Brady's Blog

I have never been a hunter or an outdoorsy guy of any kind. It's just not my style. Aside from the often cold mornings and the necessity to be still to not scare of the animals of choice, I just can't do it. That necessity to stay still is what baffles me about how the word "hunt" as used in situations other than game hunting. My two "hunts" that I find myself knee-deep in today are these: Jobs and Girls. As the overly stereotypical 26-year-old, unemployed, single male, living in my parents basement, I feel like I am Matthew McConaughey's character in "Failure to Launch"...except that he even has a great job. Thus it is not only a necessity but a goal and great desire to "hunt" for both a job to help me get on my own two feet and a girl to provide me with some companionship (which is on the third tier of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs). To take my initial example with the given explanation (hunting game and staying still) I wou...

I would say this is a decent topic for my 100th blog post!!! (Congratulations to me!) Last week I returned home from the greatest adventure I have ever had. Yes, when I served my LDS mission it was quite an adventure but this was was a bit more...how should I say...extraordinary. Ever since I was younger, Europe has been the one place in the world I have wanted to go. Originally, I specified Italy as the first country only because of my deep and abiding love for pasta. To be super technical, Italy was my first place since I had a layover in Rome, and my love for pasta has expanded to all Italian food, much of which was experienced in Albania (which is very close to Italy if you didn't know). The three months I spent out of the country went by very quickly (especially on the sunny days) and were filled with extensive domestic travels. I would say that for someone who is not from Albania, I am more expert than most. My travels took me from the southern beaches of Vlore to the nor...

In "Fiddler on the Roof, "Tevye speaks some of the most quoted (and danced to) lines in existence. Among those is one which has materialized before my eyes as I have been in Albania: "Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as...as a fiddler on the roof!" It is the line that give the show its title and spells out the main theme of the performance. The question arises, how do traditions shape our lives? Do we create ourselves based on traditions? Are they so important that they are nigh unbreakable vows? (Points for a Harry Potter reference? No?) The past couple of weeks have provided personal anecdotes for the term "cultural dissonance" as what I believe to be standard is not how other people live. Thanks to Albania and my friends here, I now have a new understanding on not only tradition but on the seasons of the year and birthdays. Let me elaborate. In my comfort zone known as the United States, I was raised on four seasons each ...

Last Wednesday night I got myself all dressed up as I had my ticket to attend the "Night Ballet" at the Opera House performed by Tirana's "People's Ensamble". I had never heard of the "Night Ballet" but was excited to go to a real Opera House and see professional dancers plie their way across the stage. Straightening my tie I walked in via the red carpet and found my way into the auditorium envisioning it as a grand room with flying buttresses and box seats lining the sides with a balcony or two filled with classy, sophisticated people and an orchestra the size of a full symphony. I should have known better. Being the first one there, I got to see the auditorium in all its glory. Wooden seats with small pads. There might have been one balcony but there was a maximum seating of less than 500. No actual pit for the musicians but 10 chairs with rusty music stands. With all of this, I surprisingly not turned off. Though a bit shabby, it was charmin...

This week marks the halfway point of my adventures here in Albania and what a trip it has been so far. From the first three weeks of solid rain to two cats falling through the ceiling of my apartment the cards have at times seemed stacked against me. I am happy to report though that with all of the trials, I am loving the experience and am learning a lot about myself in the process. A part of me even wonders if this internship (that the Lord so graciously placed in front of me) is more for my personal life and personal progression rather than the work that I am doing. Don't get me wrong. I am enjoying the work that I do but as with every job it has it ups and downs. This has prompted me to think about my life's journey so far and where it is headed. The road before me is forking as I believe it always will. Though I felt like I was done making the big decisions of "What do I want to do when I grow up?" the Lord has taught me that it is good to have options and that ...

This past week I was trying to figure out what I was going to write about this week because it was been somewhat routine. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Since I don't have work on Fridays I was able to go out and about and found a great little bookshop that if I am not careful, I will spend too much money in. After returning home because of some rain, I spent time with my host family talking and watching TV (my favorite is an Indian Soap Opera...don't judge). Once their whole family got home, I was about to head out to grab some dinner as the rain died down when they decided to take me to one of their favorite restaurants. When I waked in this restaurant, I felt severely under dressed. My denims, t-shirt, and fleece jacket found themselves next to sequined mini dresses, ties, and pumps. Aside from the dress of the people my first paradigm about the restaurant came from my sense of hearing. I cannot recall a time when I have been treated to live music while I was eating...

4:30 am struck this morning and I did not hear it. Thunder struck at 4:34 am and I did hear that. After being jolted awake, the intense sound of rain on my window and the sound of the new leak in my ceiling made it nigh impossible for me to get back to sleep. In my frustration, I grabbed my iPad and opened a weather app only to find that rain was in the forecast for the next 10 days straight. At this time I was slightly annoyed because the only weather I have know since arriving in beautiful Tirana is rain. Though sleepless, I remained in my bed trying to relax until I absolutely had to get out of my bed for church. So complete was my temporary insomnia that around 6:00 am I again check the weather app hoping for a different result. Somehow in that short two hour span three of the next 10 days miraculously turned to an image showing some sun and no rain. The excitement of such a small victory was now to blame for keeping me awake. Even though it is only three days in the future and...