I’ve been in Albania for six weeks and some things about living here are already starting to feel normal to me. The power randomly shutting off while you’re taking a shower? Normal. Seven-year-old boys yelling English obscenities at you? The usual. Checking your phone to find seventeen missed calls from an Albanian man you met yesterday? All in a day’s work. Seeing a man in blackface on Albanian TV? No biggie. Randomly interjecting Shqip words and sentences into English conversations? Gjithmondë!

One of the main things that would have freaked out the American Me that now seem completely sensible are furgons. Furgons are the #1 way to get around in Albania and they are awesome. What is a furgon, you ask? Don’t ask questions! Just get in this unmarked van driven by a stranger who yells, “TIRANA! ELBASAN! POGRADEC!” in your face. He may reek of liquor, but he’ll take…