About Albania Awaits
Real people. Real experiences. Real guidance for your move to Albania.
Our Journey to Albania
We didn’t build Albania Awaits from a conference room.
We built it from our own moves — the confusing paperwork, the weird landlord moments, the late-night grocery runs, the culture shocks, and the “holy shit, I love it here” days.
We met each other along the way and realised we were all answering the same questions for people thinking about moving here.
So we created a place where you can find honest answers from people who’ve lived it.
Meet the Team
Teri – Social Media Sorceress & Email Wrangler
Originally from the US, Teri tried life in France, hated every second of it, and escaped to Albania with her husband, Shaynne — their car packed to the roof with three dogs and a cat. Now retired and thriving, she brings her sharp eye and big heart to our social media and emails, capturing everyday Albanian life in a way that makes newcomers feel instantly welcomed.
She notices the small things — the quirks, rhythms, and “only in Albania” surprises — and turns them into content that feels real, warm, and wonderfully human.
Shaynne – Footage Wizard, Responsible Adult & Partner Coordinator
Retired, ex-military, and married to Teri, Shaynne made the leap to Albania by driving from France with a fully loaded car, three dogs, and a cat — proving from day one that he’s the team’s calm, capable anchor. He plans the scooter rides and neighbourhood tours, records our interviews from behind the camera, and keeps filming days running smoothly.
He also manages our partnerships with steady reliability — the responsible adult who keeps us all moving in the right direction, even when the rest of us are juggling ideas, caffeine, and last-minute filming chaos.
Jenn – Writer & Albania-Is-This-Normal? Correspondent
Jenn moved to Albania with her husband Jeremy, their two sons — Brandon and Tyler — and enough dogs to start a small farm. As the newest member of the family to land here, she’s still discovering the quirks, surprises, and “is this normal?” moments of Albanian life, all while navigating the realities of helping Tyler manage Huntington’s in a new country.
Through blogs, guides, and captions, Jenn shares the beginner’s perspective with humour and honesty, helping other newcomers feel a little less overwhelmed and a lot more understood.
Brandon – Chaos Gremlin, Video Sidekick & Aspiring Business Human
Brandon moved to Albania with his parents and his brother Tyler, and has been figuring things out ever since — life, work, adulthood, and occasionally which way a neighbourhood tour is supposed to go. He tags along on filming days with Shaynne, hops on the scooter for B-roll runs, and throws in ideas whenever inspiration (or caffeine) hits.
He brings the unfiltered commentary, the comic relief, and the “I’m still learning how any of this works” energy — all while slowly building his own business on the side like a perfectly functional semi-chaotic adult.
Jess – Digital Business Manager & Professional “I’ll Figure It Out” Person
German-born, shaped by years in the UK, and now happily based in Albania. Jess came for love and stayed for the community and the brilliant, unexpected quality of life.
Her remote-work, European perspective gives her a different lens on living here — practical, organised, and grounded. She handles the operations, systems, and content planning that keep Albania Awaits running like an actual business instead of a well-meaning group chat.
She’s also the one making sure everything works behind the scenes while everyone else is busy filming, talking, or chasing dogs and scooters.
Lero – Editing Wizard & Fluent Speaker of “Jess, What Is This?”
Albanian-born and somehow the reason Jess ended up moving here in the first place, Lero is the quiet powerhouse behind Albania Awaits. He takes our messy footage, half-finished ideas, and cryptic instructions and turns them into real, polished videos that actually make sense.
He edits, requests missing footage, subtitles when needed, and fact-checks our Albanian references so we don’t mislabel a neighbourhood or confidently say something that isn’t true.
If anything looks smooth on screen, odds are Lero fixed it behind the scenes while everyone else was busy.
Why We Created Albania Awaits
Between us, we all ended up in Albania for completely different reasons — love, retirement, family, healthcare, affordability, or simply needing a life reset. But once we were here, we realised everyone was dealing with the same problem:
there was no single place that showed what living in Albania is actually like.
Most information online was either outdated, overly polished, confusing, or written by someone who spent a long weekend in Tirana and suddenly became an expert. And none of it helped with the everyday stuff — the real-life decisions people need to make before moving.
So we started sharing our own experiences:
the good, the chaotic, the honest, and the “wait… is this normal?” moments.
Albania Awaits grew out of that simple idea:
help people move here with clarity, confidence, and community — not confusion, guesswork, or someone’s cousin’s cousin giving questionable advice.
What We Stand For
A little values moment. Not corporate. Just real.
Honesty
We tell you what it’s actually like here – not the glossy version.
Practicality
We share what you truly need to know, not what sounds good on an Instagram reel.
Community
Moving abroad is easier when you’re not doing it alone. We’re building a space for people who want to support each other, share stories, and make smarter decisions.
Local Collaboration
We work directly with Albanian professionals and residents so our information is grounded in real expertise – not hearsay.
Let’s Make Your Move a Whole Lot Easier!
We’ve lived the chaos, the paperwork, the confusion, and the “Google says three different things” moments.
That’s why we built a list of professionals we actually trust.
Skip the guesswork. Start with people who know what they’re doing.