Day 18 Wrapping up the program

Today started with breakfast and our last morning meeting on the patio.  We were given some time to finish our exams and  pack our gear up from the dive locker. Dave and I also had one final task to accomplish.  Derek, Dave and I headed into town to conquer our single breath hold portion of our swim tests.  During out time in Saranda workers have skillfully re-stuccoed the area surrounding the swim area including the steps and the entire surround area, it is beautiful.  Dave and I decided it was a sign.  This time we brought a meter tape which we laid out on the bottom so we could judge our progress.  This final task has lingered on my mind, worrying me since I failed to accomplish it on the first official day of the program.  Once in the water, which was brisk so early in the morning, we joked and warmed up a bit, and we were ready to go.  I took off first, I was starting to get nervous and refused to let it effect me.  The tape really made a difference, I was able to read it as I swam along and know how I was doing, I reached the end jubilantly and with much more breath left then I anticipated.  These last few weeks really kicked my butt into better shape, especially my cardiovascular system.  Dave finished strong as well and we high fived, rolled up the tape and headed back to Quirjakos finish up and last minute work on our final exams.  Our last day in the ice chest, we reviewed our final exams together.  There were great discussions as many of the questions were situational and responses to the situations are fluid and change with every person.  Amusingly Derek uses student and instructor names in the questions, which caused a fair amount of amusement.  Happily we all passed!  After we wrapped up our discussions we were free to do what we pleased, as long as our gear was packed up.  In the evening we students headed into town to celebrate our successful course completion.  

Delicious Albanian celebratory wine.

 We had a fancy dinner at one of the nicer restaurants , we sat on the open air top story patio and drank in the view along with the amazing food and delicious wine we had a celebratory shot for dessert and moved to our next location.   We choose a bar on the waterfront for our next spot, choosing an outdoor table with a view of the boardwalk for good people watching.  We chatted and relaxed, enjoying one of our last evenings together.  Intent on making a night of it we wandered in the direction of home keeping an eye out for an enticing bar.  Upon reaching the intersection at the end of the boardwalk we decided to head to Club Africa down the road that we had chatted about but never investigated.  Down the road a ways a sign pointed down an ill-lit driveway but we persevered and found a large modern night club at the bottom, two stories, full of lighting, lasers, couches and loud music.  It was all we hoped or, except that we shared it with only one other table.  Not easily dissuaded we made ourselves at home, Effie and Cameron taught the bartender about lemon drops, and I think they were instant heroes.   Folks went to check out the beach at one point and when I came downstairs a group of Albanian guys invited me to their outdoor table to await the return of the others.  We started chatting and got along great, they live in the US 9 months a year and return to Albania in the summers to run the bar. 

Walking the boardwalk, hatching plans.

When everyone else returned I decided to stay and hang out, Effie made sure I was safe and would check in when I returned home, and everyone else headed home.  I stayed another hour or so chatting and was able to get some questions answered that I had been unable to articulate with language barriers so far.  Military service is not required in Albania, though it was up until two years ago but apparently very few men actually did it and the requirement was abolished.  Homosexuality is legal but hush hush, they said it isn’t something people advertise and everyone lives and lets live though the attitudes are changing and people are becoming more accepting as time passes.  Eventually I was yawning more than chatting and made my goodbyes.  The guys insisted it was late and that it was safer if one of them gave me a ride back to Quirjakos after they found out how far it was (about a mile) so I hoped in Elton’s pretty blue Mercedes.  He laughed and said I was for sure an American when I put on my seat belt, that I was the first person to use it since he had come back for the summer.  He quite politely dropped me off at home and headed off into the night.  After assuring Effie that I had returned safely I promptly fell into a deep sleep.

This artistic expression was in an empty bar, it made us pause.