Greetings from Albania
If you've never been to Albania, and I hadn't, I thought you might be interested in a couple of experiences.
We entered the country from the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia. Within minutes from the border there were at least a dozen jerry-rigged "car washes,' spraying eye-catching fountains of water with a hawker trying to get us into a 'make-shift on the side of the road. At first confused by it and passing many by, but knowing the motor home did need a wash and wanting to contribute to this individualized entrepreneurial-ship, we pulled into a sight where an 18-wheeler was getting a wash. The young guys told us in German that the cost was 10 euro to wash ours (in Germany it costs in the hundreds of euros).
We're 2.75 meters tall and 7.5 meters long. They had long brushes to get the bugs off the top of the vehicle, and 15 minutes later we had a nice clean "home." They seemed proud at having been successful in getting a vehicle like ours; we haven't seen any other campers on the road. The youngest guy, about 14, came to the door to say, "Finished." I gave him the 10 euro and unopened boxes of Triskets and bread sticks. He was happy.
Further down the road we saw children selling bowls-full of blackberries. Again, caught by surprised and unable to react in time to figure out where to pull our vehicle over on a main two-lane country road, we drove by, telling ourselves we'd be more prepared "next time." "Next time" came 5 minutes later. Three boys waved us to the side and rushed my window to shove blackberries in my face. I asked "how much," and there was some confusion as the boys argued with each other about how much to charge two westerners in a big "white whale" of a vehicle. They decided on 3 euro per container. The blackberries were small, and the bowls were heaping. They had to have picked them themselves-painstaking work. We bought a bowl of blackberries from each boy, dumping them into our plastic bag (the boys were insistent that their plastic bowls be returned). The third boy lurking behind was not yelling, shoving or grabbing, and we wanted to make sure we bought from him as he seemed in a daze. As I tried to give the boys each 3 euro, the loudest boy said he'd take the money for the wide-eyed boy in the back. I refused and gave it to him myself; he seemed to have a learning disability, but he took the money. One of the boys became rather aggressive, asking me for more money, grabbing my shoulder. I had to roll the window up with his hand sticking through the entire time until the window was closed. As the boys excitedly ran up the hill to their homes with us holding a huge bag of blackberries and about to drive off, another boy showed up with a bowl of blackberries. Not knowing how many children would be showing up, and knowing we had enough blackberries to open a cannery, and being stunned by the "touching" experience of begging for more money, we motioned "no." This boy immediately accepted that as an answer with a deeply disappointed shrug, realizing his timing had been poor, and ran off in the direction of the other boys. My husband and I immediately thought we should have bought this boy's blackberries as well, and we didn't move the camper for several seconds hoping he'd be back after we'd second-guessed our initial decision--but too late, he was gone.
It's difficult to travel in very poor countries like Albania without having regrets.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Albania is such a misunderstood and fascinating country. Please keep reporting. I've been dying to visit there since Hoxha left power.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Albanian_phrasebook
Hello.
Tungjatjeta. (toon-jah-TYEH-tah)
Hello. (informal)
Tjeta. (TYEH-tah"
How are you?
Si jeni? (see YEH-nee?)
Well, thanks.
Jam mirë, faleminderit. (yahm-MEER, fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)
Mrs./Madam
Zonjë (ZOH-nyuh)
Mr./Sir
Zotëri (zoh-teh-REE)
Miss
Zonjushë (zoh-NYOO-shuh)
What is your name?
Si e ke emrin? (see keh EHM-reen?)
My name is ______ .
Quhem______ . (CHYOO-hem_____ .)
Pleased to meet you.
Më vjen mirë. (muh VYEHN MEER)
Please.
Ju lutem. (yoo LOO-tehm)
Thank you.
Faleminderit. (fah-lehm-meen-DEH-reet)
You're welcome.
S'ka përse. (skah purr-SEH)
Yes.
Po. (poh)
No.
Jo. (yoh)
Excuse me. (getting attention or as a general apology)
Më falni. (mah FAHL-nee)
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Më falni. (mah FAHL-nee)
Forgive (me).
Falni (FAHL-nee)
I'm sorry.
Më vjen keq. (mah VYEHN ketch)
This is used to express condolences, so don't use it if you accidentally step on someone's shoe.
Goodbye
Mirupafshim (meer-oo-PAHF-sheem)
Goodbye (informal)
Shëndet. (shuhn-DEHT)
Do you speak English?
A flisni Anglisht? (ah FLEES-nee ahn-GLEESHT)
Does anyone speak English?
A flet njeri anglisht? (ah FLEHT NYEH-ree ahn-GLEESHT?)
Help!
Ndihmë! (ndeem!)
Good morning.
Mirëmëngjes. (meer-muhn-JEHS)
Good afternoon/Good day.
Mirëdita. (meer-DEE-tah)
Good evening.
Mirëmbrëma. (meerm-BRUH-mah)
Good night.
Natën e mirë. (NAH-tehn eh MEER)
I don't understand.
Nuk kuptoj. (nook koop-TOY)
I understand.
Kuptoj. (koop-TOY)
Where are the toilets?
Ku është nevojtorja? (koo uhsht neh-voy-TOHR-yah?)
Also... a semi-related note. If you get a chance, go see Besa: The Promise. It is a documentary about Albanian Muslims hiding Jews from the Nazis during WW II, and an effort by an Albanian to return books left by a Jewish refugee his family hid.
