Kledia | Tirana, Albania | Week 4

This week we got to meet the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism and even got to be on the local news! The Minister met with us and some other interns and welcomed us to the Ministry. She told us that she was really glad we could be part of the Ministry because we were young people from outside the country who can bring in fresh ideas. She asked us to talk a little bit about ourselves, in Albanian, which was a little nerve-racking, but I think I did a pretty good at not messing up. She was very kind and well spoken. It was really cool to see a woman in a position of power. That was the best part of work. We also met with some other directors who wanted our help on promoting Albania on social media and since we breathe social media it was right up our alley.

                               [From the Facebook of the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism]

This Thursday/Friday we went to a church called Kisha e Lacit, or the Church of St. Anthony of Padua because it is one of the holiest places in Albania. Friday was his saints day and so we decided to visit the place along with thousands of other people. The church and grounds around it are considered very holy in Albania and it is believed that if you spend the night there you will be blessed. It is also a place of miracles where the sick come to be cured. It was a really interesting experience because even though it is a Catholic Church people from all faiths come. For them it's just considered a holy place and it was cool to see that. We hiked up a mountain basically and by the time I got to the top I was really worn out. So wet sat our blankets down, had a picnic, and tried to go to sleep. The sleeping part is important I was told. I couldn't sleep on the rocky ground as I've never slept outside in my life. Around 2 am we lit some candles at the giant cross and then made our way home. It was a different experience to be sure.