Balkans United - Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovinia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia

[katelyn84 0]

Hello! I am not currently engaged to an Albanian but need some help with general information on helping him obtain a visitors Visa to the US. It seems like most of you guys posting on this thread are engaged or married, but maybe you can still help!

I met Bled in London back in 2004 when I was studying with my university and we were together for only a few months before I had to return home to the States, but we fell in love... I moved back home and he moved back to Albania and soon after we broke up because the long distance was too hard on both of us. After 4 years apart we have recently gotten back in touch and are hoping to see each other again soon. I will be planning to go to Tirana for a month next summer (unfortunetly with my job I cannot go any sooner) but he was going to try to get a visitors visa to come visit me in December. He seems pretty pessimistic about obtaining one as he says that he knows of no one who's ever gotten approved. However, he does own his own business over there and is building a house for him and his brother, so he thinks that he may be a good canidate for a visitors visa because he has strong financial obligations in Albania. Anyways, enough rambling... does anyone have any advice for us or past history of trying to just obtain a visitors visa if you are Albanian? Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Hello! I am not currently engaged to an Albanian but need some help with general information on helping him obtain a visitors Visa to the US. It seems like most of you guys posting on this thread are engaged or married, but maybe you can still help!

I met Bled in London back in 2004 when I was studying with my university and we were together for only a few months before I had to return home to the States, but we fell in love... I moved back home and he moved back to Albania and soon after we broke up because the long distance was too hard on both of us. After 4 years apart we have recently gotten back in touch and are hoping to see each other again soon. I will be planning to go to Tirana for a month next summer (unfortunetly with my job I cannot go any sooner) but he was going to try to get a visitors visa to come visit me in December. He seems pretty pessimistic about obtaining one as he says that he knows of no one who's ever gotten approved. However, he does own his own business over there and is building a house for him and his brother, so he thinks that he may be a good canidate for a visitors visa because he has strong financial obligations in Albania. Anyways, enough rambling... does anyone have any advice for us or past history of trying to just obtain a visitors visa if you are Albanian? Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

I'm sorry but I really don't know anything about obtaining a visitor's visa. I do know that the chances of receiving one are very slim for Albanians. It is always worth a shot though. =]

Good luck!

[mkg265 2]

Back to the topic at hand, (complaining about our back-water husbands)

My husbands mother worked outside the home when he was a child (I know, gasp! but they were so poor she had to work on the communist dairy farm outside of Shkoder). He was basically raised by his sister and when he lived in Italy, he lived with her and her family. I will thank that woman every day of my life. She "broke" him. Yes, she did his laundry, made his lunch and bought much of his clothing for him BUT she made him do his dishes, had him babysit her kids, taught him to iron, gave him grocery shopping responsibilities, and made him clean around the house. He and his sister's husband took turns doing the dishes. Then he went and lived alone where he had to cook for himself, fully food shop, clean, make his 2500 calorie plus lunches, pay rent etc.

When we first started dating (in Italy) he would come over to my apartment for dinner every night. I would faithfully do the dishes (even though I did all the cooking and purchasing). There was a faithful sunday when I told him to do our lunch dishes (like two forks, two plates and a pan) and he said no. I don't think he fully understood that I was a spoiled American Daddy's girl and no man ever said no to me. Long story short (without the cursing and plate throwing bit), I kicked him out and he came back an hour later and did the dishes. I have never had a problem since. We created a system when I moved in with him- the person that does not cook the meal, has to clean up. I cook a little more than him but if I wanted fried meat, yogurt, cucumbers, and potatoes for every meal I wouldn't need to cook.

When we lived together I got into the habit of making the bed (trust me, not my idea). He did have a point for it too- he worked all day and all I did was shop for dinner, read, work on my thesis, and take coffee.

On the other hand, he is a cloths horse. He has 12 pairs of shoes and for a straight man that is ridiculous. He has more underwear than me (mine say fruit of the loom, his say armani and ck). He thinks Polo is the best brand ever. What a cute weirdo.

