I have lived in Tirana for a total of four months.
My Balkan journey started when my boyfriend of the time came on a sight-seeing mission to Albania with the view to set up a new call centre. Shortly after he arrived in Tirana, he rang me with a voice full of excitement, telling me what a beautiful and interesting city it was, and how much I would adore it.
Truth be told, until he uttered the name, I don’t think I had ever heard of Tirana before, let alone had I ever given more than a passing thought to Albania or any other Balkan country for that matter. Living in Cyprus, I was happy spending my afternoons on the beach, living the idyllic and much sought after island life.
A few days later, he called to tell me that his trip was being extended and that I should fly out for a few days to experience the place for myself. I booked a flight, packed some hand luggage, and arrived in Tirana the next morning. Little did I know at this point, that this was a one way flight and I would end up being consumed by this city, never to return back to my Mediterranean idyll.
Within an hour of landing, I was already out exploring- mesmerised by the colours, eclectic architecture, and palpable vibrancy of the city and within three hours, we had made the decision that we would call Tirana home. I stayed for two weeks, before flying to Malta to pack the rest of my things, and returning in November to set up my new home.
Within 10 days, my love affair with the boyfriend had come to an end and one day when he went to work, I packed up my belongings and moved in with a friend I had met some weeks before. My love affair with Tirana however, was just beginning.
I now live in the fashionable Blloku part of town. An area in the city centre that is filled with bars, cafes, restaurants, and a veritable buzz of life and living. Our apartment sprawls over 200 square metres, including a vast terrace overlooking brightly coloured apartment blocks, with the mountains in the distance beyond. I brought my two cats, Ophelia and Fernando all the way from Malta, and they spend the day sleeping on the purple, velvet chaise lounge, and running around the expansive space, skidding on the polished wooden floorboards.
This place is home for me, for now.
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