I really did not know what to expect upon my first visit out of the United States to the small country of Albania and its capital Tirana, except that it was beyond wonderful.

The city of Tirana felt to me like how the dream of the New York City metropolis was meant to be. It is crowded, yet everything you want and need seems to be within a walk away.

It has a certain smell of a wonderful spice, not too potent, and the air feels as clean as the midwest air I usually breathe.

by Timothy Haverman

The Albanians are very kind and welcoming people, and always want the best for their guests no matter where they are from. Sometimes you wouldn’t feel like that at first when you first hear their native language since it feels like they are talking angrily or sternly to each other, but it is actually soft compared to when any American shows his excitement and awe for what he has to share with others. It’s actually pretty easy to find your way around the city and ask for help from locals, many of them know some English, and most places both have postings and menus available in Albanian and English. I think I ended up saying Faleminderit (Thank-you) more than any other phrase while there.

One thing I had to rewire my thinking about a few times over there was that Albanians are very direct and straight-forward people, so there is no need to use sarcasm and you can be more genuine. I think in America sarcasm and twisted sense of humor has become so warped it doesn’t feel comfortable, homely, and secure to communicate with your own people.

I never had a bad taste in my mouth of trying anything to eat in Albania….all the food is fantastic. And the best part is the food is so good that you won’t get into a habit of overeating….portion sizes are very adequate for appetite but you won’t ever feel like a glutton. It’s real, organic, and has nutrition, 3 qualities that seem absent from so many food products here in America … .one should notice that frozen foods and microwaves are not common tools here for Albanians, but one can expect good coffee for almost every
meal.

I think the most surprising aspect of Tirana is how safe the country really is. I never felt anyone was really out to get me, trying to scam me into a tourist trap or to get mugged in any alleyway. I forget the Albanians thankfully do not have that American gun ownership mentality that seems to stain our country worse with each passing year. Everyone is safe in Albania because guns are nowhere in sight. You really have to go out of your way to bother the criminal element of the country if you want to see trouble.

The thing I find fascinating the most about Albanians was this was a country that at one time cut itself off from the rest of the world under a Communist dictatorship for almost twenty years. Now these people have finally embraced a more democratic and free enterprise business system. They’ve got a way to go to catch up to some of our advances, but i think they have been able to retain their humanity through all their hardships and can really appreciate what they have, certainly not taken for granted…they are certainly not wasteful people…I think what an Albanian family takes out in garbage for the week is what an American family takes out in a day. I truly believe that looking at the Albanian way of life, seems to keep a purposeful and hopeful future … .cause I don’t feel that way seeing it here in the U.S.

I mean, nearly every woman walking down the street in the country is beautiful, mostly brunette and it seems most women enjoy dressing up in black. I certainly can’t say that about here. Albania is definitely a country that wants to welcome you and show you what beauty it has and is just as important as any other first or second world country to lead you into a promising future.