Record setting skyscraper to go up in Prishtina

A four hundred million euro skyscraper is being built in the capital of Kosovo, Prishtina.  Hmm

The complex is located on Bill Clinton Boulevard close to the center of Prishtina on an area of 26,000 m2. With a floor space of 285,000 m2, the complex consists of 100 luxury apartments, a 165 m 42-story-high high-end office tower, the highest in the Balkans, a shopping center, a hotel and six level subterranean garages.

Err...don't get me wrong.  I'm all for skyscrapers and everything, but what kind of generator do you need for a 42 story building when there's not enough electricity as it is?

via New Kosova Report

Funny travel pictures

I was in the Istambul airport not long ago and found this helpful instruction in the a bathroom stall...

Hmmm.  Sometimes when you work in foreign countries things are lost in translation.  Other times I just scratch my head.  This was one of those times.

US Opens Embassy in Prishtina

Multiple media outlets are reporting that the United States officially opened it's embassy in Prishtina today, upgrading its "US Office".

It'll be handy to have an actual embassy close by.  The nearest one is in Skopje, Macedonia, about an hour and a half and a border away.  Of course, the only time I've needed one was to get more pages put in my passport.  I pray those are the only circumstances in which I'll "need" a US Embassy. :)  At the same time, I wonder how many millions of dollars it's going to cost to build this embassy.  The new one in Skopje is an absolute monster.  Your tax dollars at work.

Computer Courses

This week we're so happy to have a group from the Silicon Valley Alliance Church in the US. They're teaching computer classes to local educators at our community Center.  I think we have 30-40 who attended classes today.

There were a couple of not so minor miracles 1) the set up of all the computers was a snap 2) the electricity stayed on ALL DAY.  Unbelievable.

Tonight, after class, the coffee shop was full of people hanging out after class, drinking coffee and socializing.  Someone told me that no one really believed we had "experts" coming to teach the classes.  They assumed we were lying and that it was a trick to get people to come.   But this team comes from the Silicon Valley area and really ARE experts in the field.  We're so grateful for their work!