Albania the Hidden Gem

We all come from different backgrounds, have faced tough challenges, have gone through major changes, and we all have a story to tell. This is my story…

It was October of 1998, when my family and I came to this country. My parents made a huge sacrifice to leave their family behind and sell everything that they owned so that they could save some money and start a new life in United states. They were excited and optimistic about the opportunity to come to the US and create a better life for their children. It was tough for them to adjust to this new country and lifestyle where they didn’t speak the language and didn’t have anyone to help them and show them around. They had to work multiple jobs, take care of their children, and make sure that they put food on the table. My sister was eleven and I was nine at the time. We were able to adjust quickly because we picked up the English language easily and made friends at school. We both graduated from college and now have full-time jobs in industries that we love and are passionate about contributing to society. We have created our own families now. We are both happily married, and each have a child. My niece is now seven and my son is four.

My parents wanted to move out of Albania because of the civil war that was going on in 1997 due to the pyramid scheme crisis. The schemes, active since 1991, were based on making payments to old investors using money contributed by new investors. The interest rate they offered to the Albanian people was 50-100%. When the International Monetary Fund realized that they were Ponzi schemes, they advised the government to end the operations. The government instead allowed the firms to continue their activities, often participating in them.

In January 1997, the schemes collapsed, and the government froze the firm’s assets. Albanian citizens lost everything they had, an estimated $1.2B overall. The Albanian people protested, demanding their money back from the government. The protests led to riots all over the country in different cities. The Albanian government was unable to control the situation and maintain order in the time of chaos that was going on all around the country. Rival gangs stepped up in many major cities and led violent crimes between the people and the government, killing more than two thousand people. Later the Albanian government decided to open the weapon depots all over the country to give the people weapons to protect themselves. Albania was a battle zone where every person aged 10 and up had at least one gun and plenty of ammunition to defend themselves. The civil war lasted about six months until the president, Sali Berisha, declared a state of emergency. The United States alongside Italy, Greece, France, Austria, Turkey, and others came to help the Albanian government to restore law and order. The civil war came to an end in August with $200M in damages, 5,000 people wounded, and more than 2,000 killed.

 Albania

Berat

Even though Albania has gone through a devastating civil war, it has changed a lot in the past 22 years. It is now considered one of the best tourist destinations, boasting exotic beautiful beaches alongside a rich history. My city of birth, called Berat, is considered as one of the prettiest towns in Albania for its Ottoman style houses. It is called the “city of a thousand windows” because of the windows that look out from the houses on the hill.

Xhiro (official evening walk)

In the evenings, the locals like to walk. But it’s not just a walk, it is known as “xhiro”. It is an official evening walk where every resident comes out to stretch their legs and catch up with their neighbors. In Berat, the roads close to cars for certain hours and everyone gathers at various places, walking and talking until nightfall.

Ksamil Beach, Albania

Located in south of Saranda, Ksamil is one of the best beach destinations in Albania. Ksamil is also called “the Ionian pearl” because of its beauty. It is located in a bay with three small islands, reachable by swim or a boat ride, and surrounded by turquoise water.

Almost every year, my family and I go back to our homeland to see my grandmother, uncles, aunts, and cousins. We go to a variety of beaches on the Albanian Riviera for about two weeks, spending a couple of days on each beach. Every now and then, we reminisce about the devastating tragedy that our country faced. We mourn the people we lost during that time, including my cousin’s father. We remember being frightened to come outside of our houses because of people shooting guns. We see Albania now and realize how much it has changed in just 20 years, and how it is possible to improve our country and ourselves. Albania is doing much better now. It went from being a third world country to a top vacation destination with a chance to join the European Union. Occasionally, I use this tragic event to motivate myself when I am feeling down or helpless and remind myself that anything is possible. We can overcome any obstacle if we find the courage deep inside of us to keep fighting for what we want and believe and never give up, no matter how hard things are, until we see the light at the end of the tunnel.