by Shefqet & Herion Kercelli/

– Every visit in the USA makes special impressions and emotions to everybody who visits the promised land. For us Albanians there are a lot of reasons so that we marvel at the contact with the land and the beauties of this super country, because for years in a row we dreamt of seeing it and of living here. In addition, it’s the fact what America has done for us as a people. It has been a long-standing desire of the Albanians to unite with the other emigrants from Europe, mainly from Greece and from Italy, with whom the neighborhood unites us. In this context, it’s worthy to stress that with these two people, we have also other histories with conflicts and wars among each other, because the common troubles and problems made that Albanians set out together with Greeks and Italians, staying in the basement of a ship, a steamship or a ferry-boat, having so the same luck. Like their neighbors, the conditions of life, the occasional invasions, the desire to build a new life, made that Albanians emigrate time and again in centuries and in different countries, most of the cases without knowing what was waiting for them. Surely there are a lot of stories how what Greeks, Albanians and Italians, tasted together numerous tribulations until they arrived at the star of hope, the Statue of Liberty. The tendencies of the studious and the historians of the three countries in order to see things black and white lessened the treatment of this topic. We should see beyond “The meadow of tears”, because the Albanian emigrants just when they passed this meadow met their fellow travellers, Greeks or Italians. As their neighbors the geography of the emigration of the Albanians also includes almost the whole globe in the period of the second millennium.

The emigration of the beginning of XX century.

In this history transmitted by hundreds of publishing and documents is outstanding the emigration of the beginning of the last century to the youngest country and powerful in the world, the USA. This emigration has the characteristics, specific features and its special values, which deserve to be studied carefully by our historians and analysts. At this emigration all the Albanian regions, where the southern part for different reasons takes the majority. In connection with this enough residents of the zone of Devoll also, who from Dardha until the lower course of the Devoll river, became pioneers of this movement at the direction of the American continent, but to Australia too. The nearness with the roads which sent you at the direction of the port of Thessaloniki eased the movement at those new directions of emigration. So since the last century until now, generations of people from Devoll emigrated to the USA, with the graphic sometimes in rising and sometimes in reduction, where outstanding are those around the years 1910, 1920, the period of the king Zog, 1040-1946, and after 1990. The re-woken up dream of America after the years 1990s, included many residents of this region, which, with different ways and tools, re-found the old connections, but they also created new connections. The opportunity given by the American state by means of Green Card, created the facility for the movement of the fourth generation of the emigrants in the XX century. So hundreds of people from Devoll became a part of this process, which resulted in creating new communities in the all states of the USA, where the community of New York City is the biggest.

The magical city.

Surely, to visit the USA, without seeing the metropolis New York City (NYC) and its main symbol, the Statue of Liberty, creates emptiness in yourself, a grief which accompanies everybody who turns to the setting out place. Surely, not because this is the Messiah, but the coordinates of the Statue of Liberty are referring points for this big word, with the name Liberty, which we Albanians try to understand too. These thoughts accompanied me during my trip by bus from Pittsburgh to NYC, together with those of my person from Devoll. The endless fields and the forests on the two sides of the highway, the industrial centers, the parking lots, the systemized and the prosperous farms, surely increased you desire to work, which people from Devoll have it in their blood, but which would inspire every poet who just started the way of creativeness in order to paint his pen in that greenness without an end. The great Dritero, maybe, would give away to us one of his most beautiful poetries for but he didn’t have the opportunity to visit the USA, as thousands of people from Devoll, and now his age and his illness do their part. After I had enjoyed these beauties of the nature, combined so harmonically with the hand of the human being, just as I entered the periphery of NYC, I felt the smell of this magical city, which attracts millions of visitors around the globe. From the window of the bus I saw the giant port, its piers filled with ships with different tonnages. I saw ports in other countries too. But here the time, the transport, the movement, are compacts “3D”, I said to myself, incomparable with no other country. The big typical American trucks, which didn’t stop on the highways, showing clearly that the whole America is moving, an expression of their economical flowering.

As if I were in Durres or Tirana.

But the movements in the American metropolis, NYC, were the most impressive because at the entrance door of the city, the life goes faster than the mind of the human being, it was luck that the last station of the bus was nearby Time Square. My old friend and colleague Bashkim Gjiza was waiting for me, together with his daughter Elona. He worked a lot as a family in order to build life here. “In the beginning I worked even 16 hours per day, – he says. – My daughter was at school, so I and my wife did difficult jobs”. Elona, his younger daughter, is known in Durres, because in junior high school she published two volumes with poetries, with a special style and composition, welcome by her peers. But in NYC, she studied at City University of NY for school of law and management, so unwillingly he separated from literature. After a several years experience, Elona now works as an assistant at CEO, at American International Group (AIG). While my old friend Bashkim, after years of difficulty, works as the administrator of a shopping center. I waited for him until after midnight he left his job. I was glad that he had an easier job fro his age. Meanwhile while I was strolling in front of the building of this shopping center several meters away from Time Square, everywhere I was seeing known faces. It seemed to me that I was in Durres or Tirana.

