Albania

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another, while maintaining steady eye contact. Depending on how close the men are with each other, a kiss on each cheek may be common as well.

Woman greeting Woman - A handshake is the norm for acquaintances and first meetings, a kiss on each cheek for friends, two kisses on each cheek if they are really close to each other or haven't seen each other in a long time.

Man greeting Woman - It depends on the relationship; for relatives, a kiss on each cheek (or two per cheek) is common. With friends or colleagues, normally a light handshake will do.

Communication Style

• Albanians can be very direct with some things and very indirect with other subjects/issues/topics. For example, if you appear to be thinner or fatter than the last time they saw you, they will tell you and rather bluntly. But when asking about deeper issues, they really tend to skirt around issues.
• They like to uphold the most positive image possible especially regarding their family.
• Albanians tend to bury anything shameful or any bad news they have.

Personal Space & Touch

• Albanians like to grab and hold hands if they meet a friend in the street, especially older women with others.
• In terms of personal space, Albanians tend to sit close and speak to others in close proximity. A little less than arm's length is the norm. This space be greater with strangers.
• Touching another persons arm, shoulder and hands is pretty common if you know each other. But you would not do this to a stranger. However, if you are a young girl and are meeting an older woman for the first time, she'll likely pinch your cheeks and rest her hand on your leg if you're sitting near to each other and she likes you.
• For the most part, if an Albanian man is appropriate and following social norms, they will not invade a woman's space. However, on buses and mini buses you may come across a man who is not following the norms. But this is rare.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is very acceptable and an appropriate part of conversing. It doesn't change depending on whom one is speaking with.
• During conversations sustained eye contact is commonplace rather than intermittent. They associate a steady gaze with sincerity.

Gestures

• Albanians are very enthusiastic and expressive with their hands.
• Waving the pointer finger back and forth and making a sound with the mouth means that you don't want something that is being offered.
• In certain areas, if you shake your head from side to side you are indicating “yes” and an up and down movement means “no.” One way to avoid confusion is to speak the your answers/questions, 'po' (yes) or 'jo' (no).

• People beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers.

Views of Time

• As many people are without work, many men have a lot of time to kill and they spend countless hours in cafes every single day.
• There are few extra curricular options in most Albanian towns, so time is often spent talking to your family, neighbors and friends.
• Few people have many places to be throughout a given day. That said, waiting for a bus to take off in five minutes most likely means forty-five minutes.
• You never know what someone really means when they throw out an estimated time for arrival or departure.
• When making a visit to an Albanian friend or family, however, it is polite to be at least five minutes late. Better to be later than earlier for a visit.
• Business and social situations are both flexible in terms of time. Even meetings at the municipality are open for being canceled at the last minute or started a half an hour late.

Gender Roles

• Women are definitely the caretakers of the home. They raise the children and if they don't have a job outside of the home, they spend most of their days inside.
• Women are expected to serve their husbands, sons and any guests that come into their home. Albanian men tend to be quite possessive of their wives, daughters, etc.
• It is a big deal for men and women to simply hang out together. If a single man and a single woman are spending time together, it is assumed that they are engaged.
• Unmarried women can get a bad reputation if they are seen outside too much, walking around.
• There are still many rules concerning the dating scene. Most Albanian families are very traditional about a man and woman being engaged before they can spend any time together alone.
• Many couples are still somewhat arranged in the sense that uncles or friends, etc. mention to family members that they know of a good single man or woman that would go along well with another man or woman. However, it is increasingly up to the young men and women to chose who they want to marry.
• Women are increasingly becoming employed outside of the home and while many of the men remain unemployed, women don't seem to have as tough of a time finding work.
• In the larger Albanian cities, it is becoming increasingly acceptable for women to both drink alcohol and smoke. Smoking used to be very unacceptable for women, but that is changing more and more.
• Women are almost never served raki, which is the traditional Albanian hard liquor made from grapes.
• Dating is becoming more and more acceptable by Albanians. Arranged marriages was a thing of the past, but it almost never occurs anymore, unless the man or the woman chooses to do so.

Law & Order

• There isn't an legally enforced drinking age. Wine is commonly served at meals.
• As for smoking, there was recently a smoking ban passed by parliament making the legal age 18 to purchase tobacco products but it is hardly enforced. There are supposedly controls by various health agencies in restaurants and bars, but nothing happens if there are clients smoking in a venue that is being inspected.
• Public drunkenness is definitely looked down upon. While men are often seen sitting at bars drinking beer, they do not drink so much that they are drunk.

Dress

• Albanians take pride in the way they look. Businesspeople tend to dress well, opting for the latest styles influenced by Italy.
• For Men - Formal suits and ties. Darker colors are the way to go. Shoes and their cleanliness are important Albanians are very much into keeping their shoes free of dust and mud.
• For Women - Dress suits are common (matching top and bottom) and many have them tailor made. Younger women like to wear skirts and pants and tops. It's important to have your hair and make up done, too, whenever you walk out of your home.
• Business casual attire may be acceptable in certain industries.

Titles & Business Cards

• Albanian professionals definitely like to be addressed with their title, especially doctors, engineers, economists, etc.

• There is no formal protocol surround the giving and receiving of business cards. If someone has a business card, they will give it to you.

Meetings

• Business meetings will most likely start late, but as a foreigner it is best to get there on time. If anything, you are showing an example of promptness. Also, the trend toward tardiness in the work place is dying out.
• If you know others at the meeting, greet them. Introduce yourself to others you don't know, or have a friend who does know most of the crowd introduce you.
• The most important people are greeted first and if, say, the mayor or CEO walks in, everyone should stand.
• The leader or the person holding the meeting will start it by giving a small speech.

Negotiations

• Decisions are made fro the top down and a group consensus does not usually play a role in the final outcome. Don't expect to decisions to be made right away. They can take awhile.

• Displays of frustration, anger and loud expressions of emotions are to be avoided. It is best to remain composed at all times.

• It is best to have a good translator (honest and skilled in whatever your business is) and also an Albanian to act as your representative. Foreigners will likely be given a higher price, especially if they cant speak Albanian.

• New solutions (ones that haven't been tried before) are commonly looked down upon.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not usually brought to an initial meeting; however postcards from your country and anything else that is small would be a welcome gift in a business situation.

• Albanians will usually save gifts to open in private. Wrapping them nicely is a good idea.

In the Classroom

• The school year begins around the third week of September and ends about the second week of June. There have various Albanian holidays off throughout the year, plus a two week New Year break.
• Lecture is the most common form. Group work is a very, very new concept to Albanian teachers/professors and students alike.

Other Observations

• Albanians are very curious about any travelers or foreigners because the country was closed to any and all outside influence for such a long time. They are very welcoming and hospitable, though, and most travelers will encounter helpful Albanian citizens throughout their travels.
• Men and women date each other freely, as per the European trend. Women work hard and care more about their appearance than men lately. Women have significantly raised their self confidence and the new generation is completely the same as the rest of Europe, keeping up to date with trends in fashion and electronics.
• Albanians like to spend money and eat outside with their friends families.

• English is definitely the preferred foreign language but many of the Albanian English teachers are not well versed in the language when they set off to teach it.
• Universities are filled with bribes and paid for diplomas. More and more Albanian students are desperately applying and trying to study abroad outside of the country.