I am a Canadian expat and painter, currently living in France. I spent 2+ years living in Albania prior to my recent move. I work mainly in oils but occasionally in ink or pastel. My style could be said to be a combination of Expressionism and Fauvism. On this channel I will be publishing videos that follow the process of creating a painting from blank canvas to finished work. I will also post fun video clips from my travel experiences.
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Glad I found this. I’m actually going to do this tomorrow. Was it easy to find a taxi at St. Naum into Ohrid’s city center? How often does the buses go there? Thanks.
In the tourist season (now) you should have no issue getting a cab. Assuming the busses haven't changed, they leave St. Naum shortly after 9am, 12pm, 2pm. There are a couple more, but those I have confirmed. The return from Ohrid is at 6:30am, 8:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm, 8:30pm. You can ask the driver to take you directly to the border control (a few extra Denar). A cab from Ohrid to St Naum is a fixed rate of 20euros, or 25 to the border I think. Taxis can be scarce on the Albanian side for the return to Pogradec and tend to be a bit pricey. Be sure to go early to really enjoy St. Naum; it is lovely!
Thank you for this gorgeous view and video! Is this area predominantly Muslim? I know when Hoxha was in power all religion was not allowed. What other faiths exist there now?
Hi! I saw you on Kirsten's video, May I ask ?....Are you still in Albania or did you move to France? If France can you please give me a suggestion on affordable living for a woman on U.S. social security, not much😢, Thx a bunch, Michele... love your ART btw!
Hi I just got to France. Feel free to send me an email karen@karenespig.com with all your questions. I'm still learning about France, but can offer a bit of insight anyway. :)
I saw your interview with Kristen. I'm considering Albania for retirement in a few years. Just wondering if you had a chance to experience doctors/healthcare yet and, if yes, what that was like? I'm leaning towards Sarandë just because of the close proximity to the Corfu airport ..or Vlore (just know I want beach!). Your lake looks lovely too :)
Hi In the other interview / video I discuss healthcare a bit. It was a year after the Kristin video. Retire There With Gil and Gene. I prefer Vlorë for a long-term stay 😊. They are building a small airport there, and has more services year round than Sarandë. Thanks for watching 😀 Have a great day!
Thanks for interviewing a retiree…many of your interviews understandably focus on younger folks who are still working. Also, I applaud you for refraining from interjecting your own experiences. Is very tempting but you kept the focus on your interviewee. Well done.
Probably worth a visit. Here’s a link to an article I wrote, you might find helpful medium.com/expat-notebooks/pogradec-albania-tips-and-truth-for-tourists-digital-nomads-and-expats-eda5ff1c12cb?sk=560ad2481e1c6b3572b1a35264cc2888
As a Canadian -Albanian i"m looking forward to get back to my hometown Tirana. Gonna be one way ticket . I feel it. Its not a turkish coffee , its an italian espresso .
Përshëndetje! Yes, I drink both coffee types now 😂. I’m sure you will enjoy being back in Albania, but you will also likely experience reverse culture shock. I encourage you to meet up with other re-pats once you are there.
Oh thank you , as a former student of international cooeration University of Montreal , I know what you"re talking about @@karenespig . Only 9 years in Canada Montreal and Toronto, its gonna be a slight shock not the strongest one . Anyway Im preparing the resilience Plan . Um subscribing the channel as a start .
Hello, here is a link to a podcast where I probably answer most of your questions ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c4PpcaE_odE.html . They also have many more podcasts about other destinations. With regards to Albania, the primary driver was cost of living.
Hi Karen! Stumbled on your interview because Albania is recently on my radar (I am a US citizen currently living in Mexico, but it's actually getting too expensivehere!) So much of what you are said here resonates with me and not just because I also have a cat :) Great info and interview. I am focused on looking in Saranda right now because how easy it will be to get to so many other places I want to see (Italy, Greece, Turkey, etc). I am very excited about switching to a Mediterranean and fresh produce diet
Thanks! Yes, it’s much easier to see other points of n Europe from here. There’s a ferry to Corfu from Saranda. 🇬🇷There are expat groups for Saranda on Facebook as well as the a few in Tirana. Feel free to contact me with any questions :)
Hello Karen. I am watching your content with great interest! I plan to move to Albania mid next year and can't wait! Thank you for all the info and great content. If I don't chicken out, maybe we can meet for coffee some day soon.
@@karenespig Thank you so much! Just wanted to mention that I am a 60 yr old divorced woman doing this on my own, so your bravery really spoke to me and inspired me! Thanks so much!
I am also planning to retire in Albania when I'm 65, I have another year and a half, this is very encouraging I will be alone, I am single, and I'm getting excited now! Thank you so much for this interview
