You Know You're Home When...

- The club next door rattles your house until 1am on holidays and most nights of summer.
- Washing your clothes takes 2 hours in the washing machine and a day to air dry.
- Exercise is beautifully built into every activity naturally- no need for a gym here.
- Your head always feels tired from trying to translate- spoken and written things.
- You must remove your shoes at the door.
- People are more important than activities (forgot to stop typing and greet my new roommate a bit ago and it was pretty awkward- oops!).
- Fresh fruits and veggies straight from the farmers' horse drawn carts!!
- Power cuts- enough said...
- The mosque's call to prayer 5 times a day. I have 3 next to my flat.
- An umbrella is a necessity as you're walking and it will probably rain at some point in the day.
- Shower heads are all hand held- this is a learned skill for an American!
- A cloud of smoke in most buildings cuz most men and a number of woman smoke here.
- Remembering not to pet the homeless puppies and kitties that are on the street!
- Everything is so cheap- eating can be done for just a few bucks in a nice restaurant.
- Having a scarf as a constant companion as the air remains chilled until summer time.
- You must clean your shoes daily- it is considered rude to have muddy shoes, but the roads are mostly mud...
- Living in the Rugova gorge- breath taking beauty outside my window and just a mere walk away.
- Pulling a shirt or towel out of the wardrobe can be dangerous as they often smell strongly of mold.
- If the sidewalks aren't wet from rain, they are soaked by shop owners watering them to keep the dust down- my pants' legs are pretty much never dry!
- Cows and horses just wander into the road; even on major highways.
- Being from such a different culture, even the simplest actions or creations on my part create both good and bad stirs.
- Greeting someone requires 3-4 kisses on the cheeks as you ask a serious of 5 standard questions which are followed by standard replies.
- Everyone loves your "blond" hair and hazel eyes cuz they are so different than the dark brown that they all have.
- Houses mostly have a college-sized fridge and that's more than enough room (love simplicity!).
- Dead cows and sheep hang all over town in the butchers' windows.
- And lastly (cuz my brain is shot): a people so hungry for love and change.

I love this place and am desperately praying for God to move in power and to change hearts and lives for His Name, Kingdom, and Glory!