Where have all the dumpsters gone...

Life in Kosova, and Malishevë, includes dealing with the abundance of trash, everywhere. My first experience with the trash dumpsters was during my second trip to Kosova when I took the trash out at night. I carried the bag down 4 flights of stairs, to a dark area behind the apartment building where the dumpsters were. I tossed the bag into the dumpster and out came several cats...it scared me to death.

In Malishevë there has been a dumpster about 100 yards from my apartment, parked right on the street. Yesterday, I went to throw out my trash and the dumpster is not there. I looked at other places where I have seen them parked before, I can't find a dumpster anywhere on the streets of Malishevë. I am sure the locals were wondering why I was walking the streets with a bag of trash...looking confused. Who do I ask to find out where the dumpsters are now...?

I carried my bag of trash back to my apartment. At least it is cold and it doesn't smell right now.

In the US, now, there are all these different recycling trash bins...one for paper, one for glass/metal, one for non-recyclable stuff. I just want one dumpster within walking distance for my weekly bag of trash. The locals would have just tossed their trash out behind the building in an empty field...I will wait until I can find out where to take my trash.

Stay tuned...

Back to school...again

It is official, I am back in school. I am enrolled in a transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy program through Hardin-Simmons University. The school has made it possible for me to take the entire 2 year program while living in Kosova. The faculty will record the class sessions each semester, somehow they will post the class videos online, and I will be sent the exams. Pastor Randy will serve as my "proctor" for exams, we just need to find someplace that is heated and quiet. I am still not sure how it will all work, but everyone is helping in this process.

On Tuesday, I decided I needed to download all of the assignments and research articles onto my computer. Then, if the power was out or my internet was not working, I would still be able to access the articles and study. KEK, our power company, would not cooperate and stay on long enough for me to get online and save the articles. It took me two days of work to get everything saved.

Now, I am facing the challenge of studying while reading articles on my computer. Most are in .pdf format and I can't figure out how to highlight key points as I am reading. It is too expensive to have the files printed out at a local shop, .10€ per page, which is about .14 cents per page. Anyone have a suggestion...for this semester the exams are open book, and it would be really nice to be able to highlight the articles for future reference.

Last night I decided to start reading one of the text books for class. Of course, KEK had other plans. So...I lit my oil lantern and propped up my rechargeable light on the back of the couch. The lantern ran out of oil...reminder to self to buy more oil. The rechargeable light only worked for about an hour. But...I did get about 15 pages read. I guess I need to plan more study time during the day.

So...not only am I adjusting to being back in school, but I am trying to do it in an unfamiliar way. Life here is such an adventure...