Thanks to our mission president, we are on our way.
He caught wind about the airline strike scheduled for our flight so he rattled the cage to get us rerouted and not stuck in Frankfurt. We flew from SLC to Chicago and then to Warsaw and on to Tirana.
There wasn't anything at the SLC airport to stop us now.
Took the long walk that we had heard about at the SLC airport.
Changed planes a few times.
Finally got our first glimpse of Albania. It looks very inviting.
We were greeted by Pres. and Sister Auras. We traveled with Curtis and Janette Gomm who had just finished up at the MTC and will be living in Albania. We have made so many new friends!
We were also greeted by two senior couples who work in the office and the assistants to the president.
They certainly made us feel welcome and special and whisked our luggage away.
All but the two bags the Gomm's and us were missing.
(They came a couple of days later).
We were left alone to get over jet lag, then took care of some paperwork and were given keys to our cars - one for the Gomms and one for us.
Kristi and I walked around Tirana each day trying to get our 10,000 steps in.
The city center was impressive with plenty of unusual architecture.
We found the mission office next door to where we were staying.
It seemed pretty nice but understand they are planning on moving downstairs to a nicer place.
(With more storage for supplies)
The Auras' live just a ten minute walk from the office. It is the orange/yellow house in the middle.
It is also used for missionaries during transfers to other areas.
Spring is here and the trees are starting to bud out. Apparently, it is traditional to wear a red and white string/bracelet until the first sign of spring, then it is hung on a tree. We have heard many different reasons by each person I asked. There are also huge sugar cookies for sale along the road, to welcome the first day of Spring and perhaps it is connected to Easter.
Saturday, the Ellsworths (humanitarian couple here in Albania), picked us up and took us for a morning walk where we were able to pick their brains about what their experiences and projects have been here in Albania.
Sunday, Kristi and I drove down to Elbasan, Albania for a District Conference with Elder Picard, a visiting Area Seventy Representative. A very good meeting with both Elder Picard and Pres. Auras giving good instruction about love and the Savior. The meeting was full with the many branches coming from up to an hour and half away by small buses.
Albania is a very pretty country. This is the city of Elbasan.
Lots of olive trees and citrus around here.
Monday morning we will drive to Kosovo. Still no visas for N. Macedonia so we will stay in an air B&B until the first of April. Then we will move into an apartment permanently in Gjakova, Kosovo. The apartment is still there in Skopje, N. Macedonia so we will use both as we can still travel between countries as tourists. We think we will be living out of suitcases for the next 17 months but hopefully we will be able to do some GOOD in both countries.
