ARE ALBANIANS the KINDEST PEOPLE in the WORLD?

As we prepare to leave Albania experiences here have led me to ask this question.

Wherever we have travelled in the world, we have been met with kindness.  People saying hello, offering to help with directions, welcoming us to their country and sharing stories.

As strangers, alone in a foreign country, often not speaking the language all kindness stands out.

When I ask Google who are the kindest people in the world, many different studies and polls, measuring different criteria come up with many different answers.  

In our limited experience of travel in 25 countries, Albanians hands-down have been the kindest, most generous people, willing to give of themselves, to welcome you into their home and to get involved with you.

When we tell Albanian people of the kindnesses we have experienced here they nod and say yes, kindness is important.

Let me tell you of some of the acts of kindness we experienced at the hands of Albanians:

Our first experience was staying at Hostel Domestika in Bitola, Macedonia run by an Albanian couple.  They welcomed us every afternoon and one evening into their private space for conversation, gave us advice on what to see and where to go when we got to Albania, saved some traditional food that they were cooking for others so that we could taste it and learn about it.  Really they invited us to be part of their family while we were there.

Then in Struga, Macedonia we meet our neighbours, Sami and Rozi an Albanian couple who live part-time in the USA, in Macedonia and in Albania.  They bring us into their home for drinks, snacks and conversation.  Sami takes Paul to his dentist and drives him back.  Rozi invites me into her kitchen to teach me how to make halva, then sends me home with the product.  They take us sight-seeing.  One day Sami drives us to a nearby town then waits for us while we explore a village and castle that is too steep for him to walk, orientates us to the town, then lets us explore. We are taken to meet the family.  They treat us to breakfast as we must try traditional byrek and again are sent home with food.

                                                 

There are all the wonderful hosts we had who really went above and beyond hosting:

The young couple just starting up The Iliad in Berat.  After our first night, other folks moved out of a big room and they insisted on moving us to more spacious digs even though we were only there for another two days.  Lots of work for them.  Our laundry was done - no charge.  The breakfasts she made each day were traditional, hand-made, different every day, lasted us until dinner time and were delicious.  They shared a lantern lighting and release by their daughter with us.

At Sweetdreams Guest House in Gjirocaster, Mario arranged his work schedule so that he could pick us upon arrival and take us to the bus on departure.  His mom Elly cooked us fabulous, traditional fresh breakfasts, different every day.  His dad Stavros gave us tastes of his garden produce and brought us down a fruit plate every evening.  On our departure day, Elly comes down before heading off to work to give hugs and to say she loves us.

In Ksamil, our host at Voda Apartments lived downstairs.  On arrival, he walked us downtown to show us the location of all essentials.  A couple of times he brought produce from his garden: figs, apples and pears.  And once he knew Paul liked raki, dropped by for a drink and to leave half a bottle here and there.  On our final evening, he and his wife came to spend the evening with us, despite each of us being unilingual it was a great conversation.

There’s the lovely Kasandra who ran the hostel in Himara who even after we left, invited us back for conversation, to rest in the shade of her outdoor space before we hiked up the hill to our new accommodation and who continued to loan us beach gear.

Then there’s the smiling, happy Padeli – the fixer … who put himself out to find us accommodation when we had none in a very busy beach town at the height of tourist season.  And we witnessed him do the same for a family.  He invited all of us to his home for coffee, raki and snacks and he checked on us regularly to see if we needed anything.

Padeli talks a little about his philosophy of life.  If he has a motto, this quote seems to embody how he lives:

Finally, Rita who ran the Cold Springs Guesthouse in Theth.  A busy, widowed mom of an energetic pre-schooler who again made us feel so at home, like family.  She always had time for conversation.  She chose the right room for us so carefully; cooked meals to order every night, based on a variety of local, organic produce she had on hand.  

We leave Albania with our hearts full.  The places we saw were wonderful and the Albanian people were extraordinary.  We understand that people in Albania generally do not have much, but every day they prove that you do not have to be rich to be generous.