Albanian Chronicles - Part 1

The adventure or shall I call it challenge starts today!

Fortunately for me I was not to travel alone to Tirana since the Human Resources Manager Alma Varfi was travelling on the same flight.

Our journey started off well since we were both upgraded to Business Class. Over a good lunch we had a talk about our families, life in our respective countries, studies etc. As we approached Albania I fell silent as I watched from thousands of miles above, the country which was to be my home for the next couple of months. Apprehension filled me – would I settle down, would I be successful in the project I was assigned to, would I get on with people? Would I feel lonely and miserable? I was determined to be successful and prove to all (including myself) that I would make it!

Nene (Mother) Teresa Airport or Rinas Airport as it is commonly referred took me back to Malta in the mid-eighties - very small with dilapidated surroundings – I couldn’t wait to see inside! ……there was hope though – one of the first things I saw Vodafone billboard! YEAY!!!

An entry visa, valid for 30 days is required, and since credit cards are still relatively unknown in Albania, I decided to exchange some Euros at the Exchange counter. Following, what seemed a very long wait, and €30 later, I was granted a 30 day visa.

With a large sigh of relief I found my luggage (imagine not finding your luggage!) and headed off to the exit. In Albania, luggage is scanned even when entering the country and during this process the scan revealed that I had something suspicious in my luggage – when they opened it they found a box of Tampax!!!! They had never seen this product before! Thank God Alma was with me and I could explain what they were for!! How embarrassing, what a good way to start the visit!

The drive from Rinas to central Tirana is a depressing journey – dusty and dirty roads lead to the highway. The roads are dotted with semi constructed buildings or what could be possibly bombed buildings. During the trip one can see old shepherds with one or two dirty sheep or goats walking at the side of the road, their weather beaten faces giving away the hard times most Albanians suffered in the past.

The Hotel which was chosen to be my home for the next three months is found in what is called the Bloc Area. Until a few years this area was not accessible to the public because it housed the parliament buildings and ministries as well as Enver Hoxha’s house. Hoxha was the dictator that led the country with an iron fist, commanding the worst possible form of Communism thus throwing Albania into oblivion as well as declaring it the world’s only atheist state. The Bloc area is now the main area of central Tirana with a large number of coffee shops, internet cafes, high rise apartment buildings and one of Tirana’s few nightlife spots – Buda Bar (no this isn’t a spelling mistake)

Continued in Albanian Chronicles Part 2