I'm trying to submit for your viewing pleasure...

Balkan man doing dishes!

But the photo is too large.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Back to the topic at hand, (complaining about our back-water husbands)

My husbands mother worked outside the home when he was a child (I know, gasp! but they were so poor she had to work on the communist dairy farm outside of Shkoder). He was basically raised by his sister and when he lived in Italy, he lived with her and her family. I will thank that woman every day of my life. She "broke" him. Yes, she did his laundry, made his lunch and bought much of his clothing for him BUT she made him do his dishes, had him babysit her kids, taught him to iron, gave him grocery shopping responsibilities, and made him clean around the house. He and his sister's husband took turns doing the dishes. Then he went and lived alone where he had to cook for himself, fully food shop, clean, make his 2500 calorie plus lunches, pay rent etc.

When we first started dating (in Italy) he would come over to my apartment for dinner every night. I would faithfully do the dishes (even though I did all the cooking and purchasing). There was a faithful sunday when I told him to do our lunch dishes (like two forks, two plates and a pan) and he said no. I don't think he fully understood that I was a spoiled American Daddy's girl and no man ever said no to me. Long story short (without the cursing and plate throwing bit), I kicked him out and he came back an hour later and did the dishes. I have never had a problem since. We created a system when I moved in with him- the person that does not cook the meal, has to clean up. I cook a little more than him but if I wanted fried meat, yogurt, cucumbers, and potatoes for every meal I wouldn't need to cook.

When we lived together I got into the habit of making the bed (trust me, not my idea). He did have a point for it too- he worked all day and all I did was shop for dinner, read, work on my thesis, and take coffee.

On the other hand, he is a cloths horse. He has 12 pairs of shoes and for a straight man that is ridiculous. He has more underwear than me (mine say fruit of the loom, his say armani and ck). He thinks Polo is the best brand ever. What a cute weirdo.

I'm trying to submit for your viewing pleasure...

Balkan man doing dishes!

But the photo is too large.

yea, i could relate to every single sentence you just wrote. god bless your husband's sister, she taught him well. although i think they tend to believe that everything will change when they get married and that the wife will just naturally take on all of that responsibility (even if he knows perfectly well how to do all of those things). i tried to implement the system that you are talking about (whoever doesnt cook has to clean), but it hasnt work to my liking because he insists on leaving the dishes until 'later' when it is his turn, which i wont stand for...i want them done and i want them done right away so i dont have to see nastiness in my kitchen...so many times i end up cleaning them when its not my turn...he has gotten better though, i must say...if i can bring myself to leave a sinkful of dishes there long enough, he will eventually do them...i just cant usually bring myself to do it...my husband knows how to cook the same things that you mentioned, and i actually laughed when i read it because its 100% true...he ate what you described or pasta every night while living on his own in italy...for this reason i usually do the cooking as well...he never cleans clothes though, which is something i hate to do...i dont know if i will ever get him to do that...about the bed making, i think that is something important to them...i dont get it, i have never made me bed in my life, but he does it, so whatever. it makes no difference to me. oh yea, LOL to the 2500 calorie lunches!! albanians just dont get fat, lets be serious here.

are you still in italy? what city did or do you live in? we also met in italy (florence), while i was studying there =]

[katelyn84 0]

Hi again! So, I've booked a ticket to go visit him in December in Tirana! I am really excited but am wondering what I should expect when I get over there... are Americans well received? Any advice for meeting his family? Anything you have to tell me about the country, the people, what to expect would be soooo appreciated! My mom is going crazy about thinking that I will be away for the holidays and I am trying to curb her fears about a country she knows nothing about... and my own too I guess! Thanks!

