We signed up for a placement in Albania without really knowing what to expect. But after a few weeks in Vlora, we can say just one thing: Vlora stole our hearts. This seaside town became our second home for a while, and we got to know almost every shop window in it.
Besides workshops with international teachers, we also went out into the field. We visited the Narta Lagoon, the Botanical Garden in Tirana and the national park along the Vjosa River.
And Albania itself? It completely got us. A turquoise sea, from green hills all the way to proper mountains, wild nature, hospitable people and an atmosphere you won’t find in Greece or Italy. It simply has a character all its own.
And the food? That was a chapter in itself. Everything fresh, homemade and incredibly good. We didn’t skip the ultimate classic — burek — a single day.
Between classes we squeezed in a road trip around Vlora, countless swims in the sea and lots of small Balkan adventures that simply can’t be planned.
If you’re thinking about where to go on Erasmus+, give Albania a chance. It might surprise you just as much as it surprised us.
Mája and Anička
Our adventure was funded under the Erasmus+ KA171 programme, call 2023.
