The most common question I have been asked after telling people about my travel is, ”Why start in Albania?” This is an excellent question. It is not an obvious choice and is a little off the beaten path. Tourism in Albania is growing in recent years, but certainly for people from the United States it is not yet a big tourist destination. When I would tell people at home I was going to Albania, most of them knew next to nothing about it.
But I’m skipping ahead. The truth is, I didn’t know much about Albania either until right before I decided to visit!
I first got inspired to learn about Albania from a friend Melia Dunn who spent two years there serving in the Peace Corps. She had a passion for the country that was infectious and hearing her talk about the people and the natural beauty had me instantly hooked on finding out more about this country that I had hardly heard of.
After talking to Melia, I started to research the country. At this point, I knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea exactly where, and Albania had me curious. I wanted to go to a country that had natural beauty, was full of kind people, had some people who spoke English and was inexpensive. It was a high bar, but hey, start with high expectations, right?
I was also drawn to a place that would push me and challenge me as a traveler. Choosing a place that had fewer travelers and less infrastructure for travelers was appealing.
In addition, I sometimes like to be the center of attention, so the idea of going to a country where I would be unique and stand out was appealing. (Those of you who know me will not be surprised by this.) I think this is borne from some level of insecurity about my desire for people to like me, but as I’m being honest here, it was a motivator.
One of the most compelling things I found was Dear Albania, a film by Eliza Dushku. I watched it multiple times and was enchanted. The film speaks not only to the natural beauty of the country but to the heart and soul of the Albanian people. The story Eliza shares is one of discovery and as I watched, I felt like I was there discovering the country with her. From food to mountains, to art and music, this film brought Albania to life for me.
After doing all this research and watching Dear Albania, I realized I had two very strong, intelligent women saying, ”Go to Albania!” It has taken me awhile to fully integrate this idea, but for me, listening to strong, intelligent women usually pays off. I decided to listen, and it definitely did!
After spending a month in Albania, I can confirm that it is a country with great natural beauty. It has a full coastline of Mediterranean goodness, with gorgeous mountains and rolling hills throughout the country.
The people are generally kind and always willing to help a traveler. Most of the young people speak some English and it was easy to navigate across the language barrier. Finally, it is inexpensive, everything from food to accommodations is much less expensive than the US. I spent $12 to get a forty-five minute shave and haircut that would have easily set me back $60 at home.
I was grateful for how inexpensive it was, but it seems that it would be better for some of the population if some things cost more and salaries went up. These details were unknown to me when considering Albania as a travel destination, but everything I read that said it is a very affordable country turned out to be true. It’s just unfortunate to learn that at least part of this affordability seems to mean some people here are struggling to make a livable wage.
In spite of my feelings about the low wages of some Albanians, I am very thankful for the memories I made while there and the people I got to spend some time with. I think about Ledion, the bar owner at my favorite spot for a beer, and how kind he was to me. He let me know if I needed anything I could reach out to him at any time. He even invited me to this birthday party but unfortunately, I was not able to attend. Their hospitality and kindness made my visit to Albania a special one, and I would recommend anyone travel there who is interested in a country that is rich in culture, history, and friendliness.
I am writing this on July 14, 2019. I left the US on June 2, so this makes today my 43rd day traveling. Time goes so fast. I have traveled solo for most of that and DeeDee, Jared, and our good friend Sara were my travel companions for over two weeks. During this time I have visited Albania, Croatia, and Greece and driven from border to border in Montenegro twice. I have spent a lot of time alone and I have also met wonderfully kind people.
Along the way, I have learned a few keywords essential to getting around. In Albanian, faleminderit is thank you, and përshëndetje is hello. In Croatian, thank you is fala. I have also learned a lot about Albanian history but I’m sure I have only scratched the surface. It is a long and complicated history which only intrigues me more. For instance,the story of the Albanian hero Skanderbeg is so fascinating and the people are so proud of him. He was a military leader in the country when then sought their independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 1400’s. If you’d like to learn a little about Albanian culture and also enjoy good fiction, I suggest Broken Aprilby Ismail Kadare. It is a dark and beautiful story about the traditions of Albania and reading it helped get me excited to make Albania my first stop.
After two weeks of nearly constant movement, I am currently house & pet sitting in Durrës, Albania and have a lot of downtime. I wanted to write this blog when I was a month into my travels, but the words were not coming to me. It has been a struggle to figure out how to share my experiences so far.
