Spring in Sarande
And New Projects!
Happy day everyone!
I know it is still cold in various parts of the northern hemisphere, but the signs of spring are all around us. Flowers are blooming along the boulevard where we take our daily walk.
For the past week, we have spent most mornings catching rays on our deck. This week, our highs are a balmy 20C (~70F)!
This is our second year dodging the cold of winter. I think a lot these days about my grandparents from Coulee City who drove their motorhome down to Arizona every January. I get it Grandma and Grandpa Tanneberg!
Hard at Work
The most frequent question we get, both online and face-to-face, is “What do you do?”
That work has gotten much clearer in the past couple of months. Hosting our Spokane friend in Rome and Thessaloniki woke up Deana’s desire to share this life with more people. She’s been writing more in our Substack newsletter. If you are dreaming about a trip like ours, either a short-term or a long-term escape from the nonsense, check out the new Work With Us menu at the top of our Substack page and book a call with her.
She has also been writing daily on Substack notes. Both of us are spending less and less time on Facebook. This is not because of politics or other usual reasons people get off social media. The algorithm just doesn’t enrich our lives. So, more and more of her and my photos and posts are going to Notes.
Jeff’s Work
My time is spent on two projects. First, AI! If you have talked with me in the last couple of months, you have heard me talk about AI. I am adept at prompt writing and data analysis using any of the major GenAI platforms, especially Claude. If you have a problem and you think AI is the solution, please schedule a free call with me, and let’s talk about it.
Second, I have a new Substack devoted to education and getting things done!
This is the culmination of the past five years of ruminating on the education task in the digital age. Some of you have seen Zigzag Academy replaced by St. Nektarios School on Facebook and in conversations with me. It’s taken a lot of experience and thought to find the right venue to discuss this and also offer services.
Work With Jeff
I believe in the power of καλὸ ἀγῶνα (kalo agona) — the good contest, the worthy struggle.
Unexpected Visitor!
A few months ago, Deana read online that our friend Melanie was joining a cruise ship tour of Greece and would be stopping in Sarande! She reached out and said “Hey! We live there!!”
What a joy to walk the boulevard and show off our new world to a friend from our old world. We have entertained American guests in Thessaloniki and Rome, but Melanie was the first friend we met in Albania.
Expected Visitors!
Next week we will be joined by two friends from Moses Lake! We are meeting them in Corfu, where we will take them to churches, archaeology, and, of course, gelato! We are excited to be visiting new places on the island as well. This will be the first time we rent a car on Corfu, which will open up many new excursions, including a thousand-year-old olive tree, landmarks from the Durrell’s time on the island, and Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Beyond food and scenery, we cherish the chance to introduce old friends to new friends. On the island, we have gotten to know many people quite well. This is a core part of Deana & Jeff. We love meeting people, making connections, and building bridges.
What’s Next?
On March 28th, we will say “See you later” to Sarande and board the bus to Thessaloniki. We will live there for April. We will be sad to leave our home here, but we are so excited to return for this holy season. Great Lent, Holy Week, Pascha (Easter), and Bright Week are magical in the city of churches.
And then, on May 1st, we board a plane and fly to New York City! We expect to spend at least three months in our home country, seeing new things, and visiting family and old friends.
God-willing, we will also visit NEW NORTH AMERICAN FRIENDS! We have made many new relationships online in the New England states, Ohio, and Quebec, Canada. We plan to tour our home country and Canada via train! Cheers to my Dad! He loves trains.
That’s it for now! Thanks for Zigzagging along with me!
~ Jeff