[Techbrarian 0]

LOL, well this should be the Albanians thread. As far as my Bulgarian husband goes: He has about a week's worth of clothes...sort of, can't cook, and has some interesting ideas from his male dominated society, lol. Good thing is that he was raised by his mom and is respectful and neat. Actually he is much neater than I and picks up after me all the time. Lucky for me, he is willing to learn to cook, though while I was there in Bulgaria he WOULD let me stay in the kitchen for hours trying to make food out of the 5-10 ingredients available in Bulgaria (only slightly joking) and not come in to help or say 'boo'. As far as cultural norms:

1. Bulgarian men will eat anything, they don't want to waste things and will do their best to never throw anything away. He got mad if we ever had to throw anything out. He says he loves my cooking but can I trust that statement, lol?

2. When at a family gathering all the women do the cooking, serve the men, and stay in the kitchen nearly the entire time. It took me a long time to notice this because I was caught up with Metodi, but one night I realized that I was the only woman in a room full of men. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water (because everyone was smoking and I hate it) and all the women were in the kitchen filling, cleaning and moving plates and chatting. O.o For a moment I felt guilty for not being in there too, lol. Then I got my senses back. I realized that this is how it always is, women pouring drinks for men constantly, refilling plates, going to fetch things for them, ugh!

3. I don't want to make a generalization since my husband is an Aquarius but HE very often goes into lecture mode like I'm a child and don't know what he's talking about. To me it's really amusing, I mean, I have a Master's degree... But it does get annoying. I did notice that he also does this to his mother. I wonder if all Bulgarian men have this feeling of being more intelligent than women and needing to be a teacher regardless of whether they know what they are talking about or not, lol.

4. Foriegners in general I bet, have some very funny ideas about the US... Before his friends met me they said, 'YOU MARRIED AN AMERICAN??? WHY?' All Americans are fat, greedy, stupid, RICH (ha) and loyal followers of our president, lol! His grandma suggested we go to McDonalds in Sofia for lunch one day so that I could have American food...I haven't been to McDonalds since I was in grade school. All Americans love McDonalds. Yum Yum Yum.

5. Food. If you do not like bread for every meal do not go to Bulgaria. If you marry a Bulgarian you will spend the majority of your grocery allowance on bread and yogurt. Interesting things I was given to eat are: pasta with milk and sugar for breakfast (overcooked pasta that is), more bread than I normally consume in a year, raw pork fat, turnip pickle juice, boza (lightly fermented, really thick prison hooch), ayran (1 part yogurt/1 part water drink), warm milk with honey (good), turkish pastries that are insanely sweet such as my husband's favorite; tatlia, and homemade yogurt (yuck!).

The good food: Sarmi (stuffed grape leaves), moussaka, local wine (yum), duner (shwarma), turkish coffee, homemade picked cabbage (I like it, I'm german *shrug*), FIG JAM (OMG GOOD), sirene (feta sort of) and kalamata olive sandwiches, snejanka salad (tastes like dip!), tarator (yogurt, cucumber cold soup), fresh fruit from the local trees, grilled fishes, turkey cooked with rice or cabbage instead of stuffing (yum), bean soup, and anything Baba Spaska made (she's a chef) except for the time she brought in a sheep's head on a plate and asked me if I wanted her to 'warm it up'.

I also figured out how to make chocolate chip cookies...for about $15! Next time I bring: one dollar brownie mixes and bags of chocolate chips!

My all time favorite snack was: bread with a little butter, loads of shipka (rose hip) marmalade, and kashkaval (the mozzarella-like cheese). Metodi thought this was gross, sweet and cheese do not belong together. Wait till I make him a cheescake, he'll change his tune...I think.

6. Family. Very important and all nice and intrusive, lol. I love them. I have a typical American, all over the country never see each other family. His family loved me and talked to me like I was 2. This is how you learn apparantly. Bebe za mama. His parents call me 'baby' and his mom has 1000 cute things she calls me. Oi!