After three weeks of traveling alone, I was really excited to see DeeDee and Jared. I have said many times that one of the things we do best as a family is traveling together, and this trip just reinforced that belief. I am particularly grateful because I know that my time traveling with Jared will only be reduced as he gets older. Of course, even though there were times we got crabby with each other, like when Jared and I argued about politics until we were both mad—I would not trade one second of the time I had with them. With all of the bumps that come with family, the time we spent together was sacred and I know how fortunate I am that they could join me on this trip.
At first, I was feeling stressed about not “keeping up” with my posts, but in hindsight, I realized that it was great to focus on our family time and not worry so much about the blog. That clarity has allowed me to reflect on why this post has been hard to write. I could sit here and easily list off things I’ve learned so far, but I wouldn’t find that so interesting and a list wouldn’t get to the heart of what I want to share. What I really want to get down to how I am making meaning of my travels. Really, this is what I hope all of my posts focus on in one way or another.
Being Alone
I am an extrovert, and while I am much less of an extrovert than I was when I was twenty, I am still an outgoing, extroverted personality. I love to get outside to new places, meet people, connect with others, and hear their stories. This has been a huge part of my trip and surprisingly, sometimes really challenging. I want to go experience life with new people yet sometimes I am also drawn to staying in my room watching TV on my computer. My goal is to honor both of those things and not feel bad or judge myself when I spend a day doing nothing. I guess even extroverts need some downtime, and I’m learning that’s okay. As I sat in a cafe writing this The Lazy Songby Bruno Mars started playing…seemed like perfect timing.
So far, I have been successful meeting people in two ways: in bars and online. I know it might sound cliché, but sitting at a bar is truly a great way to mingle with people, and I’m finding this holds true no matter where I go. When all else fails, most bartenders are willing to chat and more often than not, they are quite interesting, full of unique perspectives and entertaining stories. I am grateful to have found a great bar in Tirana where I met the owner and hung out several times. If you ever go to Tirana and find yourself in need of a libation, pay a visit to Duff Sports Bar, ask for Ledion, and tell him Lance sent you. He will treat you right.
The other way I have been meeting people is through Facebook and online introductions. I made a new friend this way, via an introduction from my friend Melia named Brian, and we hit it off so well that I asked him to write a guest post on the Albanian youth, one of the most fascinating topics we discussed. I met another travel blogger, Natalia, who I learned more about blogging and just general travel from and Christy who I am house sitting for through an Albanian Facebook group. Despite the many problems that come along with the internet and social media, it really does make the world a smaller, friendlier place. These tools make this a magical time to travel if you use your street smarts and learn how to maximize connections.
To Plan or Not to Plan
Admittedly, I am not a great planner. I get some strange level of pride from not planning, and while I am sure some of this comes from insecurity, that is a topic for another time. The truth is forgoing plans fulfills this internal desire to be an adventurer and I find flying by the seat of my pants is definitely more adventurous than creating an itinerary with little to no leeway for exploration. Oddly enough, my travels so far have helped me realize that I do often need more of a plan than perhaps I like to readily admit. Without one, it becomes so easy to just stay in the room and not do much when I don’t have something on the calendar. That outcome ends up running contrary to the adventure I really want to have and that I believe a lack of planning allows, so I’ve been grappling with accepting that plans are more useful for facilitating adventures than I have given them credit for.
A wonderful outcome of this somewhat uncomfortable realization is that it has helped me see something back at home I have been missing for a long time: how much DeeDee’s planning makes my life better. Because planning doesn’t come naturally to me, I think I’ve been taking for granted the value that a structured plan provides. Thank you, DeeDee, and I apologize for not recognizing this sooner.
All of these reflections and lessons so far have helped me make a decision that I think will really enhance my trip. I have decided to go to Switzerland on August 5th. I’ll be staying with a family and helping in their garden and around the house. I found this opportunity through Workaway and it has really given me something to focus on for the next leg of my travel adventure. It’s a bit of an experiment for me, and I feel that it’s a solid compromise between having a set plan and having no plan whatsoever. I’m going to test out this combination and see if it will give me the security and direction I appreciate having in a plan while also remaining open and flexible enough to satisfy my need for adventure. Either way, even creating a plan like this is an adventure for me, so we’ll see where the road leads!
There is so much more meaning making I could share but for now, I just need to post this damn blog and start thinking about what to share next. Several folks have asked me how I chose Albania to start so I am considering that as a topic. If you have ideas, please share them with me.
One of the things that I hope to achieve with this blog is helping others travel. There are some things I just can’t help with as much as others so I have asked them to help me help you. This is some great advice about traveling with a baby from my friend Abby Lawson.