More than 25 families only from one village, Miras.

So my friend explained to me, there are a lot of Albanians in NYC, surely a lot of people from Devoll, who came to the USA, after the 90s. Many of them brought each other. While he was explaining to me about this phenomenon while we were travelling by the bus of 24:30 to Brooklyn, I saw enough Albanians who were turning back from work at this late hour. Only at our carriage there might have been some 13 people, whom Bashkim knew all of them. After a sound sleep, in the morning, we went to the café of people from Devoll in Brooklin. Although it is owned by Enver, whose origin is from Shkodra, it was frequented by people from Devoll and it bore the same name. People from Devoll gathered here not just in weekend, but other holidays too, or when they didn’t have jobs. It was a surprise for me the meeting with mister Dervish Xhaho, a friend of our family from Miras. Dervish, together with his wife Tatjana, are the model of a family with tradition of people from Devoll. They waited and saw off hundreds of employees and intellectuals from the whole country, who worked and served in Miras, that’s why they are honored and respected everywhere. But his family is honored and respected here in America too. He enjoys authority and respect not just from the residents of Miras, but from the whole Albanian-American community there. There are more than 25 families from Miras, most of them cousins and relatives of Dervish.  At their club you saw a true Albanian environment. Gathered tables, coffee and raki, sincere conversations, sometimes loudly. They satisfied their yearning for each other, they had a heart-to-heart talk with each other, they helped each other, recommending any job based on knowing.

The other communities help their countries of origin.

The emigration is not easy, Neshet says, or Kristo, as they say kidding to their friends. The first two years are difficult for everybody. Without passing by the shovel and hammer, you are not able to live here. Many of us like Fatmir, Vladimir, Agim, Ilir, Arian, Shpetim, tried emigration to Italy and Greece too. So, in some way they are fore-prepared for the challenges, but, anyway although the environment here is friendly, the integration has its own difficulties. Craft is needed, language is needed, a kind of self-qualification, because America has other standards. The Albanians need to face the difficulties of the beginning themselves, with friends and friendship, without any kind of help from the state. Differently happens with other communities, Hebrews, Greeks, Chinese, Russians, where the state helps them in their accommodation as soon as they step on the American land, for example, before they come they have already prepared their jobs and their shelters. This facilitates the socio-economical problems of every emigrant, which are inevitable in the beginning. So, there are states which have organized emigration, independent from what the American state offers. Someone overpassed these difficulties and social problems, somebody else continues to face them. Everybody knows that America is the country of big chances and opportunities, but these Albanians accomplish with individual efforts and sacrifices. Most of the friends whom I met work on construction. With this craft they fulfilled their necessities for livelihood, education, shelter, etc. They lived at houses which they rented, but some of them managed to buy them and thanks the craft to reconstruct them miraculously, with courts and gardens.

Education.

Meanwhile their care about the education of their children was at maximum. They did everything. You joyed without measure when they told the level of the education of their children. Robert Metolli, a former military came to finish his college and to be part of the educational system in the community. He talks respectfully about the dedication of the Albanian students in the realization of the program. At the same time as much as they can they take care of their children, grandsons and granddaughters so that they learn the Albanian language, but their traditions too, especially the dance from Devoll. I long for any wedding of someone from Devoll, Neshet says. Really I waved the Albanian flag higher than the others in the overpassing of Albanians, but the dance of Devoll gives me a special pleasure, it pleases the wedding. At their café, somewhere in the center of Brooklyn, age is respected, it is listened by the younger ones, but it is served with full good behavior. It is discussed about the connections with Albania, with people there, the fortune of their properties, the opportunities of investment, the lot, how things can be improved, the execution of the law, the level of democracy, etc. Here all of them have the opportunities, especially those who fail and they are not respected in their country, come and understand this, Luan says. How can we be listened in Albania, when we don’t have the opportunity to vote, Ilir says.

“God willing the local elections will pass without incidents in Albania”.

Although they tried to avoid politics, the discussions couldn’t avoid this topic. God willing these local elections will pass without incidents, they are free, as here in America, so that we also are proud that we are changing something, Gezimi says. I was impressed by a piece of news, Mediu makes campaign in Lekas! Ben turned to him. Come, and understand this! There are only ten persons left, the ten of them are republicans!? As it seems the citizenship from Korca doesn’t offer it and it comes side and beyond side. And PD chose some good guys, but, as they reduced low the opposition Sali and Mediu, it will be difficult for you, says someone from the other table. At least they mustn’t come out at campaign with new candidates former corrupted ministers, because they will blast their work. Any money, from the ones they have made with bag, they must give to them, because they are spending money these who are waiting to sit on the chair. They did well that they listened to the ambassador Donald Lu, that they removed from the list the incriminated ones…. The discussion was becoming bridle. That’s why for a moment Neshet with his witty humor ended this topic by saying: “Why do we get tired in vain, it is not known where our politicians cut their nails”!? You can’t find more hit expression. Our people’s philosophy is sharp and clear.

