Merita B. McCormack*
Washington DC
I just heard recently about UBT, my Alma Mater partnering with Michigan State and that is a great benefit. I heard that Albanian PM and our Ambassador to Albania, Ms. Yuri Kim, who I greatly appreciate for her hard work and dedication, officially visited UBT and shared the significant milestone of this partnering (which he referred is due to Albania welcoming afghan students- a great generous act of my beloved Albania).
I had to revisit the available speech of Albanian PM to understand the much spoken of irony and mocking.
I would like to focus on what was said that implied more than was said and how was said and why was said like that.
Disclaimer:
I am not a psychologist, neither a communications specialist, but I am experienced at being an oppressed Albanian peasant during communism and a former student of UBT, still afraid of the iron fist, not fully recovered.
Prime minister Rama quoted the famous Franciscan (some attribute to Mother Teresa) saying: “it is in giving that you receive”. He was alluding to Michigan state partnering with UBT and he expressed gratitude for the giver. He then went on to say “it is better to have a friend than a ciflig (ciflig means a wealthy country piece of property)”:
He said that it is good that the Michigan state is willing to help us and that He, himself had gone there by together with the Education Minister to make sure that this tie to be permanent and with an important impact on the life of this University (UBT). He then went on to say that this University will become a University of the Future and that this University may as well be called the University of the Future. And then he said what it was really on his mind:
He continued:
“Here, the thing is, it is not the same as it has been…. Agricultural University deals with agriculture…. deals with villages, deals with peasants…”
For those of us who were born and raised in Albania such connotations are deeply discriminatory and deeply hurtful. We grew up as second-class citizens by default, because we were not been born in the cities, which was a privilege of the few.
Rama continued: “But here the issue is totally different today and will be always even more so…in the focus of humanity, societies, of countries, of academic elites… development sustainability and the capacity to explore natural resources and the riches that man creates through interaction with nature without falling in the conditions where those are lacking…”
Not sure what he meant with the second part of the sentence. I presume he wanted to be relevant with the subject matter studied at this University. Ok fair enough…
He went on a bit more and then he said let’s return to this meeting place…. And continued with pledges to make the University relevant and to guarantee the future…
That is fine ad understandable, we do not expect PM to be expert in the Agric terms and subjects.
But the tread of mocking became stronger and more obvious when he first hit the Agriculture University Rector and made a joke about how he talks, the speed of words for a time unit, explaining what Rama perceived quite as an energy of the Rector. He then said that he loathes (he is terrified to quote) of people that are sleepy and are not as much after work (implying that people who do not talk as fast or are not as energetic are not necessarily good workers). He expressed admiration for the rector, who according to PM Rama, goes after what he wants and at times reminding the PM about it. He said they are in a synergy. That felt insulting and very uncomfortable to hear. Not sure what the rector himself felt or what his colleagues and employees felt too. It felt disrespectful and belittling.
Later PM Rama shared an expectation that more students should attend UBT and that other subjects like Tech fields are as important as learning about earth water etc.… Fair enough…
The next words made people more uncomfortable. You could see nervous laughs. PM Rama, referring to the benefits of the current Afghan students at UBT said:
“I am very happy that afghan students here have found not only hospitality but also a space where they feel good(comfortable). After a while they would go across the pond (meaning USA), I hope they will not get upset (once they arrive in the USA) because they will not be treated as well as we treat them here (meaning in the US they will be mistreated) , but they will learn too how to not treat others well and they will then be alright…… normal…and meanwhile , without question, it is a pleasure that all that they came several thousand here…now they are receiving what they were expecting(meaning the afghans are going where they were supposed to go) ….there is a small part remaining (in Albania)… more might come again …but the system is totally normalized (the system of housing them ) ….And Canada has taken a large part…(a great number of refugees) . USA also are taking some, not as many as what they promised but a part (just some refugees) because they (USA) are used to promise a lot and do less than what they promise but when it comes to concrete things….… (Americans) when it comes to standards and values there (meaning at that particular point) , there they (Americans) give us nonstop all the time because they have plenty of that (advice on standards, values) and they have a lot but we receive them ( mockingly saying we receive that advice ) with pleasure…and ….when it comes to standards ,to values, to preaching, we have them here…there is no day and night (basically saying nonstop advice on standards and values) ……they give that to us with great generosity(meaning overwhelmingly pushing on our throats) ….what you must do … (implying we are told by Americans what to do constantly) .. And when it comes to the concrete things they do give but they give us but a little bit more carefully…. because poor they (irony), they don’t have(irony). they are not in a position to give much… (super irony). No problem…Anyhow. It is good that we are together today here with the ambassador. I liked very much the part when the rector said to her: We guarantee Madam Ambassador…I remembered the time when the Comrade Secretary used to come here from the Committee and the old dean (of UBT) used to say (to the secretary): We guarantee…. Comrade Secretary of Party Committee …that we will work that Party and people to be very proud of us…And we also guarantee, no question…. Thank you very much. That’s all I had to say, success and Long Live the Albanian Afghan friendship….”
It was felt as Mr. Rama compared USA with the communist party. Ms. Kim with the Lenka Cukos of the communist time (there were a couple of women in the communist government who were known to be ignorant, not very feminine, and simply were sitting there in the Politburo to fill a statistical place). He probably did not mean that, but the way he spoke, implied a lot of that. He only can explain what he meant. The words certainly betrayed him and manifested the superior feeling of being a city boy, a self- considered elite who can tolerate to work with UBT, the peasant’s place.
After this, Ms. Kim put her hand on Rama’s Arm and asked him” What’s wrong with you”
Not sure what PM Rama said to her but she said something that referred to a possible translating error as Madam Ambassador felt something strange was said. She rightly judged.
It was quite strange. I do not know what the translator said to Ms. Kim, but here above you have it. I believe the PM owns to the Rector, to UBT, to Ambassador Kim and to the USA a deep apology.
BUT IT HAS TO BE SINCERE AND ONE CANNOT GIVE WHAT ONE DOES NOT HAVE.
May God provides a good leader for Albania who HAS something better to give to the people and to the country.
*The author is an Albanian American citizen who lives and work in Washington DC metro area. She is the author of several books and columns and a speaker. This opinion is her personal one and does not reflect that of the publication. She can be reached on twitter with the handle @emershqip