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to travel a lot with my family. My dad took us on business trips to exotic places, and my parents felt it was important to take vacations together. The trips I took as a child made my love of exploring the world flourish. In my 20s, I shared that love with friends, and embarked on many amazing adventures with them. As a result, I have some pretty impressive stamps in my passport, and wonderful stories to tell.
When I had my daughter, people would say things like, “See you in 18 years!”, or “Say good-bye to traveling!”. I wanted to show those people, and others like them, that having kids doesn’t have to stop you from doing what you love. In fact, it can drive you to do it more! In April of 2018, my husband and I took our 11 month old on a two week trip to Europe. We started with five days in Paris and moved on to Northern Italy (Trento, Riva Del Garda, and Verona). It was a beautiful trip, and most of it was absolutely amazing. I learned a TON about traveling with an infant, and although we had some hellish moments (like when the woman at the ticket counter in Paris seated our baby in a completely different row than ours), we also had some amazing ones (like when our sweet girl crawled around, giggling in front of the Louvre – French women were coming over to kiss her on the cheek because she was so adorable!) – I will cherish memories like that forever.
Although this post is inspired by my experiences traveling with an infant in Europe specifically, many of the tips can be applied to anyone traveling internationally with children of any age. I have traveled out of the country enough times to know that no matter how much planning you do, the unexpected can, and will happen. Put a kid into the mix, and you can almost guarantee some bumps in the road. Despite these challenges, traveling with children is 100% worth it! My hope is that this post will help make the unexpected easier, and allow your trip to be as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. Enjoy.
1.Get a passport for your baby (and double check that yours is still valid)
I have heard some horror stories about people who didn’t know they needed a passport for their infant, or that their passport was expired until they were at the airport! Just remember – no matter your age, if you are traveling internationally, you will need a passport. When getting US a passport for your child, you will need to follow the steps on the travel.state.gov site. You must also ensure that all legal guardians (and child) are present when you submit the forms. When traveling to Europe, you must have at least 6 months validity on your passport to enter the continent. If traveling outside of Europe, make sure you do your own research on passport/visa requirements. It can take up to 8 weeks to get any new passport, so make sure you plan ahead!
2. Buy your baby their own seat on the plane
If you have a child under the age of 2, most airlines will let them fly on your lap for free, or at a highly discounted price. Great – save some money, right? Yes, but maybe not your sanity! If your little one is as busy as mine is, having them on your lap really doesn’t give them (or you) many options while sitting on a nine hour flight. We learned this very quickly, and ended up buying seats for our daughter for all of our remaining flights once we landed in Paris. It truly was a sanity saver, and allowed our busy little bee to have her own space.
3. Only bring enough diapers, wipes and snacks for the flight
Most European countries have the same, or similar brands of wipes and diapers as the U.S. They also have similar baby foods and snacks. To save valuable packing space, just bring what you need for the flight there. You can buy more when you land, and bring only what you need on the way back. We only packed 12 diapers (one for each hour of travel), and still ended up with extras when we landed.
4. Bring formula, breast milk, and medication with you
According to the TSA website, “Formula, breast milk and juice in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do not need to fit within a quart-sized bag. Remove these items from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings.” You can also bring formula and medications in your carry-on. Just be prepared for a little extra security screening.
Pro Tip: Most European countries have formula brands like Enfamil and Similac, so save some space and buy it there. However, if your baby is on a special formula (like mine was), bring enough for your whole trip.
5. Don’t overdo it on the toys
Of course, bring things to entertain your child on the flight (make sure you bring some things they are familiar with, as well as new toys that will make the flight exciting). But make sure you don’t overdo it on the entertainment. I found our daughter was more entertained with empty bottles than the toys that I bought for her and felt it was the one area where I over-packed.
6. Check the necessary baby gear for free!
Most airlines will allow you to check your stroller, car seat, and (sometimes) travel crib for free. You can also gate check those items if you need them in the airport. Be sure you confirm which items your specific airline accepts.
Pro Tip: Gate check in Europe is not like the in U.S. You will likely not get your items back as you depart the plane – the items will be at baggage claim with everything else, so be prepared. Bring a baby carrier on the plane so that you can easily get from the plane to baggage claim without trying to juggle your luggage and a baby!
7. Allow Plenty of Time at the Airport
This is good advice for anyone traveling, but especially when you are bringing kids along. Before a flight, or during any layovers, make sure you give yourself more time than you think you need. Traveling with kids usually means more steps while flying. Get to the airport early to ensure you can check all your baggage and get through security with enough time. If you have a layover anywhere, make sure you give yourself at least a couple of hours. Upon entering any foreign country from the U.S. (and the same when you are coming back), you will have to go through customs, even if it isn’t your final destination. Oftentimes, you will have to pick up your baggage, re-check it, and go through security again. Give yourself enough time, and save yourself the anxiety!
