Shume bukur (Very nice)
In this short video I explored the topic of inclusion through my personal experience by learning Shqip language and local food names. Through many contacts with local people, I have found out that strangers become more cordial and friendly when I approach them in their own language and show a keen interest in learning it.
I got — included.
Language can be a barrier between strangers, and it can also be what unites them. Food brings people together and at the same time, it operates as an expression of cultural identity. Learning the language and getting to know the names of the local dishes of the country I’m visiting is my way of showing to the strangers that I care about their traditions and their culture. Often, only because of showing that interest, I get included in strangers’ lives or even invited to unexpected events. Strangers become acquaintances, acquaintances become friends.
Filmed on a rainy day in Tirana, Albania, as seen by a foreign observer.
