Language of play

On a team site visit recently to an informal settlement* I met these kids who were having a great afternoon mucking around the neighbourhood. Initially I was pretending to pay attention to the talk about the development of the settlement, but actually playing a bit of a game with these kids from afar, copying each others dance moves across the yard. Eventually I went over to speak to them, of course we couldn't understand each other very well when using words but an attempt at sign language had them laughing and playing along. Of course, they all know about cameras and posing!

*an 'informal settlement' is a reasonably misunderstood and contested description for a neighbourhood that is most likely illegally constructed, with a lack of services, lack of secure tenure and usually the domain of the urban poor. I used to think it related only to shanty or squatter towns of self made housing using scrap materials such as those seen in Asia, Africa or South America. However in Kosovo, they can often look like any other neighbourhood with standard houses and electricity and water connected, some even have large brick buildings of several levels, grand fences and gates and expensive cars parked in them!
What defines them as informal here is more likely to be the illegal aspects of the development on land owned by the government or other people and in areas not planned for development.

Spring false start

A false start on spring, with a few weeks of warm sunny weather rudely interrupted with a sudden cold snap and one of the few decent snow falls of the winter... Its still a novelty for me given the mild winter so I went out to take some photos and experience snow falling on my head!

Where are all the insects?

After growing up in Australia, and especially after spending a year in Samoa, I have particularly noticed the distinct lack of insects here in Kosovo.
It's a bit spooky. There are almost no small flying bugs, I can't remember seeing any ants and apparantly last summer there were next to no mosquitos. I haven't seen many spiders either come to think of it.

A quick net search provided one possible explanation - the origin of Pyrethrum flowers is Yugoslavia and its "insecticidal efficacy" was known here since the 14th century. However, it seems this flower is a coastal flower, a long way from Kosovo.

Maybe its the thousands of black birds? The thick air pollution? or some kind of result of war?
Were there ever many insects in the past?

Any insect nerds out there? Please explain..

Flowers

So I received three single flowers for International Women's Day!
2 roses and a chysanthemum... lovely.

"Well-behaved women seldom make history" -- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

International Women's Day is something of a big deal here in Kosovo. Already there are hundreds of flowers on sale all over town, and many women carrying single flowers and posies. I was just offered some food cooked by the security guard here at work too.

More seriously this year the UN focus for Women's day is “Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls". Apparently violence against women remains the most common but least punished crime in the world.

There will also be a campaign launched to improve the detection, prevention and treatment of breast cancer in Kosovo as currently there is no Oncology Institute or appropriately qualified personnel or necessary equipment. It represents the most common random cause of mortality among women and while there is no reliable data for Kosovo, the region averages 1 in 9 or 10 women affected.

Generally this is a day to remember to appreciate and respect the role of women in society and history, though seems to me that should happen everyday!