7. Country. Everyone is patriotic but critical...much like everywhere. But you should have seen the Bulgarian flag coloured gym suits that I saw on so many men, lol. ROFL. They also have a really sad habit of littering and not neutering their animals. Bulgaria is an absolutely gorgeous country covered by litter and infested with mangy cats and dogs!

<3 Samantha

PS: you may now continue your Albanian discussion, lol.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

LOL, well this should be the Albanians thread. As far as my Bulgarian husband goes: He has about a week's worth of clothes...sort of, can't cook, and has some interesting ideas from his male dominated society, lol. Good thing is that he was raised by his mom and is respectful and neat. Actually he is much neater than I and picks up after me all the time. Lucky for me, he is willing to learn to cook, though while I was there in Bulgaria he WOULD let me stay in the kitchen for hours trying to make food out of the 5-10 ingredients available in Bulgaria (only slightly joking) and not come in to help or say 'boo'. As far as cultural norms:

1. Bulgarian men will eat anything, they don't want to waste things and will do their best to never throw anything away. He got mad if we ever had to throw anything out. He says he loves my cooking but can I trust that statement, lol?

2. When at a family gathering all the women do the cooking, serve the men, and stay in the kitchen nearly the entire time. It took me a long time to notice this because I was caught up with Metodi, but one night I realized that I was the only woman in a room full of men. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water (because everyone was smoking and I hate it) and all the women were in the kitchen filling, cleaning and moving plates and chatting. O.o For a moment I felt guilty for not being in there too, lol. Then I got my senses back. I realized that this is how it always is, women pouring drinks for men constantly, refilling plates, going to fetch things for them, ugh!

3. I don't want to make a generalization since my husband is an Aquarius but HE very often goes into lecture mode like I'm a child and don't know what he's talking about. To me it's really amusing, I mean, I have a Master's degree... But it does get annoying. I did notice that he also does this to his mother. I wonder if all Bulgarian men have this feeling of being more intelligent than women and needing to be a teacher regardless of whether they know what they are talking about or not, lol.

4. Foriegners in general I bet, have some very funny ideas about the US... Before his friends met me they said, 'YOU MARRIED AN AMERICAN??? WHY?' All Americans are fat, greedy, stupid, RICH (ha) and loyal followers of our president, lol! His grandma suggested we go to McDonalds in Sofia for lunch one day so that I could have American food...I haven't been to McDonalds since I was in grade school. All Americans love McDonalds. Yum Yum Yum.

5. Food. If you do not like bread for every meal do not go to Bulgaria. If you marry a Bulgarian you will spend the majority of your grocery allowance on bread and yogurt. Interesting things I was given to eat are: pasta with milk and sugar for breakfast (overcooked pasta that is), more bread than I normally consume in a year, raw pork fat, turnip pickle juice, boza (lightly fermented, really thick prison hooch), ayran (1 part yogurt/1 part water drink), warm milk with honey (good), turkish pastries that are insanely sweet such as my husband's favorite; tatlia, and homemade yogurt (yuck!).

The good food: Sarmi (stuffed grape leaves), moussaka, local wine (yum), duner (shwarma), turkish coffee, homemade picked cabbage (I like it, I'm german *shrug*), FIG JAM (OMG GOOD), sirene (feta sort of) and kalamata olive sandwiches, snejanka salad (tastes like dip!), tarator (yogurt, cucumber cold soup), fresh fruit from the local trees, grilled fishes, turkey cooked with rice or cabbage instead of stuffing (yum), bean soup, and anything Baba Spaska made (she's a chef) except for the time she brought in a sheep's head on a plate and asked me if I wanted her to 'warm it up'.

I also figured out how to make chocolate chip cookies...for about $15! Next time I bring: one dollar brownie mixes and bags of chocolate chips!

My all time favorite snack was: bread with a little butter, loads of shipka (rose hip) marmalade, and kashkaval (the mozzarella-like cheese). Metodi thought this was gross, sweet and cheese do not belong together. Wait till I make him a cheescake, he'll change his tune...I think.

