by 
Blog by Suzi
Lately I’ve noticed a lot more Americans have been popping up around Albania, fleeing to a country they have never visited just to get out of their home towns urgently.
In some ways its a wonderful adventure and a fresh start in a safe country. In other ways, life in the Balkans is far from perfect and it may not be a smooth landing for some.
The positives hit immediately:
Life here is slower in the best way. Coffee isn’t rushed. Meals are social. The cost of living overall is much better if coming from the US. Nature is everywhere from sea to mountains and rivers, often within an hour of each other.
And Albanians? Incredibly warm once you’re past the “serious face” phase. You become a guest, not just another transaction. Many times in restaurants i have heard ‘’treat this as your home’’ 
When I arrived and still wasn’t used to carrying enough cash with me (I was a Visa/ Mastercard girl), stores would insist on me taking my groceries home and paying them the following day. The trust is next level.
But there are shocks too (let’s be honest):
Reality hits. Things don’t always work on schedule, or at all sometimes. Bureaucracy can feel like a puzzle with missing pieces.
Customer service isn’t always big on smiling scripts with the younger generation. A conversation with a customer can be seen as overstepping boundaries so your server may not speak at all.
Privacy at other times works differently with the older generation, they ask personal questions (a lot of them), like how old are you, are you married, do you have children, how much money do you earn, why are you here?
Still, most expats I meet don’t regret coming. The trade-off feels worth it: more time, more space, more safety, and a sense of living ‘in’ life instead of sprinting through it.
If anyone is thinking beyond visiting, staying longer, renting, buying a property, or just trying to understand how things actually work on the ground, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned and point you in the right direction.
Albania rewards people who come informed.
Welcome to the adventure 
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