The next day, our guests jumped into serving at Valued Treasures. Marie (left) is a physical therapist and Monica (right) is a physical therapist.
Diana is a faithful partner in the Valued Treasures program. She brought her friend, Michelle, to help us design and source furnishings for the coffee shop training space we are building atop Jeta. Below, they create pots of artificial succulents which they brought from the USA and we put in pots purchased here in Albania.
Until the project construction is completed, we are enjoying these beautiful decorations at the guesthouse!
We had lots of fun playing too!
Below, Diana works on cupcake decorating as a practice in fine motor skills enhancement.
Marie works with Besi and his dad to design a therapy schedule for using his leg braces.
Marie informed us that a weighted vest with give Lisjana more stability in walking. She was right! How we 'wing it' on a budget: utilizing Ellie's childhood insect collection vest, with pockets filled with weights. Thankfully Lisjana is petite!
Therapeutic interventions, especially in OT, are best when the therapist can see the home environment and suggest adaptations to improve life. At this visit we learned the sisters had no chair for bathing! Within days, the team purchased an appropriate chair for bathroom use that should substantially increase the lifespan of their primary chairs.
Below, I pose with their sister-in-law and primary caregiver, Bukurosha.
Working to repair Besi's braces...
A second intervention: appropriately adjusted chair height for each student to maximize the effectiveness of their seated exercises each day.
With Michelle's design software, we were able to map out furniture placement in the future hospitality space. We chalked out the floor so Lydia could navigate it all in a chair to ensure proper spacing.
What you don't see in this post are just how jam packed we filled each day! Spending mornings til early afternoons with the Valued Treasures, then shopping until supper time to source light fixtures, chairs, table bases, table tops, and appliances. In the end, we are confident the space will turn out beautifully thanks to Michelle's guidance and careful planning.
One of Jordan's passions is basketball. We took the photo below for Jeta's Instagram and announced his weekly basketball clinic.
As the weather warmed up, we decided to take a Saturday afternoon excursion to a new-to-us national park about one hour away in Divjake. The lagoon had beautiful boardwalks, a tower with views of the water, and affordable boat rides to see many types of birds.
The next day we were invited to celebrate our friend's birthday! They took us to a beautiful restaurant in the country side.
Jordan is amazing at helping with projects...
Here is a "before" photo. Below, see the dirt streaks created by rain dripping from dusty window ledges...
Below is the "after!"
As we approached the end of March, we welcomed Lydia's mom, Anne, who came to spend Lydia's last week with her and observe all she had been doing.
With her, Anne brought a new rollator walker for Besi from Monica and Marie.
As a cap on Lydia's time in Albania, I (Cydil) took Anne and Lydia on a trip to Berat. Below, Toni shows us the original Illyrian castle walls dating back to 400 BC! (the large, dark grey stones below).
Within the castle walls there are a number of chapels... it's a constant battle to protect the frescos from moisture damage.
I found a photo on my phone of myself standing in this arch in 1996, so Toni insisted on taking another, nearly 30 years later! He also pointed out that the trees behind me were much smaller in the original, ha ha.
The weather was just incredible and a reminder of the loveliness of Albanian springs!
Lydia's last week with us including presenting us with assessment tools and a training manual for helping students become proficient in a number of roles in a coffee shop environment. She did a fantastic job leaving us culturally relevant tools which included videos, graphic supports, and rubrics.
The progress on the terrace project warrants a separate post, so stay tuned! Also, we will wrap up Lydia's departure in April's post. Happy Easter!