8. Book accommodations through homeshare sites
We tend to book through AirBnB or VRBO no matter where we travel because it allows us access to a larger space, a kitchen, a washing machine, and most importantly, a separate bedroom for baby to sleep in. We made sure every place in Europe had at least one bedroom for our daughter so that we could have our own space while baby was sleeping. We also planned it so that at least every other place we stayed had a washer (dryers are nice, but not common in Europe), which allowed us to pack as minimalistic as possible.
9. Pack Light
My husband and I always packed light before we had a baby. It allowed us to go through airports with ease, and helped us skip any “lost baggage” issues. When we decided to travel overseas with our daughter, we really had to plan our packing list to ensure we still were able to pack light, but still had all the things baby girl needed. We made sure to only pack the essentials, versatile clothes that could be layered, and comfortable shoes. As I mentioned in point 8, booking a place with a washing machine really helped us to pack light. A full list of everything we packed is at the end of the blog.
10. Board last
You may hear a lot of people recommend the opposite. Airlines graciously let anyone traveling with small children board first onto the plane. Some find this helpful, but we felt it worked better for us and our daughter to board last. It allowed us more time to mentally prepare for a long flight, and let our daughter burn off some energy before she was on an airplane for nine hours.
11. Try to let them sleep on the go
Ok, I know this won’t work for every child, but it was great for my daughter during our European adventure. My initial thought when traveling was to let her sleep in the apartment during her nap times. I quickly realized, with 2 naps a day, at 1-2 hours each, I would never actually get to enjoy the places we were visiting. So, instead of being cooped up in our apartment all day, we had her sleep in her stroller while were were exploring. We often would have her sleep in her travel crib for one nap a day, but planned our long walks through the cities during her second one.
12. Download the Mobile Passport App
For anyone who has traveled internationally, you know that customs can sometimes be the worst part of travel. I’m not sure why, but many airports just haven’t figured it out yet. Oftentimes, the process can add an hour or more to your overall travel time. This can make certain layovers tricky and also extends your overall travel time. Downloading the Mobile Passport app enables U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors to save time during the entry or reentry process in 26 U.S. cities. Make sure you have entered all your information before you enter into the United States.
Pro tip: Oftentimes, security agents with escort families with small children to the front of the line. This can be the case in both customs and security lines. It is not the case in all airports, in all instances, but just ask! We did, and it shaved off some very valuable travel time.
13. Be positive and patient
Sure – easier said than done. But kids feed off your energy and often mimic it. Even during the tough times, remember – you are on a trip to a place most people only dream about! So be happy, be positive, be patient. And most of all, HAVE FUN!
Bonus! Things I love to travel with
Suitcase – This little guy complies with nearly every major airline carry-on restrictions (even Ryanair and FlyBe). It is small, but mighty, and can fit a whole lot of stuff!
Solly Wrap – Although it is a little pricey, I think it is totally worth it. It is unbelievably soft, compact, and comfortable.
Lillebaby – The Solly Wrap is great for smaller babies, and when you have little room to pack it in. The Lillebaby is better for walking around the city, and fits babies from newborns to 45lbs.
All Birds – Made from sustainable wool, tree park, or sugarcane, these shoes are super comfortable, and are also washable!
Rothy’s – Another washable shoe! Rothy’s are made of recycled plastic bottles, are very comfortable (no blisters!), and can be dressed up or down.
Chicco Viaro Stroller – Although the stroller is a tad big on some of the smaller European streets, it is awesome overall. It is sturdy, has a ton of storage, and is easy to fold up. With a reclining seat, our daughter was able to sleep on-the-go during our trip.
Travel Crib – We have used this crib everywhere – long trips overseas and across the country, or just weekend trips to Grandma’s house. It folds up into a small size, and the case has shoulder straps so you can wear it as a backpack while traveling. It is comfortable and safe for my daughter and she sleeps really well in it.
Pocket Highchair – Not all the restaurants we went to in Europe had highchairs available. The pocket highchair was an awesome solutions during those times. It also allowed us to have a “highchair” at all of our AirBnBs.
