Back to Basics and a Basic Routine

                Due to lack of internet, we didn’t get our schedules for the weekend until we arrived home late on the Friday.  This worked out fine for Joe, as he didn’t have class until noon, but I had a split shift with classes starting from 9-11 and then not starting up again until 4.  I had a surprise when I went to catch the bus in the morning, as apparently the bus stop had been moved while we were on holiday.  As I usually just walk to the station in a tired stupor, it was only at the last minute that I clued in to the change, and even though I had been waiting fifteen minutes, I still had to run to catch the bus.  I quickly messaged Joe of the change (as he didn’t need to come in until later) and then grabbed a bun and a coffee at school (as our cupboards had been bare due to the holiday).  Altogether it was nice to be back, as emphasised when my produce guy commented that he hadn’t seen me in awhile, and asked if I had been on holiday and then gave me a free orange.  It was a very poignant moment, and one of those times I appreciate living in a small city.  This attitude would change by Tuesday as boredom began to set in, but the small moments are appreciated anyways.  On the Sunday I got off at 1pm and took the bus home with one of my students who lives nearby (the student whose bbq I attended a couple of months back).  As we were walking to the bus stop, she linked her arm in mine.  This was also common in Albania, so I am not altogether unfamiliar with the concept, however I have never liked it.  The extra weight on my arm seems strange and unnatural, but when she asked if it was ok, I naturally said of course.  I didn’t want to embarrass her and figured I could deal with it for the four minutes it would take to get to the bus stop.

Buglem as a tiger.

                As the week went by, the weather steadily got colder- howling winds causing all the windows in the apartment to leak, and allowing cold to seep in through the balcony doors- not a pleasant welcome home present I must say.  As usual I had Monday off, and went to the gym in order to get in the swing of things.  I headed to Buglem that night, and it was wonderful to see that family again.  I always have so much fun, and having not seen me in a couple of weeks, Buglem was in a very cheery mood.  The rest of the week passed fairly normally- my schedule is such that I don’t finish work until 9pm on Tuesday and then have to be back on Wednesday morning by 9am in order to work another split day.  This one passed fairly quickly (in anticipation I had loaded a TV series on my laptop) watching TV, studying Turkish and planning lessons.  Joe and I finally figured out where to pay our bills (Habib is not as inclined to wait in line for us now that the weather is so cold) and it was about as foolproof as can be.  Looking at the weather forecast, we decided to go find wool socks (mission accomplished) and not a moment too soon.  

Winter socks

              By my last class on Wednesday the snow had started (I may or may not have jumped for joy at the front of my class, causing some students to give me bemused glances).  It wasn’t sticking (or “laying” as I learned is the British-ism for when the snow ‘sticks’ to the ground) so we went inside and played a game of Yahtzee and got ready for bed.  By this time, the snow was getting thicker and sticking quite nicely to the ground.  Thrill overtook laziness, and pulling our new wool socks and other winter gear on, we headed outside to the biting wind and snow.  Children were playing outside- as I later learned they were given two days off because of six inches of snow and clear roads, but alas- and Joe threw some snowballs at me (I ran away and fortunately his aim sucks so he didn’t hit me more than a few times) and then made a snow angel on our walk.  However at -7 plus wind chill, I didn’t last long outside, and we headed back in to watch it cascade down from the heavens.

                Thursday morning we opted to play in the snow rather than go to the gym, so we bundled up again (the wind was no friendlier than it had been the night before) and headed out.  We picked up some things to build a snowman and walked to the field behind our house.  Joe attempted to make a snowman- I didn’t have any gloves, so I supervised, but the snow was too powdery and the wind too strong, and each time Joe got a ball started, the snow would simply fly away, so we left a pile of snow on the ground and headed back in.  Poor, sad snowman.  By the time I went to Buglem’s that night, the temperature had reached about -13.  Usually the whole family drives me home after, but Kubra decided it was too cold for Buglem outside and Ali drove me home alone.

Joe and his attempted snowman (aka. pile of snow)

                Other than the weather, nothing of interest has been happening.  We have very few classes at the moment, and no friends so I foresee insurmountable boredom in the next few weeks, which is a shame and I am pre-emptively trying to figure ways to cure that, although if anyone has any suggestions, please enlighten me.