I feel definitely split up by my Albanian experience:

I bought some different types of cooked food in various places and none of it had a taste, which felt really upsetting and disappointing. Meanwhile I was amazed by the taste of many raw products such as real organic fruits and vegetables that reminded me of the real taste of lemons, leeks, potatoes, oranges, clementines… 🍋🥔🍊

The hatred towards dogs, and the local indifference towards their sufferings and hunger… mixed with how deeply and joyfully I bonded with them on the beach, and how much love was shared there 🐕❤️

The wonderful sunsets and walks on the beach… mixed with the endless days of rain and the damp. But, the sunny days always came back ☀️🌧️

My little studio that felt like my place — more than anything had felt like home for years — while also having no border for the shower, so basically having to shower in the middle of an open bathroom where you need to mop after each shower and hope it’s not too humid for it to dry soon enough so you can use your bathroom again when needed… 🚿🧽

Feeling grounded and rested… this place brought me peace and stability that were much needed and perfect for my evolution at this time.
I lived on a pretty easy, manageable square between the apartment, the beach, and the little shops.

Seeing lower costs for many things (such as rent), but also paying as much as in France for many others — while you’re in the middle of so much chaos, with literally fields of garbage between your place and the city center 🗑️

Seeing people mainly wear black clothes — the lowest vibrational energy one can ever wear — and I wondered: « are they all in black here? » ⚫ I got told it comes from communism when everyone was expected to look alike and personal differences were erased

People smiling at me a lot, especially old women, which I appreciated so much 👵💛

My Lila — my favorite stray dog — who earned a place in my heart because of her courage and her infinite love mixed with freedom, and little wolf style 🐺💘

Being happy, rested, relaxed… having loved all of it, even the difficult parts because it teaches you how to handle cultural differences and learn from them as a Cultural Navigator.

Meeting two friends, a couple who were adorable and helpful to me at the beginning but who also refused to feed Lila every now and then after I left, while it’s a 10 minute walk from where they live, and the woman is at home all day doing nothing, complaining about being bored and the man has almost all his afternoons free + I offered to buy the food…so, just make it make sense…

Also being a bit scared of men in general here — especially when they ride a motorcycle or a car that flatters their ego 🏍️ but walking through the streets peacefully, just hoping they would have caught up with the invention of sidewalks…

Feeling grateful for all that this place gave me
Feeling a different kind of generosity — deep, grounded, but discreet
I have received it
Albania is a special land – in raw places the energy of the earth often is quite high and nurturing for your body, especially if you spend lots of time outside and even more if you walk barefoot regularly…

People here will upset you in many ways… but they will also give you something rare that I cannot yet describe. When they notice you and do something for you, it feels good because it’s authentic

I wondered how I could ever write anything because it was such a mess in my head… But then I decided to just write that mess ✍️

Ask me now whether or not I liked it here?
I’m incapable of giving you a straight answer, and that’s ok.

Because traveling is about living whatever there is to live, it is not about ticking boxes or evaluating anything. And that’s what will make your Intercultural Awareness grow bigger.

Experiences also need you to take time to reflect on them, the moment you live it is just one layer, and many extra layers often come weeks or months later after you’ve spent time in a country.

With Love & Adventures,

Emilie