Stroller (brought with us through the airport and gate checked it)
Car Seat (checked at the ticket counter)
Baby Carrier (brought on the flight)
My Carry-On
Travel pillow, 3 dresses, 2 shawls, 3 shirts (2 for day, 1 for sleep), 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of shorts, 2 tanks, 3 pairs of socks, power converter, toiletries, flip flops, kindle, phone and kindle Charger, baby monitor, brush, curling iron, makeup bag, a few diapers, formula (we used the Kirkland formula), sippy cup, spit up blanket, warmer blanket, 2 pairs of baby pajamas, 1 bib, 2 baby sweaters, 4 long sleeve onesies, travel high chair (some places in Italy didn’t have highchairs at restaurants, so I bought this), 4 short sleeve onesies, 4 pairs of socks, a pair of baby shoes (she wasn’t walking yet, so these weren’t totally necessary), Travel noise machine, Baby sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen.
I wore on the plane: leggings, allbirds, shirt, and jacket
Diaper Bag
Several diapers, wipes, pacifiers and clips, a few toys, snacks for the flight, 2 bottles, baby tylenol for our teething daughter, 1 long sleeve onesie, 1 short sleeve onesie, 1 pair of baby pants, 1 pair of baby PJs
My Husband’s Carry-On
Baby monitor camera, formula (so we had a total of 2 Kirkland containers for the whole trip), toiletry bag, liquids bag, belt, 5 T-shirts, 1 long sleeve, 1 collared shirt, 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of pants, shoes, 5 pairs of socks, iPad
Wore on the plane: jeans, sneakers, t-shirt and jacket.
This was
supposed to be a post about what I have learned in my first month of travel. It
turns out that it is actually a post about what I learned in just two hours out
of that whole month.
DeeDee
and Jared joined me on June 25th
and I picked them up in Dubrovnik after a long drive to Croatia. It’s
been wonderful having them here
with me. We had a lot of fun as a family during our time together there,
especially on the Adriatic Sea in Orebić where we
floated peacefully and hung out with our
good friends Amber and Mirela. I’m grateful they are here to share some
of the most memorable events of my trip so far, and what I could even say are
once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Yesterday,
June 30, we arrived in Athens after two long days of driving from Croatia. I
will write more about driving later, but just know for right now that it takes
a long time to drive through Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
We checked into the Hilton Athens and went straight to the lounge for some drinks and food. DeeDee was looking on her phone for things to do and see and discovered that Yo-Yo Ma was playing at Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theater. This is an ancient Greek theater on the same hill as the Acropolis. We were not surprised to find that the show was sold out.
I have
been learning a lot about travel hacking and there are a lot of tricks I still
haven’t yet attempted. I decided to try Chase and AMEX to see if I could get
last minute tickets. Even as I write this, I think about how much class
privilege I have to even think this would be an option. After being on the
computer and phone for 20 minutes or so, I struck out. No tickets and no Yo-Yo
Ma.
We
decide to just walk to the theater and see what we could see. Once there, we
thought maybe we would find someone selling tickets or maybe some tickets got
returned to the box office. We go to the theater to check the box office and
this is when the magic of Athens happened. They had some tickets for sale that
had been returned, and not only were there enough tickets for us all, they were
half price tickets in the 12th row.
Yeah we were excited!
After
coaxing my shocked self out of what I thought must be a dream and back
to reality, we excitedly bought our magical tickets and entered this bucket
list venue. The stage had a single chair and microphone, so simple yet elegant,
and the ruins behind the stage were bathed with beautiful blue lights. We
climbed straight up to our stone seats (that thankfully were adorned with small
cushions) where people have been entertained for hundreds if not thousands of
years and settled in for the show.
OMG…OMG…This place is amazing. Being from Colorado we love Red Rocks but this certainly competes. This is all the set up Yo-Yo Ma needs
Wonder
& Joy
What an amazing venue
Yo-Yo
Ma came on stage shortly after we were seated and made his cello do things that
I thought were impossible. He performed Bach for 2.5 hours, without sheet
music. It was an amazing experience and I was so happy to share it with DeeDee
and Jared.
The
lesson learned, or at least remembered, was always give things a try. We
presumed the tickets would be sold out and we would not get in, but we still
went. We were happy just to visit a vibrant area of Athens and decided that
even if we did not get in, we would just walk around this historic place, grab
some food, and it would still be a great night. Then, something magical happened
when we decided to just check anyway for tickets, and we got the seemingly
impossible as a reward. This has been my best travel surprise to date. Thank
the gods, particularly Dionysus, the Greek God of Theater!
I wanted to write about Berat because I thought it was an amazing place. It is old…I think the oldest place I have ever been with the first known habitation being in the 6th Century BC. “Modern” Berat started in about 314 BC so it is only about 2400 years old. As I thought about what to write I realized that really I don’t have the words to explain Berat so instead, I will share it with you through pictures. I hope you enjoy.
