Our schedule was changed a bit so that we could debrief our country director Hill about our volunteer visits. Luckily, we all stayed with the best and most productive volunteers so we had only good things to say. I felt particularly lucky; my hosts were so busy with work the husband in the couple had to skip out on a few activities while we were there.
Lunch was spent creating and printing our Haggadas from the internet and recipes for making Matzah from scratch. It is officially the first night of Seder. In fact, I am writing this entry a few days later because of that night was so hectic and one really shouldn’t write (or work or travel or do any of the 39 prohibited activities) on the first two days of Passover.
After our mandatory PST sessions finished, I organized my people. I had 1 volunteer, 4 trainees and 5 teachers coming to Seder, of which only the volunteer had been to a Seder before. I would be fulfilling PC goal number 3 educating other about American culture all around (The 3 Peace Corps Goals haven’t changed since 1961), although I’m not quite sure when they were thought up, that #3 was meant to include other Americans.
After I rounded everyone up I had 6 of us: 5 trainees and Ornela, our language teacher who had generously donated her apartment to the cause. In my attempt to clarify what we needed to purchase, I tried to explain that we had to buy food for a huge meal. They knew it was an important religious holiday but they didn’t know it included a huge meal- how could they? They’re not Jewish and had never been to a Seder before. While people were trying to purchase the various foods typical for an American feast, I explained that for this festive meal we couldn’t have beer, rice, legumes or anything else people wanted to buy. I had explained that we needed an egg, shank bone and bitter herb, and then when they set off to help me purchase the various items had to clarify we needed just one egg, one small shankbone (not a huge leg) and a small bitter herb for the plate, not to eat. It’s tough to learn and/or follow the rules if you’re Jewish so I can only imagine how hard it for someone who had never been to a Seder before.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t headed my parents’ advice about bringing matzah and Will’s matzah had yet to arrive so we had to make our own. We bought some flour in the supermarket and headed to the open market to buy an egg, fruits, vegetables, a shank bone and something, anything, I could use for a bitter herb. The word horseradish wasn’t in the Albanian dictionary and though I tried desperately to describe it and its importance I failed severely. My only hope was to go to the market, see it and buy it.
We split up into tasks: main course, salad, soup and wine. I couldn’t eat the meat regardless, so I put someone else in charge of making the meat dish and went off to find bought the ingredients for a stir fry. We tried in vain to buy a rolling pin for the Matzah and went back to Ornela’s to cook.
At Orenela’s house, Kacey started reading about the holiday. She shared the facts with others aloud, which I was grateful for. It gave me the opportunity to brush up on the story and clarify some of the food rules for people which were slowly becoming more understandable. I realized as I was chopping vegetables that I had completely forgotten to buy a bitter herb. At the market I had become so involved with fielding questions regarding the Passover worthiness of products and finding a rolling pin that I completely forgot my quest for the horseradish. Since the market didn’t have it, my only hope was the EuroMax.
KT and I literally ran across town to get the horseradish at the EuroMax. It wasn’t there. I didn’t know what to do. I looked at the spices and found some curry to cook the stir fry with but nothing bitter. The best thing and only thing I could think of was some sour cabbage. At least I tried. KT and I ran back to find the cooking, timing, and stirring going strong in full force. Kacey was making the Matzah and doing a fantastic job. Chris was timing her. By that point she managed to churn out about 20. Ornela had made the soup and just about everything else. I stated to make the stir fry with the spice I had found at the Euro Max. I then tried to find a Seder plate. Granted, this was one of the tasks I didn’t anticipate being difficult, but should have had the foresight to realize it would be, but I’ll know for next year. I explained that I needed a big plate to hold all the various items that we purchased and the salt water. In trying to help, I think we took out a decent amount of dishes with limited success. We ended up with ¾ the items of one plate- much better than nothing.
The teachers and then volunteer arrived. We now had 11 people and I was almost ready to start. I changed, settled people down and lit the candles with the volunteer. Everyone stood around as I passed out the Hagaddahs and started to read. It quickly became evident to me, that no one except me and the volunteer knew it would be a long time before we eat. Why should they? I failed to tell them and they hadn’t been to a Seder before. I told them that it was best to grab a seat as we were in for a lengthy discussion.
We began. I welcomed people, described what the Hagaddah was for, where the word Seder came from and pointed to the Seder plate. At the point I had talked about the Seder foods so many times, between the shopping, describing and Seder plate searching, that I was getting a bit sick of explaining. I must have been successful, though, because another person was able to explain the items on the Seder plate at that moment. It was really rewarding.
I started to read and had my pile of supplemental info next to me. I said all the Hebrew parts, but passed the English bits to others. Eventually we just read in a circle. After the talking, discussing and reading was done, we finally got to eat. People had all sorts of questions and I was really happy that KT was there. She knows the bible inside and out and was able to help me out with many questions.
Dinner ended and we actually finished the Seder. It’s amazing how willing first timers are to come back and finish the Seder. I don’t even know if I needed the 2 extra glasses as enticement. I wonder if by my 3rd Seder here, everyone will stay till the end…
After dinner we headed back to Mira’s office. On the way, I realized we were basically walking back to the PST office. When asked her if we were sleeping in the office, as she had instructed us to bring sleeping bags, she said no, we were sleeping in her apartment. As it happens, its basically behind the PST office. Poor Mira, she really doesn’t have a break at all.
We finally arrived and the apartment is beautiful. It not only houses Ledi and Mira, but couches, tv and a shower. It was a dream…. Not only that but we were able to run out and buy ice cream. I know that is totally not in keeping with Passover, but I think for most of the guests it was a real treat to be able to purchase something- anything- past 7pm.
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