Monday, September 9, 2013

Hello from good 'ol Gjakova!

Well I am officially not in America. I am in the great thriving metropolis of Gjakova, Kosovo! This place is absolutely crazy, But first, let me tell you about my travels from the MTC. So we woke up at 3:45 AM to catch the bus and then a train to SLC airport. We flew from SLC to Dulles (and thats where I talked to you guys!!!!!!) and then to Munich on a super awesome airplane. We had tv's on the back of every headrest so I basically played bejewled for 6 of the 8 hours it took to get to Munich. Ballin' huh? When we got to Munich I thought I had lost my wallet. I freaked out and checked through all of my pockets and both of the backpacks that I had as my carry-ons. I couldnt find it! I ran back to the terminal to have an airline employee check my seat for it and they still couldnt find it. I said a quick prayer and i went back to where I had left my stuff in the airport and looked through my bags one last time. I found my wallet sitting right on top inside one of the zippers. Either I was a super retarded and didnt check all the pockets or my prayer was answered. Definitely the latter.

Anyway, after that little fiasco we made the 1.5 hour flight to Tirana. That is one hick ariport. As soon as we landed I knew that my mission had finally started and that I would be a foreigner for the next 2 years. Everybody was speaking Albanian and I was completely lost. We took a car to the mission home in Tirana (btw, the driving is CRAZY) and dropped our stuff off. We then met up with our temporary companions for the day and went proselyting in Tirana. That was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had no idea what anyone was saying and I basically said the same thing everytime I knocked on a door. Just a quick fun fact; Albania speaks a dialect called Tosk and Kosovo speaks a dialect called Gheg. We learn Tosk in the MTC and I am more lost in Kosovo than I was in Tirana. Anywhoooo, the next day we got assigned our areas and our trainers. I got put with Elder Harvey and sent to Gjakova, Kosovo. 

Kosovo is cray cray!!!! Its like a smaller and cleaner Mexico City. Im trying to think of ways to describe it but I cant. You all need to see it. I got here on Thursday and I have already gotten a girl to agree to baptism and yesterday at church we had the highest number of people at church in Gjakova's history... 25! Elder Harvey and I have taught a few lessons and I mostly sit there and play with the kids or say a prayer. The hardest part isnt speaking, but knowing what the natives are saying. One day I will know this language and Im gonna baptize everyone I talk to.

Love, 

Elder Allgaier

A local Mosque

Just a street

Me and Merlind

Me with Patrik and Genta

Mirlinda is so cute!...She is 8 yrs old

No dryers here, just a rack

The entertainment center

The nails are poking through. (I guess it's time to get this boy some new shoes!  Already?!)

The sleeping room

The sweetest missionary kitchen ever!

The view outside the room #1

The view outside the room #2

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