List of resources for Albania

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Following is a list of websites for additional information about the Peace Corps and Albania and to connect you to returned Volunteers and other invitees.

A note of caution: As you surf these sites, be aware that you will find bulletin boards and chat rooms in which people are free to give opinions and advice based on their own experiences. The opinions expressed are not those of the Peace Corps or the U.S. government. You may find opinions of people who were unhappy with their choice to serve in the Peace Corps. As you read these comments, we hope you will keep in mind that the Peace Corps is not for everyone, and no two people experience their service in the same way.

[edit] General Information About Albania

http://www.answers.com/Albania
This site has a map and general information about Albania and its history.

http://www.countrywatch.com/
On this site, you can learn anything from what time it is in Tirana to how to convert from the dollar to the lek. Just click on Albania and go from there.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations
Visit this site for general travel advice about almost any country in the world.

http://www.state.gov
The U.S. State Department’s website issues background notes periodically about countries around the world. Find Albania and learn more about its social and political history.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/al.html
Provides general and statistical information on Albania.

http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/official.htm
This site includes links to all the official sites for governments worldwide.

http://www.geography.about.com/library/maps/blindex.htm
This online world atlas includes maps and geographical information. Each country page contains links to other sites, such as the Library of Congress, that contain comprehensive historical, social, and political background.

http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/info.asp
This United Nations site allows you to search for statistical information for member states of the U.N.

http://www.worldinformation.com
This site provides an additional source of current and historical information for 228 countries.

[edit] Connect With Returned Volunteers and Other Invitees

http://www.rpcv.org
This is the site of the National Peace Corps Association, made up of returned Volunteers. On this site you can find links to all the Web pages of the “friends of” groups for most countries of service, made up of former Volunteers who served in those countries. There are also regional groups who frequently get together for social events and local Volunteer activities.

http://www.rpcvwebring.org
This site is known as the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Web Ring. Browse the Web ring and see what former Volunteers are saying about their service.

http://www.peacecorpswriters.org
This site is hosted by a group of returned Volunteer writers. It is a monthly online publication of essays and Volunteer accounts of their Peace Corps service.

http://peacecorpsonline.org/
This site is billed an independent news forum serving returned Volunteers. It has links to Albania returned Volunteer groups.

[edit] Current News Sites/Online Articles About Albania

http://www.president.al
Albanian government site about the President of Albania in both English and Albanian (Shqip)

http://www.balkanweb.com
News about different countries in the Balkan region, including Albania. In Albanian.

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/albania.htm
Provides links to online newspapers covering Albania

http://www.oneworld.net/section/indepth
Provides links to news about Albania

http://www.einnews.com/albania
Geopolitical news service covering over 263 countries; includes online news feed about Albania.

http://reenic.utexas.edu/reenic/countries/albania.html
Site of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at the University of Texas-Austin. Lots of information about Albania and links.

http://www.shqiperia.com
Contains information on Albanian culture, art, current events, news, history, trading, and food. Includes an extensive photo album with pictures from all over Albania. Site is in Albanian.

[edit] International Development Sites About Albania

http://www.usaid.gov/regions/europe_eurasia/countries/al/index.html
Information about the work of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Albania.

http://www.undp.org.al
The United Nations Development Programme in Albania

http://www.ebrd.com
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

http://www.rec.org
Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe

http://www.soros.org
The Open Society Institute is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that serves as the hub of the Soros foundations network, a group of autonomous foundations and organizations in more than 50 countries.

http://www.unesco.org
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

http://www.iom.int
International Organization for Migration

http://www.worldbank.org
World Bank

[edit] Information and Travel

http://www.albanian.com/information/countries/albania/index.html
Contains information about Albania and useful links.

http://www.escapeartist.com/albania/albania.html
Contains useful travel information and links to other sites, both in and out of Albania.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g294445-Alba
Primarily for travelers, but some interesting information in the “Albanian Forums” section.

[edit] Albanian Language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_language
Contains information about the language, including its history and alphabet. The proverbs section is particularly interesting.

http://learn-albanian.com
Online classes with live teachers Learn Albanian before traveling to Albania.

http://travlang.com/languages/
Site has words you can listen to and practice pronunciation prior to training.

http://www.shqiperia.com/fjalori.php
Online Dictionary (Albanian-English and English–Albanian)

http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/learn-albanian.asp
Pimsleur language tapes for sale (may be cheaper at other venues (e.g., eBay)

[edit] Recommended Books

1. Biberaj, Elez. Albania in Transition: the Rocky Road to Democracy. (Nations of the World Series). Boulder: Westview Press, 1998 (hardback), 1999 (paperback).
2. Biberaj, Elez. Albania: A Socialist Maverick. Boulder: Westview Press, 1990.
3. Carver, Robert. The Accursed Mountains: Journeys in Albania. London: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., 2000 (paperback).
4. Durham, Edith. High Albania: A Victorian Traveller’s Balkan Odyssey. London: Phoenix Press, 2000 (paperback).
5. Fonseca, Isabel. Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey. New York: Vintage Books, 1996 (paperback).
6. Glenny, Misha. The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers, 1804-1999. New York: Penguin, 2000 (paperback).
7. Jones, Lloyd. Biografi: An Albanian Quest. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994.
8. Kadare, Ismail. Albanian Spring. London: Saqi Books, 2001 (paperback).
9. Kaplan, Robert. Balkan Ghosts: A Journey through History. New York: Picador Press, 2005 (paperback).
10. Karklins, Rasma. The System Made Me Do It: Corruption in Post-Communist Societies. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2005.
11. Olsen, Neil and Rhodri Jones. Albania (Oxfam Country Profile Series). London: Oxfam Publishing, 2000 (paperback).
12. Pettifer, James. Blue Guide: Albania and Kosovo. New York: A. & C. Black, Ltd., 2001 (paperback).
13. Schwandner-Sievers, Stephanie and Bernd Jurgen Fischer. Albanian Identities: Myth and History. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002 (paperback).
14. Vickers, Miranda. The Albanians: A Modern History (revised edition). London: I. B. Tauris, 2001 (paperback).
15. Vickers, Miranda, and James Pettifer. Albania: From Anarchy to Balkan Identity. New York: New York University Press, 2000 (paperback).
16. West, Rebecca. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey through Yugoslavia. New York: Penguin Books, 1995 (paperback).
17. Wilkes, John. The Illyrians (Peoples of Europe Series). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1995 (paperback).

[edit] Books About the History of the Peace Corps

1. Hoffman, Elizabeth Cobbs. All You Need is Love: The Peace Corps and the Spirit of the 1960’s. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.
2. Rice, Gerald T. The Bold Experiment: JFK’s Peace Corps. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1985.
3. Stossel, Scott. Sarge: The Life and Times of Sargent Shriver. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2004.

[edit] Books on the Volunteer Experience

1. Dirlam, Sharon. Beyond Siberia: Two Years in a Forgotten Place. Santa Barbara, CA: McSeas Books, 2004.
2. Casebolt, Marjorie DeMoss. Margarita: A Guatemalan Peace Corps Experience. Gig Harbor, WA: Red Apple Publishing, 2000.
3. Erdman, Sarah. Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village. New York, NY: Picador, 2003.
4. Hessler, Peter. River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze. New York, NY: Perennial, 2001.
5. Kennedy, Geraldine (ed.) From the Center of the Earth: Stories out of the Peace Corps. Santa Monica, CA: Clover Park Press, 1991.
6. Thompsen, Moritz. Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1997 (reprint).