Views of the nearby mountains
On each hill there are very old buildings that were part of castles
A Church in the hills
Not a bad place to stay
My favorite dinner was at Antigoni. The food was terrific but I think like the views better. Watching the sunset and the city change was fantastic. Oh, and the tomatoes in Albania are delicious! The main course was Berat Spitzel, cheese wrapped with meat and then fried…I don’t think it was good for me but it sure was yummy.
Have fun storming the castle…this hill is steep and long. I should take a picture facing back down the hill. Alternate caption I am tired of walking up this damn hill and need a break.
The castle sits on the top of the big hill. After walking & walking & walking I got to the top and took some photos of the area.
One of my favorite days was going to Osumi Canyon and Bogova Waterfalls. We got to swim in both places which were amazing. The guide said the water at the waterfalls was 8 Celsius…I don’t know if that is true but it was cold. Swimming in the amazing canyon was much warmer.
I realize that everything I experience in Albania is through my own lens and my own lived experience. In this blog, I want to share an essay written by my new Albanian friend Brian. I asked him to talk about young people in Albania and this is his truly insightful response.
Something is not rotten in the state of Albania and that is
the youth of this country. I consider myself very fortunate to remain in
contact with students even after finishing my university studies. In my first
year as an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Foreign Languages University of
Tirana and the Faculty of Dentistry in University of Medicine Tirana I have had
the luck to teach some 200 students, chiefly freshmen. What really impressed in
my first year of work is how incredible students are.
What I believe makes Albanian students incredible is their
will and power to study hard and succeed despite disappointments and obstacles
they face daily. I will start with politics, the number one cause of
demotivation among young people and not only. According to a recent study by
Civic Resistance NGO, the vast majority of young people see themselves
distanced from political parties, where 80% of them are neither members nor
activists of a political party. The same study also revealed that only 17% of
young people trust in political parties. I consider this to be one of the
greatest blessings with today’s young people: they are (almost) totally free
from political affiliations and they know that it is hard work which will make
them go places.
Another issue they face is the uncertainty over their
future. Imagine entering a new chapter of your life, being full of hopes and
positive energy about a bright future and then you get told by the older people
that there is no hope, degrees are useless, when you finish your studies you
will end up either unemployed or employed with a minimal wage? It is like
people are trying to shatter your dreams before you even fall asleep. Yet,
Albanian students keep a stiff upper lip. Disappointments and society’s
negative energy are the CO2 that they turn into oxygen, the driving
force to push for change. Albanian youth consider themselves as the ones who
will shape Albanian of tomorrow. And they are right.
What else makes Albanian youth incredible? Despite their
difficulties and misfortunes, they prevail. There are thousands of Albanian
students studying abroad, chiefly through scholarships they have earned thanks
to their intelligence and commitment. Others who conclude their academic
studies in Albania are hired in European countries, chiefly Germany, and US.
What’s most amazing is not the fact that they succeed in the country they
emigrate but the fact that despite the high brain drain Albania has suffered in
the recent years, it still manages to meet demand of specialist of the country.
I believe that if there is one thing that Albania exports that is human
resources. And we are very good at it.
All in all, I consider Albanian youth able to make
outstanding things. They are intelligent, committed and disappointed enough to induce
a real change to Albania and bring it closer to where it belongs: Europe and
the West.
From
what I have experienced so far, the pace of life in Albania is slower than I am
used to. The one exception to this is when in a car, and then it seems very
fast & furious. Other than that, people do things like sit in cafés for
long periods of time having one coffee and casually chatting with friends. Many
people seem to like just watching the world go by.
Seeing
everyone taking their time at life inspired me, and I set out to get my head
and face shaved. I have always wanted to get my face shaved with a straight
edge razor by a barber but had never made time to do it. I found a small barber
shop called The Gentlemen’s Den. The name freaked me out a bit, but things
looked all right. The barber did not speak English though luckily someone there
did. I scheduled a shave for the next day at 11:30.
I was not sure about the name of the place but I am so glad I took a chance.
The
next morning, I was very excited to go in for the shave. I was a little late,
but the barber was very understanding. We navigated our language barrier and I
was confident he understood I wanted my head and face shaved.
After
getting settled in the barber’s chair, he first covered my head with a generous
amount of blue gel. He used a lot of it. However much you are thinking,
it was even more than that. The cool gel felt cool which was so nice because it
was a very hot day outside and immediately got me relaxed.
