Written by Mert GÜN ZHINIPOTOKU.
Being part of the Albanian diaspora in Türkiye came with certain challenges. Even though we weren’t physically far from the motherland, we often felt distant from it. We spoke Albanian to some extent and tried to keep our traditions alive, but there was always a sense of separation. Growing up in Samsun, I always knew I was Albanian. Our food was different, our culture was different, and most importantly, the languages my greater-family spoke set us apart.
As the 3rd generation, it was not an option for us to go to Kosova, see family, and spend every summer with them because we had no remaining relatives left there…
I always loved my Albanian side and I try to keep it alive. Somehow, I found out about OriginAL and GERMIN. At first I was skeptical about the program and the organisations, wondering who they were and what they were offering. I was unsure of what would happen and my place in the program, but all my worries turned out to be unfounded because everything turned out to be more than just fine.
OriginAL held a giveaway to cover one person’s expenses in the program, and I was lucky enough to win. I found out I had won literally three minutes before my last final exam. It was my first time winning a giveaway or anything similar, and it was just so special for me.
There were 39 of us from 16 different countries. There were many new faces, new names, and different environments we grew up in, but in the end what united us was being Albanian, something we are all very proud of. During the trip we all talked about our backgrounds, our life in the diaspora, and how Albanians ended up all around the world in the last 100 years.
We started the journey in Prishtinë and ended in Tiranë. In between, we visited so many places, from Krushë e Madhe to Butrint. Before OriginAL, I had only visited Kosova and Albania once. I thought I knew what to expect, but I was proven completely wrong. Visiting the motherland with other fellow Albanians from the diaspora was just incredible. Everybody had their own story about each place we visited as we were from all around Albania and Kosova.
Prishtina, where it all begins:
In Prishtinë we started with the opening ceremony and a relaxed night, which was followed by a walking city tour all around Prishtinë. We visited everything from the Cathedral to Xhamia e Madhe with amazing tour guides and everybody’s high energy. We talked with local people and learned about the dark past of our country. We even had the opportunity to volunteer in different businesses in collaboration with the organization “Toka”. Then we continued to Prekaz, where the hero of Kosova, Adem Jashari, and his family died protecting their much-loved country. We even had a chance to meet his niece.
Prizren, the cultural capital of Kosova, and Gjakovë:
After Prishtinë, we travelled to my favorite city in Kosova, Prizren. As everybody knows, it is one of the most historic cities in Kosova with Ottoman-style architecture mixed with Yugoslav style. We had a very busy schedule but it was worth every second. We even went hiking, and in the end we had a chance to go on the zipline in Prizren. During our stay there, we also visited Krushë e Madhe to learn about what had happened before, during, and after the war. We met with an author from Krushë e Madhe, and thanks to him we broadened our knowledge even more about the tragedy our people suffered. It was very emotional for me because what the people of Krushë e Madhe experienced was the same as what my family went through 100 years ago in Gjilan. Lastly in Prizren, we continued to Rahovec to see the vineyards, learn how wine is made, and explore everything about wine production in Kosova. We moved to Gjakovë after Prizren where we finally were supposed to have a chance to relax, but in reality after the schedule of the day ended, we all decided to reconnect with ourselves and held a reflection session. After that in Gjakovë nobody really rested, but we all had fun. (Shout-out to Anja and Lolita here!)
Moj Shqipëria:
After Gjakovë we continued to Albania and went to Lake Komani. It was an amazing two-hour trip by ferry. During the whole time we danced and sang together. Then we reached the beautiful city of Shkodër. In Shkodër we had a chance to meet the mayor and we spent the night exploring the city.
special place in my heart, Gjirokastër:
After a very long time on the road we reached the city of stone, Gjirokastër. In this beautiful city, with a perfect tour guide, we visited the Ethnographic Museum, the Old Bazaar, and Gjirokastër Castle. We also visited the birthplace of Enver Hoxha, commonly known as “The Man” or “The Dictator.”
After Gjirokastër we continued to the ancient city of Butrint. With our amazing tour guide, we had the opportunity to explore the site. The best part was definitely listening to Hana sing “Moj E Bukura More” a cappella in the ancient theatre.
Sarandë, where the rest begins:
After 10 days of an extremely busy program we were all quite tired and needed some rest, thankfully Sarandë was the perfect spot for that. We visited the city center and the castle, but the best part was having a whole day for ourselves at the beautiful Adriatic Sea. We swam, ate, drank, and played many games from sunrise to sunset. After two days in Sarandë we were a bit sad because the end of our trip together was slowly coming to an end, but we were also ready for Tirana.
Tiranë, the temporary ending place for the 7th cohort of OriginAL:
In Tirana the thing that surprised me the most was Bunk’Art 2. I was shocked to see what our people went through under the past regime and why people never trusted anybody back then, which felt strange because we Albanians have an amazing culture built on trust. Trust and Besa are everything to us, but it seems it was not like that during communism in Albania.
A trip cannot end without getting to visit Krujë, so we went to Krujë to see the Muzeu i Gjergj Kastriotit. We visited the museum and walked around the stone city center.
For the last night we attended an Albanian wedding. We all dressed in traditional Albanian clothes and experienced a real Albanian wedding night. With lots of valle, I had an unforgettable night filled with laughter.
And then we came to the end of the program. During the closing ceremony there were lots of tears, because none of us expected it to be this meaningful. In the past, many of us including me had attended different programs and met many people, but after a while those connections faded. I am happy to say that it was not like that with OriginAL. We have a very powerful bond that we cannot break even if we wanted to.
What more can I say? An unforgettable trip with my dear diaspora. Two weeks long, every second filled with adventures and memories. I have so many people to thank and send greetings to, but special shout-outs to Anja, Lolita, Eleftheria, and Andi for being with me all the time, and to Dren and Ulk for great talks.
I cannot end this without thanking Era, Dafina, Dionis, Vlera, Dardan and Lirim for this trip.
To the Albanian diaspora around the world reading this: as they say, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Do not miss it. Everything will be more than alright, and you will have a family here. Apply for it! 🇦🇱❤️🇽🇰
