Çfarë gjuhe flisni ju?

A full moon is rising over the hills across the valley from me and illuminating the hills around me with a glow that only comes from large amounts of air pollution. It is beautiful though, and the cooler temperatures are a relief after the sweltering 40 degree high from this afternoon.



This marks my second night in Prishtina, Kosovo - and the end of my first full day. As hot as it is here, I seem to be setteling in just fine. I have been set up in a very nice little apartment for the next month and have already completely unpacked and made myself at home.


I even wandered into town a bit, trying to find a store with an ATM in an attempt to get some cash, but wound up settling for the first store I could find that was willing to accept a credit card. Since I have tomorrow off, perhaps that will be my main project - make it to the bank!


Then, if I am feeling extra brave, perhaps I will try to find the building where I will be trying to go to church on Sunday. Hopefully I won't get too lost - I don't speak a word of Albanian, and the translation app on my iphone will only go so far.

Even though most people working with me speak some amount of English, I am really feeling the need to learn more than just 'thank you.' The last few days, being surrounded by people who seem to speak every language except English has left me feeling humbled.


I make my living as an interpreter, and rely on communication to feel as though I have some measure of control over my life. It drove me nuts when I went to Costa Rica becaue I had to rely on my sister (who speaks Italian) for communication with the world, because my Spanish proved to be meager at best.




As I sat in the Brussles International Airport Thursday morning, I again felt frustrated, and very much like the stereotypical, arrogant American who speaks 'just English' and expects everyone else to learn it too. Families sitting nearby switched effortlessly between multiple languages, and though they may not have been fluent in all of them, they could make themselves understood.

I want to be more like them.


I have SO much to learn.