5 Lessons From My First 5 Days in Permet

My first full week of work as a Peace Corps volunteers is filled with ups and downs! I also learned a lot of lessons throughout my first five days at the bashkia. Overall I feel happy and optimistic about my new life in Permet!

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Monday, May 15, 2017, 9:46pm

Lesson 1: When in doubt, Google Translate!

My first day of work was interesting – to say the least. I walked with my host sister for part of the way to the bashkia (city hall), but I marched up to the front doors all by myself. I was so intimidated, nervous, and uncertain – but I took a deep breath and walked inside. The journey of a thousand miles and all that.

I stopped and asked for directions in the lobby, and I ended up in a conversation with the cleaning lady. Then not long after my counterpart arrived and we walked up all four flights of stairs to the Urbanistika (urban planning) office.

To my surprise, I found myself in a spacious room with lots of natural light, space for three desks, and lots of maps of Permet.

I’d heard stories in PST of Community and Organizations volunteers entering the bashkia and not having a counterpart, not having an office, or not even having a desk. But to my surprise I found myself in a spacious room with lots of natural light, space for three desks (one for me!), and lots of maps of Permet. It definitely felt like I was in the right place. 

Once our officemate arrived, my counterpart put me to work immediately on a small mapping assignment. I’m familiar with a computer mapping program called GIS, so he assumed that I’d be able to handle work related to maps. He showed me vague outlines of roads that they were working on, and then he had me open up instructions for an online mapping system for the roadway project.

“GIS?” he asked as I pulled up the page.

“No,” I replied with a sinking feeling.

The website was very, very barebones with less tools than Google Earth. It was definitely not GIS and it was definitely all in Albanian. But I rolled up my sleeves anyway and got to work. I figured that this was my first test, and as a Community and Regional Planning graduate with mapping experience under my belt (and a working knowledge of Google) I hoped that I’d be able to work something out somehow.

I started by translating the instructions from Albanian to English, and unfortunately all of the text was in a PDF document so I wasn’t able to just copy and paste into Google Translate. I had to actually type out everything which took a long time. Then I experimented with the online tools for awhile before asking my counterpart half a dozen questions to figure out where exactly each of the roads were on the map.

There were definitely times during those first couple of hours that I felt like pulling my hair out.

And so that’s how I spent my first morning in the bashkia. There were definitely times during those first couple of hours that I felt like pulling my hair out. The online tools didn’t seem to be responding, and I had no idea why. I was frustrated with having to Google Translate everything. I felt like I was going to be a failure if I didn’t figure out how to do the one thing they’d asked me to do.

It was a little stressful at first, but eventually I got everything worked out and was able to properly digitize all the new/upcoming roads for the online database!

Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 10:39pm

Lesson 2: “Work” goes beyond what you can accomplish behind a desk.

Day Two in the office was slightly easier than Day One. But because I still haven’t gotten into a routine, and I have no set project to work on. Everything’s still up in the air, and I have absolutely no idea what to expect from anything. Still it’s early, and these things come with time.

Anyway I arrived in the office early and chatted with the cleaning lady again. When my coworkers arrived we greeted each other, and they got busy with work while I kept myself occupied by researching Permet online. With any new planning job I’d have to review all of the available materials, so I didn’t mind the work.

It was a little intimidating to waltz right into the building without really knowing anyone, but I plastered a smile on my face and went in anyway.

Still I left for lunch feeling like I hadn’t really accomplished anything. But as I was leaving I ran into my supervisor and we went for coffee together with two other women from the office. They were all very friendly, and while we didn’t specifically discuss project ideas hopefully more work will come as I get to know them better.

I ended my afternoon with a visit to the local tourism/cultural/multifunctional center. (It’s a very flexible space.) It was honestly a little intimidating to just waltz right into the building without really knowing any of the staff members first, but I plastered a smile on my face and told myself to be as friendly as possible. Over the course of an hour, I met four people who work in the center, and after the building was locked up for the day I was invited for coffee!

I’m learning that I need to change my definition of “work.” One of the Peace Corps goals is to share American culture with Albania, and I’m fulfilling that goal whenever I’m out in the community having a coffee, meeting new people, or just smiling at strangers on the street. So little by little, I’m still accomplishing what I came here to do!

Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 10:39pm

Lesson 3: Even when things don’t go as planned, they usually end up working out for the best.

