Life between cultures
From Civita to Frascineto: continuing the Arbëreshë visit
After Civita, or Çifti, we continued towards Frascineto. My short road video marks the move from one Arbëreshë settlement in Calabria to.
VALON ASANI / ENGLISH
Writing on love, lived values and Albanian life
Love well. Live your values. Carry our roots forward. Those are the three questions behind my writing, whether a piece begins with a relationship, a company or a moment between Kosovo and Switzerland.
Choose a subject below. The short video notes preserve the original moment; longer essays explore what it means and what we can do. These are personal experiences and opinions, with sources for factual claims.
Life between cultures
Civita: encountering a living Arbëreshë heritage
In Civita, or Çifti, I found Albanian history in the streets, conversations and everyday life of a village in Calabria. The visit gave a different meaning…
Life between cultures
An Arbëreshë song in a restaurant in Civita
In a restaurant in Civita, I noticed an Arbëreshë song about youth, joy and blessing. It was another small moment in which the language connected the…
Life between cultures
Remembering Papàs Antonio Bellusci and his bond with Kosovo
“Kosova Republikë!” was the phrase I used when sharing this moment from our visit to the Arbëresh community. In the caption, I named Papàs Antonio Bellusci…
Life between cultures
Remembering why your roots matter
I shared an illustrated image with an invitation to remember why we are here. It combines an Albanian figure in a plis, a double-headed eagle and…
Life between cultures
Finding our language on the walls of Civita
In the church of Civita, known to us as Çifti, I read an inscription in our language. It spoke of seeking love and desiring the gifts…
Personal growth
Confidence does not come from a haircut or a car
Taking care of yourself is a good thing. But I do not believe that every hair needs to be in place before you can feel comfortable…
Life between cultures
Skanderbeg, Pyrrhus and the words recorded by Pius II
A passage in Pius II’s Commentaries records an appeal to Epirote ancestry. Reading the original puts the quotation in context.
Life between cultures
Piazza Albania: following a recommendation in Rome
Someone recommended that we visit Piazza Albania in Rome. We went, and I shared a thank-you from the square.
Personal growth
The courage to stop pleasing everyone
I recommended The Courage to Be Disliked because it helped me think differently about the pressure to please other people. The book, by Ichiro Kishimi and…
Personal growth
A balance between inner and outer beauty
Find a balance between inner and outer beauty. That was the thought I shared during the journey.
Personal growth
Ten minutes together: a spontaneous meditation from Rome
On October 10, I invited people to pause with me at 22:00 for a spontaneous ten-minute live meditation.