15 phenomena that happen ONLY in Albania!

As we all know, every nation has its own unique characteristics and features that distinct it from other societies. This relates to a nation’s old values and traditions, and cultural norms in which a nation believes and shapes its behaviors. Below we have listed the 15 mos commun phenomena that happen often in Albania and make us seem weird or special (who knows!) at foreigners. If you have something to add, please share your comments at our page!

1. Albanians prefer living in their parent’s house until they become 30. Some of them even get married and live with their wife and parents at the same house.
2. “What are you looking at?” If you are looking at someone with no purpose (Just looking someone passing by), you may get in real trouble and find yourself in the middle of a fight.
3. Albanians love drinking “a coffee” 15 times a day, before they start working, during their lunch break, in the afternoon and at evenings. “A coffee” is used as a pretext to go out with friends, but in most of cases, they literally order a coffee when they go to a bar.
4. When little children fall or get injured accidentally, it’s their entire fault. At worst, their mom will beat them (just a slap as a sign of reprimand).
5. Albanian boys believe in the values of matchmaking when it comes to marriage. (Ok, not all of them because times have changed and most of Albanians choose by their selves their future wives/husbands)
6. As much as the price of tobacco increases, the more Albanians tend to start smoking.
7. Albanians have high patriotic feelings and love very much their country, but everyone wants to live in another country, especially in USA, UK, or developed EU countries. (Africa? Is that another planet?)
8. Sometimes, we throw garbage near garbage carts, never inside of them. It’s just the way we do it.
9. They love doing gossips and sometimes we peep on our neighbors but don’t like eavesdropping. Albanians don’t really know the real meaning of privacy (when speaking for their family members… or neighbors).
10. Albanians consider and call Kosovars as ‘Albanians living in Kosovo’. They are an inseparable part of Albania.
11. Albanians prefer buying an expensive car than a home. They keep paying the house rent and the loan installment for the rest of their life.
12. When the National Football Team plays with another national team, we love each other more than ever, but this will last presumably no more than 2 days.
13. We tend to think that all famous people of Hollywood have Albanian roots. Well, some of them are from Albania – Rita Ora, Jim Belushi, Eliza Dushku, Fadil Berisha, ect.
14. Albanians start crying when someone respects their national flag. They are very sensitive when it comes to national matters.
15. When participating in a weeding, Albanians throw all their money when the bride and groom dance in the middle of the dance floor. By this, Albanians like to show that:
    a) They have money (it’s very important for others to know that)
    b) They respect and love the ‘just married’ couple.

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