Pogradec... still
Trip Start
Apr 14, 2006
1
99
102
Trip End
Jul 2008
Pogradec,
Albania
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
When I get back I met Malvina, her younger sister Ola and another friend, Anula. Anula's English is especially good. Well Lelya still wasn't around, doing some business in another town actually, so I went with the girls to the market and then for coffee at a really nice hotel on the beach. The girls are really smart and ambitious - both Malvina and Aluna will start university, Malvina studying to be a doctor, Aluna a lawyer. It seems like Albania is on the verge of a change, with girls in their twenties and younger the first to have the chance to study and have ambitious careers
cafes by the beach
. They were also really curious about America and about me travelling alone, whether it was dangerous to travel by myself. And they kept treating me, for coffee and for ice cream, I didn't protest too much since I know in their culture it verges on an insult if you refuse.It was 1 pm when I got back to the house and Lelya was still nowhere to be seen. She came back at 2 with Anjela's little brother and said, how about we stay in Pogradec tonight, and then tomorrow night in Elbasan? I said I definitely had to be in Berat tomorrow morning, so she said she would drive me to Elbasan the next morning and I would continue to Berat, and I agreed. I was a bit frusterated but at least I was having a really great time with the family and neighbor girls so I didn't let it bother me too much.
We had some lunch and then I went to the beach with the kids. We really bonded more that day, holding hands, swimming around with them on my back. That night back at home I had a long conversation with Lelya and Anjela's mom, without a translator. It's amazing what you can get across with gestures and a bit of creative drawing. Around 9:30 pm I went out with Malvina and Ola, and their younger brother Ermes. They emphasized how late it was for them to be out, that they usually go home around this time - especially the girls. We just had coffee and were home by 10. Once home we had a quick dinner with the family, then bed.
