By: Anastasia Nazarko
As an expat currently living in Tirana, I am sometimes struck by the lack of fellow foreigners visible on a regular basis. I know they exist, but where are they?! Having lived in a multi-cultural city in the US, I am accustomed to seeing masses of various immigrants milling around shopping centers, sipping steaming drinks at Starbucks, and picking up their children from school. Now, living in Tirana, I often feel rather alien. Fortunately, that changed this weekإven if only temporarily– as I had the opportunity and pleasure of sitting down with Fulbright Scholar Symeon Giannakos, who is currently living and conducting research in Tirana. Though he only intends to stay in Albania for several months, I was still curious about the journey that led him to this small Balkan country, how he felt about Albania after spending some time here, and what advice he has for the state, the society, and future newcomers.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born in Greece, but have been living in the United States for more than 30 years now. I live in Rhode Island and I am a college professor at Salve Regina University in Newport. I direct the graduate program in International Relations there.
Q: As you are originally from Greece, what keeps you in the United States rather than Greece, or Europe in general?
A: I went to the United States for studies, but I made friends there, I met my wife-to-be, got married, had three children, and ended up staying there. I took decisions that have made and are making my future there.
Q: What brought you to Albania?
A: I came to Albania as a Fulbright Scholar. My ambition was to find a way to get over here, live here for a while, and try to learn Albanian. I learned quite a bit for three months, but then I got distracted by work. Still, I think I have a strong base, and I hope to be able to continue. I would like to be able to read without having to rely on a dictionary.
Q: How long have you been living in Albania?
A: I came on January 20, and when I tell that to people who ask, a lot of them immediately connect my arrival with the demonstrations on January 21. They sympathize for me having arrived at such a bad time. I have been in similar situations in other countries though, and did not worry about myself as much as I worried for what would happen to the country.
Q: How do you feel about Albania after living here? Is this different from the expectations you had before arriving? If so, how?
A: Well, I lived in Bulgaria in the mid-1990s so I was already familiar with the challenges and hardships of states transitioning to democracy. Then people I talked to in the U.S. reassured me that Albanians are the friendliest people to Americans. Which is true, until people found out that I was born in Greece. They have been friendly still, but not the same as before.
Q: Did you find anything particularly strange about Tirana or Albania in general? Any culture shock?
A: No, nothing strange; but before I got here I had located an apartment and had a good idea as to where I was going to live. So I checked Google Earth and had charted in my mind a way to get to the park to run or just take a walk. Well, to my surprise, the roads that the map showed do not exist anymore because of the rapid construction. It was quite the challenge to find a way to the park around or through the Dinamo Complex.
Q: Do you have any favorite places to go or things to do in Tirana and/or Albania in general?
A: I think the park is a nice place to get away. There are lots of trails and hills for a nice challenging run or just to get away from the noise and bustle of the city. It is always nice to walk aimlessly around the center of the city too.
Q: What is one of your most memorable experiences in Albania?
A: Well, the demonstrations when I arrived and the loss of life will be the most memorable impression of Albania. Also, looking forward to maybe seeing Albania close that chapter of its history through the local elections, but then becoming disappointed with the counting and recounting of the results for the Tirana contest will stay with me for a long time or till things straighten out a bit. I also visited a number of high schools and saw that they need to be developed at a fast rate.
Q: In what areas does Albania have potential? What needs to be done to maximize this potential?
A: I think Albania’s potential is its people. They deserve better education for their children and a political system that will allow them to achieve their potential rather than a political system that increases their every day stress and produces anxiety rather than offer hope.
Q: Tell me something you would recommend everyone to do/try when in Albania.
A: I would like to see people do something to improve the lives of the stray dogs. The way animals are treated reveals a lot about the society and its system. It is encouraging to see individuals actually take care of animals that do not have a way to help themselves. I was impressed with a man in the park who helped a stray dog by removing a rope tied around its neck. People learn to treat other people better when they treat animals well. Maybe politicians will also learn something. Sure, there are bigger problems that need attention, but small problems are problems too.
Q: Any other advice for new arrivals or fellow expats?
A: Bring shopping bags so that they become examples of shopping without plastic. Albania is a too small country for all the plastic it uses.
