A giant part of the reason I love living in Pogradec is because of Lake Ohrid. In all seasons, the lake provides incredible opportunities for photographs and is a constant source of inspiration for me. Countless people in both the Albania side and Macedonian side of the lakes depend on the lake for food, income, or livelihood. So what makes this lake so interesting, or special? I dive into the importance of the lake for the community as well as some geographical details of it in my newest video.
Best Year of My Life - 2021
I’m thoroughly convinced that each year of my life is better than the last, and 2021 was no different. Sure, every year has its ups and downs but I never want to be caught looking back and thinking, “Man, remember that other years? It was way better than this one.” For that reason, I make sure to edit together a recap video of each year. This way, I can have a visual reminder of all the things that I did in each and every year and can recall those memories much easier.
This year’s recap took a bit longer to finally put together, but it’s better late than never. Because when I look back on this 2021 recap video in 5, 10, or 20 years I won’t worried about when I uploaded it… but I do know I would regret not uploading it at all.
Cheers, 2021, thanks for the ride!
Vau i Dejës
Two and a half years ago I got an idea for a short video series… Little did I know it would take two and a half years to finally bring it to completion.
After asking over and over about the people and places depicted on Albanian bank notes, I decided to just take matters into my own hands and do the research myself. This brought me to the idea of creating a 5 part series that went through each of the bank notes and gave a short explanation for anyone else that may be interested. To make the videos more interesting not only for myself but also the viewer, I set out to find each of the spots on the notes. After visiting Vlorë, Butrint, Krujë, Frashër, and now - finally - Vau i Dejës, I have completed that journey.
Rock Climbing in Korçë
While I was attending college in northwest Georgia, I had a number of friends who were into rock climbing. Because of where our school was situated, most of the climbing took place outdoors. I wasn’t super into the climbing, so I didn’t buy any shoes for it and because my feet are larger than average, none of my friends had shoes for me to borrow. This led me to being the one in the group to either sit in a hammock and watch, or belay.
Moving forward a few years, I had a handful of jobs working with youth. A few of these jobs had outings to places that had climbing walls, but most of the time I was the one supervising and making sure the children didn’t hurt themselves. If I remember correctly, there was exactly one instance that I have ever set foot on a rock climbing wall. That is, until last week.
I had heard a few things about an indoor climbing gym in Korce, about 40 minutes away from where I live. So i took the opportunity to hang out with a friend, and try this out for the first (real) time.
Where to Buy Food in Albania?
A few weeks ago I asked people in my audience what sort of things they would find interesting to watch. One of my brothers replied and mentioned that he and his kids would be interested in seeing what grocery shopping looked like in Albania. So, I decided to give them a look.
Many things in Albania have become so normal to me that I forget they aren’t necessarily the typical way of life in the rest of the world. For instance, getting any fruits and vegetables from a guy on the street who has his tomatoes and apples sitting on the sidewalk in cardboard boxes. I see it every single day so I forget that it would be something novel to someone who spends most of their life in the United States.
Ujëvara e Shëngjergjit
When I first moved to Albania I was very unaware of the waterfalls. After living in Hawaii back in 2014, I had grown accustomed to exploring streams and admiring the waterfalls at the end. I didn't realize how many there were in Albania, mostly because I just didn't do enough research.
I was in Tirana this past weekend and had plans to go visit a town a little further north. When the time came, I looked at how long the drive would take and upon realizing that I didn't feel like driving a four hour round trip just to visit a small village, I decided to look for something a bit closer. That's when I stumbled upon the Shen Gjergj waterfall on Google Maps.
It was only an hour away, and through a mountain road that looked super interesting and exciting. So I made the short drive, went on a small hike, and made a video about it:
Krujë [Albania]
A few days ago, the municipality of Krujë put together some events for tourists in their city. The first evening, there was free entrance to the museum in the castle, and the following morning there was a food fair. Women from around Krujë prepared dishes that have been in their families for generations to share with the visitors. Meanwhile, for entertainment, a group of musicians dressed in traditional Albanian outfits while they played a variety of traditional songs. A group of local women started some dancing and beckoned for the tourists to join them.
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio [Costa Rica]
I spent 10 days exploring Costa Rica with my friend Matt. My main goal for this trip was to see how little I could spend as research for an ebook I'm writing on travel. As a kind of preview for the book I made a video that kept track of all my expenses. Of course, I also took some photos. But because video was the priority for this trip, the number of photos suffered.
