A professor of German to Elmira College in New York, Carrie Hooper, sends her greetings to Albania through the Voice of America for Balkans by singing the Albanian national anthem. Hooper is a connoisseur of six foreign languages, among which Albanian. And the entire interview is also conducted in Albanian.
She came in touch with Albanian language after an Albanian student signed into her Italian class. She ordered a Braille book to learn the language with the help of her student. She later on transcribed an Albanian-English dictionary into Braille for easier learning, then moved on to audio cassettes with Albanian folk tales. Afterwards Hooper took two Albanian courses at the Arizona State University, started reading articles in Albanian from her Braille computer, has a friend Tim Hendel, who records Albanian radio programs for her, and also practices her speech by talking to Albanian people on the phone.
Hooper came in touch with the Albanian community through Father Arthur Liolin, Chancellor of the Boston-based Albanian archdiocese. Hooper also sings, as she studied for music, and can also play the traditional Albanian instrument cifteli, gifted to her by Gjergj Dedvukaj, director of the ‘’Bashkimi Kombetar’’ (National Unity) Ensemble, a Cultural Arts Association, to which she is also a member.
Hooper also has written and published a poetry book in the Albanian language, called ‘’Paintings in words.’’ The book has been promoted in New York by the Society of Albanian-American Writers, and has been published in Kosovo under the care of writer Adnan Ahmeti.
‘’O language of Albania, the music of your words fills my spirit with joy! Your expressive words fill my heart with joy! When I hear your words, my whole being is filled with joy! Through you I have come to know a strong, brave, and courageous people, who have survived the oppression of foreign rulers and an evil dictatorship. Resound, O beloved language, no matter where your people live! May you live forever, O beautiful Albanian language!’’ has written Hooper in an article about Illyria, an Albanian-American newspaper based in New York.
Her learning of Albanian and five other foreign languages, as well as being able to teach is an inspiring story as Hooper was prematurely born by two and half months. She was held in an incubator for two months, but was left blind after she received a higher dosage of oxygen. She also teaches musical lessons and plays the piano. She expresses gratitude and a sense of luck that her district in Elmira had funds to make her schooling easier and everyone was rather helpful in her further successes.
Hooper admires Albania and its people. She admires the love the Albanian nation feels for its country regardless of all what it has gone through, and it is precisely this sort of strength to survive for the betterment of the country that impresses her.
‘’I am impressed by the fact that such a small country has such a long tradition, and has survived many horrible moments, experiences, has survived communist dictatorship; has always survived,’’ said Hooper.
But adding more to it, she is impressed by the Albanian hospitality and generosity. She takes for example her experiences with the Albanian-American community at the USA. She said that whenever she has visited Albanian communions, she would always feel their love.
‘’It is very important that for emigrating Albanians to preserve their language, teach your children your language, because without a language you don’t have an identity and without identity you don’t have a nation,’’ said Hooper in expressing a simple message to all Albanians living in immigration.
Hooper has participated in countless events organized by the community of the Albanians at the USA, in which she has hosted the events, or spoken to them in the Albanian language. She has sang and composed songs in Albanian, and has held speeches at various schools about learning the language. She has conducted interviews, and has also held presentations about Albania at the college where she teaches.
