Albania Day Four. December 18, 2017

Përshëndetje nga Shqipëria –  Greetings from Albania (writing this on Day 5, but it’s all about Day 4)–

Following breakfast at the hotel (Tirana – Hotel MonarC) — which has been a buffet for the previous days, but today we were told to just order anything we wanted, because we were the only guests in the whole hotel! We then asked for a taxi to take us to Polis University where each of us was to give a talk, to separate classes. The front desk said getting a taxi would be very difficult and she advised we walk… But Polis University is about six miles from the hotel.  I told the front desk that we had to give presentations/ lectures at the university and she suddenly figured out a way to get a taxi. Turns out there were demonstrations against the present government (Socialist) and many downtown streets were closed; there was heavy police presence in the downtown area. Somehow giving a lecture seemed very impressive and she was able to find the ride for us. I’m not certain but I think that the taxis in Tirana (they are everywhere) have some kind of app system because the hotel always seems to know how far away the taxi is.

Taxi arrived and we managed to get to Polis University which is located about 5 or 6 miles west(?) of downtown. It’s an interesting educational institution located in a very renovated/ repurposed industrial building that has a whole new 4-story front section. Polis is about 10-years-old and offers bachelors, masters, and doctorates in architecture, urban planning, and design. The doctorates are offered in conjunction with University of Ferrara in Italy (I suppose there is a long explanation for this.) It’s a private university (technically for-profit, but clearly is not a business model set up to make profit). Anyway, it’s a truly exciting place with lots of activity – students milling about, making things.. very reminiscent of Pratt in the years I was there. I have to admit to a bit of nostalgia and realizing how much more exciting that kind of school is than the typical academic institution (like where I teach). Made me think a lot about what I had hoped might be created at UW Tacoma. Students at Polis are very focused and faculty are intense – all engaged with trying to solve real social problems in creative and collaborative ways. The building uses a lot of glass, so as you walk through the halls you’re very aware of what’s going in in classrooms, project rooms, etc.

There are several interesting features and historical notes. The school was created by a few faculty who used to teach at the University of Tirana’s architecture department. These faculty were connected to an NGO called Co-Plan – that worked on planning policies and were advocates for environmental and urban issues. The organization still exists, but now it is inside of Polis and seems to blend in easily. Co-PLAN  provides  technical  assistance  to  communities,  local  governments,  and  national  and  international organizations  in the fields of urban management and community-based developments—sort of like community design centers located at some universities.. but somehow this one seemed more intense, more real, and more creative (at least to me).  The mission of Co-PLAN is to enhance the environmental, social, and economic conditions in Albanian cities — promoting self-reliance and civil society development.  Basically,  Co-PLAN promotes self-reliance and civil, society development (civil society is a term used all the time here in Albania, when talking with professionals).

Inside of Polis is also a small architectural firm, called MetroPolis that is for-profit and does architecture and some urban planning (although this subject had never been at the university). They enter a lot of competitions (some with foreign firms) and also get contracts from local and federal governments, as well as from the private sector. Staff from MetroPolis teach at the University and faculty and students often work on project with the organization.

We got a quick tour of the school and then Mike went to give his talk to the architecture students (“Affordable Housing under Capitalism: A Hopeless Quest”) and I went to give my talk (“Strategy + Design — Community Voices to Create Community Visions”) to the planning students. The urban planning program is fairly new and quite small. Polis is considered a school with heavy requirements and a command of English is a pre-requisite. Tuition is considered high at about $3,000 per year (about 40% of students get some kind of aid). The planning program is five years: 3 to get the bachelors degree and 2 for the masters, but that is only if you do the complete 5 years. I think the talk went well, evidenced by strong thoughtful questions. The curriculum of  the school and its teaching philosophy are very compatible with my thinking and politics.

After the talks we had lunch with two faculty, including the one who runs MetroPolis.. Lots of discussion on the transition from a dictatorship under communism into a new democracy, the efforts of the population to not forget the past but to learn from it; the US situation under Trump; life under Hoxha during their primary and teen years; all the work they hope will get done to build change in Albania.

We then headed back downtown in a taxi – with the driver’s radio playing “Sounds of Silence” in Albanian! Lots of traffic.. but eventually got back to the city center. Mike took a nap and I headed to find a new shoulder bag as my strap broke two days earlier – sort of a success; not in love with it, but it will do for the time being.

Then we changed clothes and went to dinner with someone Braden connected us with and who happens to be the former wife of the former mayor of Tirana and current prime minister. An extremely interesting woman who is the director of civil society programs at the East West Management Institute, a US-AID funded program. She travels extensively managing programs in the Balkan countries and has an office in NY. She’s also a foodie – so we had not just political sympatico but also gourmet sympatico.  It was her restaurant suggestions that we have been using over the past few days. She took us to one, not on her list to us (!!) – Estia – located a few blocks from our hotel – good thing because it was pouring last night.

Started with a pasta with some kind of mushroom thing sitting on top of each pasta piece, followed by a nettle soup with foam and sweetbreads and ginger and vanilla, I think, followed by foie gras with wild figs and toast. The main course was walnut encrusted baby lamb chops with vegetable side. We shared three deserts, but they brought all five to our table. Crème brulee, homemade minty-mint ice scream, poached pear, something that was sort of like deconstructed baklava.

Dinner was fantastic and lots of sharing. We closed the place down at about 11:15 or so, and survived the downpour to our hotel.

I finally finished reading all the term papers and posting grades, so I felt pretty darn good.

A packed Monday with lots of information swirling about, and even more questions — especially about what it must have been like to be at the very start of this new democracy (23 years ago) – living in a house that was assigned to you to suddenly owning that house; not being able to leave the country to having a passport and being able to travel as you wish; not having any religion to suddenly seeing mosques reopened and churches being constructed (although from what people say the majority of residents are atheists); not owning cars to a sudden explosion of automobiles on the streets (with absolutely the most aggressive driving I’ve ever seen – said by me as a New Yorker).

So much more to tell you, but I’m fading… we are now in Berat; more about the drive and Berat tomorrow. It’s about midnight here in Berat.

All the best – Can’t proofread, so hopefully no egregious errors.

Fern