Durres

May 4th, 2010

I’ve been in Albania for the past 4 days now and I can not put in words how much I have missed my family. My brother Elvis who I haven’t seen in 7 years and my mother who I haven’t seen in 6 years. My dearest grandma who I haven’t seen since I was 14 years old and my cousins, aunts and uncles since I was 8 years old. Its been great spending time with them all!

Everything looks so different yet all to familiar. Remembering places where I used to play when I was younger, blurry faces clearing up and my mind begins to piece them together. I feel lost when I am out and about, people looking at me like I do not belong, talking about me thinking I don’t understand them. So many people are so vulgar and have such animal characteristics here.

Feels weird to see animals roaming the streets eating garbage. Watching kids up to 4 years old walking around bare foot on the street looking for food all by themselves, sleeping on the street late at night with no one there to take care of them. I have never felt this kind of sadness like I’ve felt these past few days of witnessing all these things. I used to think my glass was always half empty, this life experience has opened my eyes and shown me that my glass has always been half full!