I had a slightly more low-key day. I gave myself a bit of a break and decided to just take things a bit more slowly. I was alone most of the day in the office, but towards the end of the morning the IT specialist helped me to wipe my computer and update all the software. While he was doing that, I had a two hour pushim (break), and I decided to just go home and relax.

I had a two hour break, and the timing actually worked out perfectly.

The timing actually worked out perfectly. About fifteen minutes after I arrived at the apartment, the people from the cable company came to install my internet and television. So I was lucky to catch them while they were getting everything settled. By the time I got back to work, the IT specialist was still working on my computer. So I read through documents and continued to learn about Permet (which sounds great in theory, but is kind of boring in practice).

When I arrived home after work, I changed into my comfiest clothes and let myself relax a little. I called my mom via FaceTime with my new internet connection and caught up with my family back home.

Whew. I don’t feel like I was quite as productive today, but I just need to take a deep breath and internalize the avash avash (slowly slowly) mentality. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a successful Peace Corps service. Just showing up is half the battle. And I can at least do that.

Thursday, May 18, 2017, 10:07pm

Lesson 4: Appreciate the little moments that make you smile throughout the day.

Like the past three days, I went into the office bright and early. I spent a good chunk of my day at my desk just reading and researching. No one in the office had any tasks for me, so instead of feeling disheartened I plugged away at my self-appointed project (getting to know the city, albeit through online sources).

There was a steady stream of people in and out of the office, which kept things interesting.

There was a steady stream of people in and out of the office, which kept things interesting. The IT specialist was back, both of my coworkers were at their desks for the most part, the engineer that used to work at my desk hung out for awhile, and a bunch of citizens came in for appointments. (One older gentleman specifically stepped into our office to fix his hair before meeting the mayor.) I also joined the office in a round of laughter when my counterpart sneezed so hard that he almost knocked himself over. It’s the little things, you know?

Around 11:30am, I left the office and got a coffee with my site mate. She took me to the local NGO and I was able to meet with the head of the organization in Permet. They’re just wrapping up a big project but it seems like they’re starting up something new soon, so hopefully I’ll be able to jump in at the ground floor.

I’m slowly but surely starting to know more people, and I’m figuring out my way around the city.

Around 5:30pm, I dragged myself out of the apartment and went out for a walk. Because I had nothing better to do, I took the long way around. I stopped by the cultural center, and what I thought was going to be a quick hello turned into an hour-long visit. As I was walking home from my ATM run and some minor shopping, my host brother caught up to me on his bike and took my bag the rest of the way for me (it was really light, but I still appreciated his help). I spent the rest of the night upstairs chatting with everyone, and it was such a warm, family-like atmosphere that I started to miss my sisters back home.

It’s been a long day (aren’t they all?), but I think I’m in a good place. I’m slowly but surely starting to know more people, I have fun interacting with strangers on the street, and I’m figuring out my way around the city. For one week in, I’d call that a success.

Friday, May 19, 2017, 10:17pm

Lesson 5: Take some time to relax and breathe.

It’s been a weird, wonderful, tiring day. Such is life in the Peace Corps, I’m beginning to understand. I started out the morning at the bashkia. I had plenty of time in the morning to greet everyone in the office, but when I finally got situated at my desk I found myself without much to do. I passed the time by drinking coffee, staring out the window, and chatting with anyone who happened to stop by.

Around 4:00pm I left the apartment for coffee with some women from the cultural center. The conversation was a little difficult for me to follow since it was mostly in Albanian, and I didn’t fully understand what was going on.

Just building relationships is enough to make me feel like I’m doing my job as a volunteer.

On my way home I ran into a group of at least eleven girls, and when I greeted them in Albanian they excitedly asked me all sorts of questions. It was challenging but exhilarating to try and keep up. They were so sweet, and I felt really welcomed into the neighborhood!

Back at home I decided out of nowhere to do yoga, so I spent a good forty minutes just relaxing, taking in the day, and focusing on my breathing. Afterwords I felt refreshed and ready to take on the world again.

I think the take away of my first week of work is that overall I feel happy and fulfilled – even though I’ve done no meaningful work. Just building relationships is enough to make me feel like I’m doing my job as a volunteer. I’m hopeful and excited for the day when I have both pieces – the meaningful work and community relationships.