The success stories of Albanians around the world make us all proud. Eris Bleta has been living in the USA for six years, where he left behind in Albania his work as a graphic designer in the most popular newspapers in the country and later in the field of IT.
He was lucky enough to be selected in the American lottery, where we jokingly tease him in this interview for “Albanian Diaspora” that he was chosen as the Korça he is. He started his emigration history from the lowest paid jobs that had nothing to do with his profession, while now he is selected by CISCO, a leader in the field of Network, the world of the Internet. He considers it a “dream job” and it took him a lot of work to get here.
Eris you have been living in the US for six years now. Tell us a little about your immigration history. What did you leave behind in Albania, your profession and work, and how difficult was the change for you?
First of all, thank you for the interview, I appreciate it. The decision to emigrate, even when it comes to the US, was very difficult because you give up everything, family, friendship, society, career, colleagues and any other part of your daily life. Given that I had built a satisfying career in the beginning as Graphic Design in some of the most popular newspapers in Albania and then in the field of IT in a company in Tirana, which made this decision even more difficult. The change was great, you face a new world, culture, completely different way of life. You start from 0 in the full sense of the word, you only have a few body clothes and very little money you could have brought from Albania. From the second day you have to think and start preparing for the new life for which you have no idea what awaits you. I just know what people are waiting for and for the first jobs you do not have many choices you will start in those places where friends orient to wait in the US.
Since you are from Korça you were lucky to be able to win the American lottery (as it is jokingly said in Albania, only those who are from Korça win the lottery). Was it your goal to try America, or just like many other Albanian who casually try the lottery every year?
(Laughs) I have the impression that this is an urban legend, because here I have seen very large communities from Fier, Kukes, Dibra, Berat and Vlora, but I am convinced that there are other cities. I had no intention in myself for America, it was the second time I filled out the lottery documents, the first after my marriage to Gelta.
No matter how much you want the lottery it is simply a matter of luck and at this point I admit I am pretty lucky.
There are many who think: Why you should start from scratch in a foreign country by doing ordinary work? How difficult is it for an Albanian to make money in his profession in a foreign country?
Here I will be a little direct, these are just excuses of people who don’t want to work, I know many people in Albania who say “but why oh for 5 thousand lek (Albanian currency, 5 thousand lek is approximately equal to 5 dollar) I will work”. I grew up with the expression work is honor, is not shame, my grandfather often told me this. I cannot call my first jobs here in the US ordinary but they were paid little, but that did not stop me from focusing on my goals and profession. I soon realized that contacts are very important here, so I started to build them, work, change jobs at the first opportunity I saw that other work brought me closer to my profession. But I also studied a lot, thank God we live in a time of technology where information is free in most cases and very easy to access. I can say with pain that in Albania it is more difficult to move forward in the profession that wants this for many reasons.
You are now part of CISCO, one of the most important companies of a technology giant in the world. A goal achieved for you and rewarded. What does this mean for you and what is the message for the Albanian youth?
Yes, Cisco is a leader in the field of Networking, for simplicity I mean in the world of the Internet. Being part of this company is an honor and a privilege and although I worked hard to join Cisco, I still feel very lucky as the competition is great. It was a “Dream Job” for me and very often I thought it would remain just a dream. This pessimism was often nurtured by people who never have words of encouragement, but only expressions such as “Why did the professionals end up here, but you from Albania will be taken?” Maybe these words gave me more strength to realize my dream.
I want to tell the young people of my country, even though the job you are doing at the moment may not be what you want or you have not yet been given the opportunity for a job, do not give up on your dreams. Do not stop working hard to achieve your goal, try to benefit and learn from every knowledge, experience, situation and do not be discouraged by people who may demoralize you and claim to know what the future holds for you.
I say this humbly as a man who has worked in newspapers, IT, factory, warehouse, pizza distributor, simple internet technician and network engineer at some prestigious companies here in the USA.
I want to close with something that has inspired me a lot. If you think you failed a project remember that FAIL means First Attempt in Learning. If you are denied a job remember that NO means Next Opportunity. Thank you and success in your very noble work.
Albanian entrepreneur Nikolin Gjeloshi, the modern hero in Italy
Nikolin Gjeloshi is a distinguished Albanian entrepreneur in the Monsumanno community, in Italy where he lives. He is the president of Assoalbania, an association of Albanian entrepreneurs in Italy. To everyone he is simply Niko, and has always been a reference point for the community from the “Eagle Land” (Albania).
He has recently committed to raising funds for orphaned children by an Albanian mother who ended her life on April 28 by jumping off a bridge in Monsumanno.
He was among the first to arrive at the scene of the accident and took care of the funeral along with Mayor Simona De Caro. And it is Niko who immediately organized a fundraiser for the children who were left without their mothers. And it is still Niko who hopes that not only members of his community, but also other cordial people, can participate by donating even a small amount.
Niko knows, what it means to find someone to help you generously. Today he is a successful entrepreneur, but it has not always been so. “It was December 31, 1992 when I left Vlora for Italy on a dinghy at midnight, there were 37 of us,” he said. That night the sea was not rough, I had paid three million lire (Italian currency before euro). When we got to the beach it was pitch dark, we could hear a helicopter flying overhead and we hid. I was young, I had no luggage, I only kept my hands in my pockets, nothing else. I was wearing a jacket and a pair of jeans. I was 23 years old and my whole life was ahead. We were all men in that boat. In Albania we have seen Italy on TV, Raffaella Carrà and Pippo Baudo. “But I had a great desire to leave and for freedom, to grow, to work,” he told “Il Tirrenio”.
From Sicily Niko escapes to Prato, then to Florence, Quarrata and finally to Monsummano. “I continued to work in construction and in 2005 in the pool sector. I have two companies. One in partnership with an Italian friend. In 1996, when I started my own company, a doctor advised me to come up with an Italian name. I wanted to call him by my Albanian name, but he suggested me an Italian name, because he was afraid that with the foreign name, I would not get trust from potential customers “, says Gjeloshi.
Over the years Niko has proven to be a serious worker. “Here in Valdinievole, the Albanian families that have remained and have not left due to the crisis towards other European destinations are very well integrated – says Niko -. Children go to school; many Albanians have entered into partnerships with Italians. Those who misbehaved and made us look bad were marginalized and condemned by our own community. “We stand out and we are against those who do not behave properly,” he said.