After
that sat for a few moments, he wrapped my head with a hot towel. The contrast
of brisk gel and hot steam was incredible. I could feel my hair follicles
opening right up, and in a few minutes, they were ready for a serious shave.
The barber loaded a new razor in his straight blade and started shaving away. I
was loving it!
This
is where things took a wonderful turn from great to amazing. After he was done
with the blade, he then smoothed shaving cream all over my head which started a
little tingle and mild but invigorating burning. This move wasn’t just
refreshing, it was genius. After a couple minutes of this shaving cream
treatment, he shaved my whole damn head again. He was meticulous.
At
this point we had been there for quite some time and I thought maybe I had not
been successful as I thought communicating that I wanted my faced shaved, too.
Of course, seconds later, I saw I had no reason to worry. He grabbed a head
rest, attached it to the chair, tipped me back, and gave my face the same
outstanding double shave treatment. All I could think was, “What is happening
here? How can I ever just have a normal shave again?”
After
nearly 45 minutes, my first Albanian barbershop shaving experience was done.
Now, those of you who know me will find this particularly funny because you
know I don’t have a whole lot of hair. I gave him 1200 lek, plus what I hope
was a generous tip, and went on my way, feeling brand new. I am not sure I have
ever spent 45 minutes in a barber’s chair. In case you are keeping track, 1200 lek
is about $12. Not bad for the best shave of my life!
My mirror selfie game is weak but I think you can tell I am happy.
I
regularly move through life quickly. I often get told, “Wow, you look like you
are in a hurry!” This happens even when I’m not particularly in any rush.
Satisfying a lifelong wish for a barbershop straight edge razor shave was great
on its own, but it also showed me that part of my journey is going to be learning
how to slow down and pay more attention to the world.
After
reclining back and giving my full attention to all those different sensations,
I want all my stops in a barber’s chair to be 45 minutes of shaving bliss! I
think, just maybe, if I slow down some in everyday life and look more closely
at what’s around me, I can have some of that bliss outside the barbershop, too.
I have finished my first week of travel and thought it would be a good idea
to get some reflections down. I’m just getting used to being out on the road
and finding my rhythm between exploring, reflecting, and blogging.
I will start with two things. The first is to come visit Albania. It is
beautiful and there is a lot to see. My second thought is that I haven’t yet formed thoughts on Albania as a whole. I really only have thoughts on
Tirana.
To me—and to be clear, this is through my lens and all that comes with
that—Tirana feels like a young, vibrant, up-and-coming city. It is hectic and
chaotic. When you walk around outside much of the city seems to be in
disrepair. But when you go inside the buildings, many places are brand new with
a fresh look. There are young people everywhere.
It feels like a big city with a lot of people living here, because it is. The population of Albania is 3 million, and a third of them live in Tirana
and the surrounding metropolitan area. The traffic is wild, and you have to be extra cautious while crossing the
street. Car horns are ever present. Later this month I am scheduled to rent a
car. I am thinking of moving my pickup location to the airport to avoid driving
in the city center because I don’t understand the local rules of the road.
I took the Tirana Free Walking Tour and the guide was so full of hope and energy. He studied history in college and shared a great understanding of where Albania has come from and a bright outlook on where it can go. While acknowledging their struggles he was optimistic about the future of the country. He was hopeful about becoming a member of the European Union and what that would mean for Albania. If you are in Tirana do this tour, you will love it.
Of course, there are lessons here of the things I take for granted. So far,
I am reflecting on the advantages I have just by being born and living in the
U.S. The main one that comes to mind is access to clean running water, yet I
also fully recognize that not everyone in the U.S. has this. I have read mixed
things about drinking the tap water here so as a precaution I am drinking
bottled water. It is easy enough, but it does show me how I have always taken
for granted that in my house I could turn on the water and presume it was safe.
I want to do a better job of not taking these sorts of things for granted when
I come home.
Another observation I have made is that I am more introverted than I usually am. One of my goals for travel is to meet and connect with people along the way, yet that has been harder than I thought. This has been a surprise and I will have to keep reflecting on why this is. Despite this, so far in my first week I did meet a traveler who has does the Something of Freedom blog and an Instagram page with 34 thousand followers that I found impressive. So far, I feel this first week of travel is off to a good start.
I am learning a good lesson this week… the
line between gratitude and a bad attitude is very thin. By nature, I often lean
toward the bad attitude.
I planned to write a blog on Sunday titled
“One Week to Go and I Feel…” I was excited to compare how I was doing at one-week
pre-trip versus my past writings at one month and two weeks out. It was going
to be a nice wrap up to my pre-trip blogs.