6. Family. Very important and all nice and intrusive, lol. I love them. I have a typical American, all over the country never see each other family. His family loved me and talked to me like I was 2. This is how you learn apparantly. Bebe za mama. His parents call me 'baby' and his mom has 1000 cute things she calls me. Oi!

7. Country. Everyone is patriotic but critical...much like everywhere. But you should have seen the Bulgarian flag coloured gym suits that I saw on so many men, lol. ROFL. They also have a really sad habit of littering and not neutering their animals. Bulgaria is an absolutely gorgeous country covered by litter and infested with mangy cats and dogs!

<3 Samantha

PS: you may now continue your Albanian discussion, lol.

Yea, we Albanian lovers tend to flock together lol but your experience sounds very very similar to what i have experienced with my husband, his family and his country.

The food is pretty much in the same ball park...I LOVEEEEEEE the pickled cabbage that you are talking about yum yum yum. My mother in law makes everything from scratch, which is wonderful. Homemade bread, yogurt, cheese (basically feta), fruits and veggies grown in the backyard, pickles, cabbage (as we have discussed), soups of every kind....homemade raki and wine, byrek you name it. She also makes many delicious sweets, I dont know what they are called, but usually involved fresh honey. I will take 'em all. =]

Yes, the women are always in the kitchen gossiping, and yes, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich - nothing unique there.

My husband (and most Albanian men that I have encountered - Bulgarians most likely share a good deal of these views too) has many *interesting* thoughts about women and what we *should* be doing. Those views are either changing as a result of being married to me or he has just learned not to voice them anymore because I don't want to hear it.

A side note about the positive - I love the loyalty of my husband, which I think is partly due to his culture (although he did learn a lot from his momma too). I am sure you all know what I am talking about.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Hi again! So, I've booked a ticket to go visit him in December in Tirana! I am really excited but am wondering what I should expect when I get over there... are Americans well received? Any advice for meeting his family? Anything you have to tell me about the country, the people, what to expect would be soooo appreciated! My mom is going crazy about thinking that I will be away for the holidays and I am trying to curb her fears about a country she knows nothing about... and my own too I guess! Thanks!

That is very exciting! I wouldn't worry at all. I had a wonderful time while I was there and my husband's family was nothing but WONDERFUL to me.

There is definitely a lot of curiosity about Americans and what it's like in America. They will probably ask you questions that you have no idea how to answer. That might sound weird, but they expect you to know EVERYTHING about America. They will be like 'How much would this house cost in America?' or 'How much does a police officer make in America?' or any random questions about something they heard through the grape vine. Once someone asked me 'Do they have better clubs in NY or LA?'. I was like 'Uhhh, I have never been to LA'. They just looked at me weird lol. I don't think that many people realize just how large the USA is. I can't really think of other questions right now, but I felt a little stupid at times, because they expect you to know everything, and the chances of that are very slim lol.

I don't know what you look like, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Tirana. I was starred at the entire time I was there, because I don't look anything like an Albanian woman. I am pale with freckles, very soft round features on my face (not Albanian at all), and most Albanian woman dress in a very feminine way, with high heels and lots of makeup - - - not me at all lol. So that could be one thing, it's very homogenous there so they will know an outsider immediately when they see you. Don't be afraid though, especially if you are in Tirana, I would say that there is nothing to be afraid of.

I don't know how much you have travelled, but Albania was a very different experience for me. I mean, they don't have the greatest infrastructure, so you will see things that you are most likely not used to. Like for example, the Albanian stop light a.k.a. a police officer standing in the middle of an intersection waving a sign and directing traffic. Also, there will be garbage all over the place, and people walking with cows or donkeys right on the side of the highway. And oh my god, there are always people darting across the highway on foot! I still can't get over this, and have never seen anything like it. I mean old people or families running across the highway and jumping over the median to get to the other side. VERY DANGEROUS! lol You will see young kids selling cigarettes on the street and might encounter a bathroom that has just a hole in the floor. The roads can be very rocky and are often times not paved, even near the city center.

