Enxhi Merpeza; Tirana, Albania; Fourth Week

This week we met the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism and it was really nice because we not only were treated very kindly and hosted generously around a conference table with little goodies—but the local news channel was there to capture the meeting. In the meeting it was the three of us ladies from U of M, two Harvard interns, and two Albanian Grad Students who studied in Europe for Urban Development and Planning. Shortly after the meeting we also met with the a director of marketing who is working with us to further spread the news via social media, into the hands of the Albanian diaspora of Europe and neighboring lands. It was a full week of female-led projects and being three University going women, it was very intriguing to see how the power dynamic and stronghold exists in Albania between the sexes. In all situations, we’ve seen more women in the office than men until now—though I’d argue that the higher ups are mainly male-dominated positions still.

Conference with Minister, Directors, and other USA students and peace corps volunteers, etc. 

We took this Friday off because it was the holy day for the sacred pilgrimage to Kisha e Laçit [Church of St. Anthony of Padua] that is held each year in Albania—something my mother had told me about prior to departure and it was really exciting to be a part of a tradition that has been ongoing for years—though it wasn’t allowed during Atheist/Communist Albania. The other nice thing about this tradition is that it isn’t religiously exclusive—remnants of communist traditions that didn’t believe in religion—and thus many Atheists, Orthodox, and Muslims make the pilgrimage each year to touch the holy rocks of the site and light candles up at the top of the mountain where the cross sits above the church grounds. You have to make quite a hike up there if you want to touch the holy grounds and so it was a tiring feat undoubtedly, but to me, someone who believes in spirituality strongly, it was well worth it.

The Cross

 It’s not about an elaborate religious effort but about the way that you feel about contributing and abiding to a cultural and historic event. I’ve been camping before but I’d never slept underneath the stars entirely. We placed blankets down atop the rocky grounds, ate bread, feta, tomatoes, and cucumbers—traditional Mediterranean styled picnic—and attempted to sleep. Legend has it that those who were sickly or ill would only need to sleep on the grounds of the church on the holy day and would awaken cured and without ailment—others still tell me this is a very true experience and I kept my eyes peeled for miracles but I was too tired to notice much. After a small and unconformable nap, we lit candles for our desires and for our families alike, which proved to be a challenge against the howling wind, and then proceeded to trek back down the mountain to the van that would lead us back to Tirana—a village about an hour away from Laç. I felt relieved to have made the journey, let alone that it fell on the most important day of the year where nearly 1 million people from neighboring lands of the Balkans all come to make the pilgrimage. I’d highly recommend the trip to anyone in the Balkans or Italy to come out and try it if you happen to be here next year on June 13^th!

Hiking upwards!