Honesty and Bargaining

An Albanian’s word is considered even more reliable than a written promise. From my experience, when an Albanian says “I’ll do it,” he always keeps his word. However, he may try to deceive you during negotiations because he believes you are also lying, making the exchange fair in his mind. Once the agreement is made, he will keep his word because of his honour, not because of any obligation to you.

Language and Differences Between Albanians

The Albanian language is a mix of many influences. While there is a national alphabet, it is rarely used. In some areas, people use Latin letters, while others use Greek letters. Some areas have a lot of Italian in the language, while others include Greek or Slavic words. Because of this, Albanians living even 50 or 60 miles apart often struggle to understand each other Istanbul Day Tour.

Additionally, there are clear differences between the Gheg Albanians from the northern mountains and the Tosk Albanians from the southern areas. They are so different that they could be considered separate nationalities. In fact, it is easy to argue that Albanians are not just one group of people but several, as they are the descendants of different races who survived by retreating to the mountains when conquerors tried to destroy or absorb them.

Religion in Albania

The tribes of Albania have no single religion. Some Albanians are Muslim, while others are Christian. In fact, within the same tribe, you may find both Muslims and Christians. The Mirdites, an important tribe in the north, are Catholic. In the south, where Albania borders Greece, many Albanians are Orthodox Christians. Muslim Albanians are influenced by their Christian neighbours; for example, they drink wine, enjoy beer, and even swear by the Virgin Mary.

Superstitions and the Albanian View of Foreigners

The Albanian people are often ignorant and superstitious. They believe that demons live in the hills. Many Albanians also believe that foreigners, especially the Italians, only want to push the Turks out of Albania to take control of the country themselves. They strongly dislike the idea of anyone dominating them and would prefer the weak rule of the Turks over the stronger rule they might get from Italy or Austria.

Economy and Agriculture

The economy in Albania is not strong. Agriculture is only focused on meeting immediate needs and is not done with long-term goals in mind. There are no industries, except for small-scale silk weaving in Elbasan. Trading is also not well developed or understood by the Albanians.