Those are the 'quirks' I would say, but despite them all, I love it there and cannot wait to go back. The people who you will meet through your fiance will be so sweet and accepting. They will kiss you on both of your cheeks and show you the utmost hospitality. My husband's uncle and his wife gave us their bed when we slept in their house for a night!! This is something that I can say for sure would never happen in America, and sadly I wouldn't have ever even thought to do this for someone other than my mother or grandmother. I think the general idea is that if you are the fiance of someone in their family, then you are their family too. Same thing goes for friends, I would say.

Have fun, you will have a wonderful trip! Make sure to go see the beach, even if it's not hot enough to go swimming!

[kalina 0]

Samantha, I read your post and being Bulgarian I can say that this picture of my country and society is very unrealistic. My husband is Bulgarian too, and I can't share all of your views.

Moreover, you wrote that all Bulgarian consider Americans to be fat, stupid and rich and this of course is not true. The same is with the generalization which you made about my country. Of course it is not true.

First, I can't say that Bulgaria is male dominated society. Yes, it was but maybe 50 years ago. Indeed, there is women discrimination, but it is not only in Bulgaria but also all over the world. Even in the USA which is considered to be the "cradle of the democracy" there is such kind of discrimination.

It is strange to me that in Bulgaria there are only 5-10 ingredients for cooking. Actually, you can find hundreds of ingredients for cooking in the market.

Talking about cultural norms:

Yes this is true that many of the Bulgarians are reluctant to waste the food. We were taught always that there are many children and adults in the world which are starving. I can remember from my early years at school a pictures with starving children and pregnant women from the third world countries. So we were educated that the food and all other resources from the nature are limited and we must try to keep and not to waste them. I think that it is a good point.

It is not true that women are divided from the men at family gathering. No, I am 30 years old and this has never happened in my country. When there are gatherings women and men are always together. They are talking, singing dancing together.

Women pouring drinks to men constantly makes me laugh. If I do this to my husband he will be offended.

It is true that in most cases women do the household work but it is in the older families. It is not true for the younger people in the country. In the big cities in most cases both - woman and the husband work and they share the household work.

Women in Bulgaria have the same rights as the men have. They are very well educated and you can see many women working at the top position of the big international companies.

As a whole people there (both women and men) are very open minded, intelligent and know many things about the world. I can't say that they are very patriotic, but they are very tolerant with the foreigners. Being an immigrant in the USA and meeting many other cultures here, I can say that Bulgarians are one of the most tolerant nations. The history of the country prove this fact.

You are right about the bread, but it is not typical for all people. In fact, many of the women in Bulgaria stay away from the bread because they want to keep their bodies slim.

I agree about the yogurt. Bulgarian yogurt is famous all over the world because of the Lactobacillus bulgaricus bacteria which it contains. It is very healthy food.

I completely agree about the littering.

Maybe you know, but Bulgaria is very ancient country. It was founded 13 centuries ago. In fact it is one of the oldest countries in Europe because the first inhabitants of these lands were the Thracians. There are plenty of archaeological monuments there, which you can visit. The history and culture of this part of the world is remarkable and you have the opportunity to get to know them.

Wish you and your family all the best.

Edited September 19, 2008 by kalina

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Moreover, you wrote that all Bulgarian consider Americans to be fat, stupid and rich and this of course is not true. The same is with the generalization which you made about my country. Of course it is not true.

Let's be fair here, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich.

[kalina 0]

Moreover, you wrote that all Bulgarian consider Americans to be fat, stupid and rich and this of course is not true. The same is with the generalization which you made about my country. Of course it is not true.

Let's be fair here, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich.

