Can you describe this photo for me?
I was supposed to grow my hair long because my sister had long hair and they wanted me to be more like her after she died.
They sent me to school for sewing because I wasn’t allowed to go in a public school.
That’s why I don’t like sewing anymore. It is like work to me. I preferred studying music, photography and theater.
But being able to make alterations to clothing helped me support us when I came here.
What about the photo where you’re holding me?
You are only five days old. we just came from the hospital. It was April 16. You were a huge baby. Nobody believed you were only five days old.
Where are we? Where are we living?
At Maria’s.
When did you meet Maria?
I was pregnant when I came in America.
How did you meet her?
Majlinda (Koli’s sister), her ex husband had a cousin who we stayed with when we came in America. Her cousin had a friend who was a painter that was good friends Maria. They were both painters and she introduced me to Maria.
How did you and Maria communicate?
Italian. I used to speak Italian big time.
Really?
Yes and Maria went to school in Italy.
How did you learn Italian?
Just from watching TV back home.
What’s happening in the photo with you and Koli?
This is time when the student demonstrations were happening. I was a student at the University of Tirana.
It doesn’t look like anything is happening in the background.
Because everything even more in the daylight. Everybody will be quiet but in the night there would be protests.
Koli said you guys were too in love to pay attention.
Yeah we watched from afar. I wasn’t interested to join in but Koli said, “what will tell our kids one day?”
And we chanted along: “We want Albania like the rest of Europe!”
That’s crazy. I read about that chant and that protest in this book for my class.
So what’s happening in this photo with the red phone?
Oh, we are talking to Sil and Koli. We’re on the phone. This is when you turn three year olds. You’re on the phone with them. Yeah, my Polish roommate took the photo. She had a camera and I didn’t. She lives in Canada now.
Would you have to like use phone cards?
Yes, I certainly had to use phone cards. You loved the red phone — you’d eat the phone up every time you see it.
So you’re living in Maria’s house when I was born? When you came here, what happened? She was like you can live at my house.
Yes. Yeah. Because when Majlinda left, Maria said you can stay here and I had to pay her only $200 for the room and I had to pay $60 like gas and electric.
How did you make money?
I worked. I work together with you and Joni. Cleaning houses, babysitting. Samantha. Tetchi was the only one accepting you and Joni and still paying me. When I was baby sitting Samantha, I’d be babysitting you and Joni both, with no English but I started learning little by little by reading books and because I used to speak Italian. There are so many words. The letter seems to be almost the same. So I tried to use my imagination.
Think you still do that.
See this photo. I’m looking at you and feeding Samantha at the same time. Do you see now how Mama did it?
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