The second homeland.

For these simple people suits the word, coffee and raki. They feel at ease, respected in the environment where they work and they live. Everybody tries to solve their own troubles and work, without noise and great-to-do, but they help each other in any case. It a community that rises everyday, who integrates with the society and life in America, thanks to work, sweat and execution of the law, far from the eye and the ear of the media, noise and great-to-do. They enjoy deeply in their beings the livelihood and chances that America gives them. At least from those tens of people from Devoll that I met, I didn’t hear that any of them had problems with the law. This fact made me joy more than anything else. They considered America their second homeland, and they were ready to do everything that the American law required. Some guys from this community joined the rows of the American army, somebody served in police too. They were discussing about job and health. It is a big luck for me Dervish tells me, that my wife has been cured for a year and a half here in America. I don’t know how to reward the personnel of “Rehabilitation and Nursing Center”, in Queens, Nassau, which all this time with humanitarianism, dedication and professionalism serve my spouse who is passing a severe disease. A unknown person, comes here in America and finds shelter, hospitality, friendly feelings without any self-interest. I can’t explain it, Dervish says. A humanitarianism, a culture, a friendliness that surprised me. The nurses hug me as my own daughters. Don’t be upset, they say to me, we will pass it together. It has been a year and a half that I spend most of the time at this hospital, but that humanitarianism, that behavior how can I express? These good manners the personnel of the center took since they were children, there is no how. Part of this much human service is also the nurse Fitore Xhelili who is from Pogradec. So is our matter, we poured health contributions in Albania, but when the trouble comes we find friendliness and financial support in the USA, Dervish Xhaho stresses.

If Durres had half of the park.

This is America for the Albanians, homeland and more than homeland! At their gatherings you didn’t see signs of localism, because part of their friendship had also people from Dibra, from Skrapar, from Mallakastra, from Berat, etc. Together with them were also Agim Blloshmi from Librazhd, Gezim Manelli from Pogradec, the topographer Miradash Myrtezaj from Dibra, Perparim Likollari, former military from Berat, Ymer and Arber Bermuca from Romanat, Dania from Durres, etc. who were part of every common joy and feast. There are a lot of Albanians in Brooklyn, we say that we will make the Albanian the second language here, Myrteza says me kidding. I saw this at the park of the city too, where hundreds of citizens of different ages were entertained with various games. “Eh, if Durres had half of this park, it would be a miracle”, – Bashkim says. The park was our second place of meeting, after the club of Enver and Salvatore (an Italian-American this, friend of the Albanians). That’s why, surely there were a lot of Albanians here too. Bashkim went out together with his granddaughters, Fatmir with his grandson, Arber Hoxha, who used to be an officer in the navy, and many others. Children found each other easily because of the language. All of them spoke it at their houses, although at their kindergarten and school they study in English. At the southern end of the park, I heard a expression: “ let down the double six!”. I didn’t want to spoil their game, because I knew half of them from their faces. The Albanian pensioners in Brooklyn were playing dominoes here, they occupied two tables and in front of them some old Chinese were entertained with their traditional games. As I saw the park was ruled by the Albanians and the Chinese. So people from Devoll every day, week and month, integrated into the way and life here in America.

A people with special values.

There is nothing perfect, but they struggled in order to live and work with seat and execution of the law, in the example of the first emigrants who stepped on the promised land one century ago. In this way they also earned the respect of the American citizens at work or neighbors. You are a people with special values, the American neighbor of Bashkim says to me, mister Hater Fisher, even the only American at the palace, because the others are different emigrants. We, maybe, don’t know our values, but when the American citizens say these to us, we are glad. Thank you! – I said. A neighbor of my relatives in Connecticut also said this to me, Michael Manka, he also told to me even his early Albanian-Devoll origin. Since four generations ago I am Albanian, he says to me with a kind of boast. Meanwhile the community from Devoll were trying to create a solid society, who represented with dignity the tradition, the values and the accomplishments of this community over centeries here in America. In the leadership of this society young guys are elected, with personality and managing skills, in order to do the best in the actual conditions, Neim Zenelaku from Poncare explains to me. Surely, that this work will be realized, we need to abandon any vise of the past, or of the life in Devoll, we mustn’t carry in America the envy, the jealousy, the gossip, which don’t let us advance. The goal of the society is the integration with other all-Albanian societies in the USA too. On these few days I took tens of messages from people from Devoll in Brooklyn, but the main one is ‘live by working and executing the law’! These are my best friends! So you integrate and become an American citizen! It was a delayed reportage this for these people who with their example in life and at work, they honor themselves, but the Albanian-American community too. I left them with the promise that I will continue to write for our people from Devoll Albanian-Americans whenever I come here in the USA.

New York City, June 2015.