Then, on Saturday we moved from a wonderful home
with a lot of space that we had lived in for 12 years to a beautiful but much
smaller condo. In preparation for the move we got rid of thousands of things—no
exaggeration, we counted for a month.
This downsizing has its benefits, such as no
exterior maintenance to worry about. This will make traveling and taking care
of our home easier for years to come. The real challenge though is that it is MUCH
smaller. Even after getting rid of so much we still have way too much stuff.
After two full days of unpacking the place is
a mess, though progress is being made. We have the kitchen about 75% done and
the master bedroom about 80% done. The garage is so full that I don’t know when
we will be able to get a car in. The basement is a wreck and the main floor living
area is in shambles.
Going to be awhile before a car goes in
A little hard to live in the living room
So, I have been crabby. I have complained
about how much stuff we have. I have been short with DeeDee and Jared and I
have felt a constant state of overwhelm.
I keep asking myself why the hell are we
moving one week before I leave? when I should be recognizing that we only
put our house on the market on March 14th. Things quickly got busy and moved
fast.
We sold our house, found and bought a condo,
closed on both, and were able to move before I left for my trip—all of that in
barely over two months. While I would not recommend to anyone moving the week
before a 7-month trip, when I really pause to think about everything that’s
happened, we are so fortunate. Everything worked out just right.
Despite all the stress of change getting to
me and my mood, the thing is: I have so much to be grateful for. The
line between gratitude and a poor attitude is so thin, and I want to practice
gratitude.
I need to choose gratitude over complaining.
I need to choose gratitude over complaining.
I need to choose gratitude over complaining.
You probably get the point, but I am hoping
by doing a little bit of “Bart Simpson writing on the chalkboard” I will
actually listen and choose gratitude over complaining. That is my work from now
until I leave on Sunday June 2nd: choose gratitude (in addition to some more
unpacking).
The view from our new deck, there is a lot to be grateful for
I feel doubt right now that I will be good at
it, but I am going to really try, because gratitude is what I truly want to
feel. Feel free to remind me of this if I start falling into complaints.
In just four days, I will board an airplane
to start a 7-month adventure that I know will change me. The truth is that even
with the stress along the way and though I have been struggling at times to
show it, I am grateful, and I am especially grateful for all of you who
are supporting me and choosing to follow along with my journey.
Everything I’ve been counting down to and
preparing for is about to begin, and as I go forward, I will keep repeating to
myself, “Choose gratitude.”
This past
week has had a much different feel. The excitement of past weeks spent browsing
destinations and undiscovered experiences has now faded to a background hum. I
am scared about what lies ahead. Anxiety about many things swirls around in my
mind.
What if I
don’t like my destinations? What if I have not planned enough? What if I have
planned too much and I miss a great spontaneous opportunity? What if I get sick
while I travel? What if there is political unrest where I visit? That’s just
being cautious, right? There have been multiple political protests in Tirana,
Albania, after all…
What if…
what if… what if?
I have
noticed the amount of time I spend in worry is greater than the amount of time
I spend in excitement. Negative judgments cloud my day with the voice in my
head saying:
“I
mean, who am I to take 7 months off work and travel?”
“I
don’t deserve to do this.”
“I am
not enough.”
“I
don’t deserve to focus on me.”
Then, I pause. I try to quiet this harsh voice while balancing the fact that I have so many things that allow me to do this. I have the support of my family, my friends, my workplace, and I have unearned privilege from my social identities that make solo travel accessible to me.
The reality
is that I don’t deserve this more than anyone else. My hope is that by doing
this I help others see that they deserve it, too. I also hope to call attention
to the inequality that still exists for others. That is why I am sharing my
story here, even (especially) the parts that aren’t so easy to admit.
So, it has
been a long week. This next week we move, and I know that is causing some of my
anxiety, too. I have one week to “settle” into our new house and then off I go.
I get on a plane and this adventure begins.
As I look
around our house at how much packing we still have to do, the voice starts up
again. “There is no way this will all happen.”
Then I quiet
the voice and know this is totally going to happen whether I am ready or not.
Whether my loose ends are tied up or not, this is already set in motion.
This is
what I wanted. It’s happening now.
My plan is
to lean into the fear, experience the anxiety, and take the ups with the downs.
I will allow myself to question my decisions, but I won’t get stuck there.
I will hold onto to the fact that I know this is the right thing for me to do. I know this is the right time. I won’t let my fear stop me from feeling excitement.
I feel scared, but I know deep down that I am fine.
