Albania was a great place for us to explore. It was so fresh and new and full of new experiences for me. I just remember driving through the mountains the first day and being amazed by them. I’d never really been somewhere with that sort of terrain. It was all so beautiful. The trip was designed as a “cultural experience” and I believe it was definitely successful in doing so. I feel like I got to know the Albanian people well through our travels.
The event that I feel taught me the most about the Albanian people was at the soccer game in Tirana, the capital, where Albania was playing Romania in the Eurocup. What I learned that night was how passionate the Albanian people are, and how much they feel for their country. It was really quite amazing to see the celebrations as Albania took the lead in the game, and ultimately win. I expected rioting like you’d see in many other cities during these sorts of games, but instead I saw ecstatic dance and song that lasted late into the night.
They drove around the city in processions of celebration till after midnight; that’s some real national pride, and I was honestly pretty moved and inspired by it. People waved the Albanian flag high from early that day onward. I had never seen so much red in my life. Albanians are a beautiful people, energetic, passionate, and endearing. It was an honor to get the chance to see that country, and root for their team alongside them.