BabyBlueSusie, I agree that most of the people have this opinion, but this opinion is not true. I want to say that their view about Americans is wrong.

Edited September 19, 2008 by kalina

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Moreover, you wrote that all Bulgarian consider Americans to be fat, stupid and rich and this of course is not true. The same is with the generalization which you made about my country. Of course it is not true.

Let's be fair here, everyone thinks Americans are fat, stupid and rich.

BabyBlueSusie, I agree that most of the people have this opinion, but this opinion is not true. I want to say that their view about Americans is wrong.

I can understand what you are saying in a way, because in Albania the opinion of America isn't as negative as it is in most western european countries that I have been to. The USA helped Kosova with regards to Serbia, so many Albanians have great respect for America. But there are many others who have the attitude that I have described before. I have never been to Bulgaria so I can only speak of what I know.

[katelyn84 0]

Hi again! So, I've booked a ticket to go visit him in December in Tirana! I am really excited but am wondering what I should expect when I get over there... are Americans well received? Any advice for meeting his family? Anything you have to tell me about the country, the people, what to expect would be soooo appreciated! My mom is going crazy about thinking that I will be away for the holidays and I am trying to curb her fears about a country she knows nothing about... and my own too I guess! Thanks!

That is very exciting! I wouldn't worry at all. I had a wonderful time while I was there and my husband's family was nothing but WONDERFUL to me.

There is definitely a lot of curiosity about Americans and what it's like in America. They will probably ask you questions that you have no idea how to answer. That might sound weird, but they expect you to know EVERYTHING about America. They will be like 'How much would this house cost in America?' or 'How much does a police officer make in America?' or any random questions about something they heard through the grape vine. Once someone asked me 'Do they have better clubs in NY or LA?'. I was like 'Uhhh, I have never been to LA'. They just looked at me weird lol. I don't think that many people realize just how large the USA is. I can't really think of other questions right now, but I felt a little stupid at times, because they expect you to know everything, and the chances of that are very slim lol.

I don't know what you look like, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Tirana. I was starred at the entire time I was there, because I don't look anything like an Albanian woman. I am pale with freckles, very soft round features on my face (not Albanian at all), and most Albanian woman dress in a very feminine way, with high heels and lots of makeup - - - not me at all lol. So that could be one thing, it's very homogenous there so they will know an outsider immediately when they see you. Don't be afraid though, especially if you are in Tirana, I would say that there is nothing to be afraid of.

I don't know how much you have travelled, but Albania was a very different experience for me. I mean, they don't have the greatest infrastructure, so you will see things that you are most likely not used to. Like for example, the Albanian stop light a.k.a. a police officer standing in the middle of an intersection waving a sign and directing traffic. Also, there will be garbage all over the place, and people walking with cows or donkeys right on the side of the highway. And oh my god, there are always people darting across the highway on foot! I still can't get over this, and have never seen anything like it. I mean old people or families running across the highway and jumping over the median to get to the other side. VERY DANGEROUS! lol You will see young kids selling cigarettes on the street and might encounter a bathroom that has just a hole in the floor. The roads can be very rocky and are often times not paved, even near the city center.

Those are the 'quirks' I would say, but despite them all, I love it there and cannot wait to go back. The people who you will meet through your fiance will be so sweet and accepting. They will kiss you on both of your cheeks and show you the utmost hospitality. My husband's uncle and his wife gave us their bed when we slept in their house for a night!! This is something that I can say for sure would never happen in America, and sadly I wouldn't have ever even thought to do this for someone other than my mother or grandmother. I think the general idea is that if you are the fiance of someone in their family, then you are their family too. Same thing goes for friends, I would say.

Have fun, you will have a wonderful trip! Make sure to go see the beach, even if it's not hot enough to go swimming!

Did you and your husband ever discuss you living in Albania instead of him living in the US? I ask because Bled has his own company in Albania and is building a house currently for him and his brother and I think the chances of him giving up his life there to come to America with me may be slim. Could you ever see yourself living there?

