… it’s so similar to Georgia in many ways.
Was that a good enough reason?
Well, it really is that simple.
I never knew anything about the country of Albania (save that throughout middle school I had a major crush on an Albanian kid named Leutrim in my class) before I decided to move to Saranda, mid-pandemic 20/20.
The decision was because few other countries were open and Georgia seemed to be greatly tightening restrictions.
When I visited Albania after almost five years of living in Borjomi, Georgia the similarities between the countries were so striking to me that I knew if I had come to Saranda, Albania first, my life would have taken a whole new trajectory.
And here’s why.
The People
If you read my article on ‘Why I fell in love with the country of Georgia’ you may know that the local people played a major role.
Albania much like Georgia is in no way short on hospitality.
Whether it’s my landlord bringing home-cooked meals to me daily, taxi drivers' friendliness and exceptional willingness to be helpful, or a chatty group of older ladies on the beach, Albanians are warm and inviting.
Everyone wants to be well treated but I’ve never felt like back in Wisconsin we go out of our way to do it.
(Although we do practice the smile and nod, which may be the midwestern American equivalent of Albanian hospitality).
I hate to direct others to go to a country where they are spoiled, but I felt spoiled there.
So much more so when they learn I was American (apparently we helped Albanians during the Balkan war in the 90s, for which they are still grateful).
It also helps that I took the time to learn the basics of the local language and could carry on (the tiniest) conversations with people.
Locals no matter which country I’ve visited value when you learn to speak their language.
As much as the people are essential to whether or not you love living or moving to a new country, so too is the surrounding environment.
Town and Country
Saranda has some of the cheapest beachfront real estate in Europe and it's astounding when you see it.
Only 30 minutes by ferry from Corfu Greece with an equally as accessible view of the heel of the boot of Italy, Saranda shares landscape and sea with both countries.
That means the characteristic crystal clear blue water that many associate with a place like Santorini is just as crystal and as much as clear as the big famous tourist town.
(More surprising to me was that the rivers and lakes inland were still crystal clear to the bottom. I never saw water that pristine in Georgia, a country known for its water.)
During my 6 month stay in Saranda, the beachfront was being renovated and ended in a wide and pristine white stone boardwalk that contrasted the blue water so beautifully.
Not only that but the country has beautiful mountain views, forests and national parks, UNESCO historical sites, and Roman ruins all tucked within a place smaller than Maryland.
As much as I’d like to compare cities, I never lived in Tbilisi (until now) and only went to Tirana for gluten-free bread and to see a doctor.
After 6 months I moved to Pogradec, Albania which, coming in from the top of a mountain offers a beautiful panoramic sweep of the lake, small towns, and Macedonia (a bike ride away) with all of its mountains.
Pogradec was small enough to be bikeable everywhere and had a popular summer beachfront that was also lined with wonderful fish restaurants.
The natural environment was not only impressive like Georgia but also seemingly more developed and offered a lot in the way of accommodation for everyday living.
Poor at-home rich over there
I pay $500 for rent in Georgia.
That is a 2 bedroom house, with a tiny yard.
My apartment stateside was an under 200 sq ft studio that cost me $750 a month.
What are you choosing?
Albania presented a great alternative to Georgia that I would have fallen in love with first because of similar cost of living.
I think I could even say the cost of living was better.
Georgian households at the time made $500 monthly while I believe Albanian households were around $300/$400 a month.
It means my studio apartment steps from the beach in Saranda was $350 monthly.
Food though to me seemed more expensive because Albania has, if I remember correctly high costs for the import and export of goods.
But transportation, gym costs, and utilities (included in my rent) were all very reasonable.
It was possible to eat out without breaking the bank (remember those days?)
Also, as previously mentioned its cheap to own real estate there with one whole side of the beach in Saranda being owned and lived in by particularly northern Europeans (that side was quiet and boring avoided it).
At the time it was also possible to register a business and get a 5 year residency permit, which was great for digital nomads expats, and retirees looking for a second citizenship.
But much like the ability to register a business and get residency right away in Georgia, restrictions have made that process more difficult.
I wish I had taken advantage of both in those countries at the time.
Conclusion
Living abroad is a gift no matter where I’ve been, but I do oftentimes wonder how could my life have been different had I discovered one place over another.
Since childhood, I’ve always wanted to live in another country and learn about 10 other languages, so it may be possible that no matter where I landed first, I was doomed to quickly fall in love with the country.
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