[Shpat_Argjira 0]

Go to Saranda Great place.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Hi again! So, I've booked a ticket to go visit him in December in Tirana! I am really excited but am wondering what I should expect when I get over there... are Americans well received? Any advice for meeting his family? Anything you have to tell me about the country, the people, what to expect would be soooo appreciated! My mom is going crazy about thinking that I will be away for the holidays and I am trying to curb her fears about a country she knows nothing about... and my own too I guess! Thanks!

That is very exciting! I wouldn't worry at all. I had a wonderful time while I was there and my husband's family was nothing but WONDERFUL to me.

There is definitely a lot of curiosity about Americans and what it's like in America. They will probably ask you questions that you have no idea how to answer. That might sound weird, but they expect you to know EVERYTHING about America. They will be like 'How much would this house cost in America?' or 'How much does a police officer make in America?' or any random questions about something they heard through the grape vine. Once someone asked me 'Do they have better clubs in NY or LA?'. I was like 'Uhhh, I have never been to LA'. They just looked at me weird lol. I don't think that many people realize just how large the USA is. I can't really think of other questions right now, but I felt a little stupid at times, because they expect you to know everything, and the chances of that are very slim lol.

I don't know what you look like, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Tirana. I was starred at the entire time I was there, because I don't look anything like an Albanian woman. I am pale with freckles, very soft round features on my face (not Albanian at all), and most Albanian woman dress in a very feminine way, with high heels and lots of makeup - - - not me at all lol. So that could be one thing, it's very homogenous there so they will know an outsider immediately when they see you. Don't be afraid though, especially if you are in Tirana, I would say that there is nothing to be afraid of.

I don't know how much you have travelled, but Albania was a very different experience for me. I mean, they don't have the greatest infrastructure, so you will see things that you are most likely not used to. Like for example, the Albanian stop light a.k.a. a police officer standing in the middle of an intersection waving a sign and directing traffic. Also, there will be garbage all over the place, and people walking with cows or donkeys right on the side of the highway. And oh my god, there are always people darting across the highway on foot! I still can't get over this, and have never seen anything like it. I mean old people or families running across the highway and jumping over the median to get to the other side. VERY DANGEROUS! lol You will see young kids selling cigarettes on the street and might encounter a bathroom that has just a hole in the floor. The roads can be very rocky and are often times not paved, even near the city center.

Those are the 'quirks' I would say, but despite them all, I love it there and cannot wait to go back. The people who you will meet through your fiance will be so sweet and accepting. They will kiss you on both of your cheeks and show you the utmost hospitality. My husband's uncle and his wife gave us their bed when we slept in their house for a night!! This is something that I can say for sure would never happen in America, and sadly I wouldn't have ever even thought to do this for someone other than my mother or grandmother. I think the general idea is that if you are the fiance of someone in their family, then you are their family too. Same thing goes for friends, I would say.

Have fun, you will have a wonderful trip! Make sure to go see the beach, even if it's not hot enough to go swimming!

Did you and your husband ever discuss you living in Albania instead of him living in the US? I ask because Bled has his own company in Albania and is building a house currently for him and his brother and I think the chances of him giving up his life there to come to America with me may be slim. Could you ever see yourself living there?

We never really discussed it much, because when I met him and while we were dating, he lived in Italy...we discussed the idea of me moving to Italy quite often, but with me beginning grad school, it just made more sense for him to come here...I would still consider living in Italy in the future, but I don't think I would want to live full time in Albania...everyday life is just much less convenient there...We are definitely interested in getting a summer home or condo there, and taking many extended vacations, but as far as permanently living there, I don't see that happening...The decision is yours though, Adriano doesn't have a company in Albania, but is going to try to start one here in America once he gets enough experience with American style construction...it's a different situation, but you have to see how you feel when you go there.