Interview with an Expat

While planning our Gap-year traveling, we spent many hours on YouTube and the internet researching how to get to our destinations, what to do in our destinations, and how to live in our destinations. Albania came upon our list as a way to leave the Schengen Zone and avoid visa requirements. Greg found an American who moved to Albania and developed a YouTube channel to teach others what he was learning about the country as he was learning it himself. Naturally, we followed his adventure and this month we got to interview him live and in person while sipping coffee in Pogradec, Albania. Let me introduce you.

Although he has spoken many times on his YouTube Channel Retire Overseas with Patrick about his adventures and move to Albania, he generously answered our interview questions so we could share them concisely with you.

Patrick is an American from Texas. He was stationed in Germany for a bit while in the Airforce from 1981-1986, so he got a taste for Europe. In 1988 he met and married the lovely April, and they had a typical American life together (two kids, a 3400 sq ft home, debt, and a mortgage). Patrick had a career in the trucking industry, originally delivering for the Montgomery Ward Company until they went out of business and another trucking position replaced his job loss. After the kids left the nest, they downsized and began thinking about retirement. A memorial hung at Patrick’s work facility that haunted him for years. The words “Gone but not forgotten” hung on the wall above the photographs of former employees who died before they could retire. “That won’t be me,” he swore. And it wasn’t. Patrick’s second trucking job shut its doors mid shift and didn’t even tell the workers it was coming.

Unemployment late in life is never where a person wants to be, but Patrick and April had already begun thinking about retirement and paying off all their debt. As they thought about where life could take them, they contemplated a global shift, maybe Asia? But then the results of April’s DNA test pointed them in a different direction. Surprisingly she learned that she was 37% Greek/Albania, so they began looking at Albania, where Americans can live 365 days without a visa.

1. How long have you lived in Albania? We moved to the capital, Tirana, in April 2024. After 7 months learning more about the country and visiting other towns, we hired a realtor to help us buy a home. Our goal was to find a 700-800 square foot apartment with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom in the $64,000-$68,000 range. Their new home is in the relaxed town of Pogradec which lies on Lake Ohrid near the border with North Macedonia.

2. When did you start your YouTube Channel? Laughing he said, “Retire Overseas with Patrick was born in July 2023 because I wanted something to do.” Although it started as a way to share his move abroad with family and friends, Patrick has met and developed bonds with many locals because of his channel. Sharing one-take videos of his new country and new cities turned out to be a great hobby and currently makes enough money to pay the utility bill in Albania. He adores wandering down the tiny residential streets of his new home and started referring to himself and followers as “Alley-Cats”. Now, Retire Overseas with Patrick does live chats on Saturdays and follows it with cocktail meetups at selected local restaurants. Their social network has exploded with over 8,000 subscribers and many people visiting them in Albania. We even got to attend these “Alley-Cat Meetups” and rubbed elbows with locals and expats in Pogradec.

3. What steps did you take to buy a home? Patrick and April hired a unique firm in Tirana who were dual trained as lawyers and real estate agents. For a country like Albania, this was vital. With all the capture and return of private property during the communist era, not all house titles are free and clear to be sold. You could buy a home and live there for 5 years only to have a former family member bring papers of legal ownership to your door. The professionals at Illyrian Homes were direct communicators, compassionate, and resourceful. Not only did they drive Patrick and April to multiple towns, hours apart, to see homes for sale, they advised against one of the favorites because there was a “gray area” in the title that could be problematic. The realtors even taught Patrick and April several things about the country and people of Albania.

4. What steps did you take to get residency status in Albania? Knowing there was a lot of misinformation being reported, Patrick and April sought out and interviewed three different immigration lawyers to try to help them navigate the visa requirements and residency pathway. One of the most confusing steps seemed to be that you need residency to open a bank account; but you need a bank account to establish residency. Huh? In the end, the lawyer who they hired did a great job of guiding Patrick and April through the current paperwork process. Keep in mind that Albania is trying to enter the E.U. and the procedures taken by Patrick and April may change. They also hired an accountant to assist with the financial side of moving to Albania.

   **TOP TIP from Patrick: Since Americans can only be in Albania visa-free for 365 days, start on the residency process early. It may take longer than you imagine due to the relaxed nature of business in Albania and some other European countries. And hire a professional. Things can get messy if you are less knowledgeable.

5. What does a typical day look like for you in Pogradec? “When we lived in Texas, life consisted of work, the gym, and household maintenance.” He said. Here, without the stress from work, Patrick continues to go to the gym, explores his new town on foot, sits on benches by the lake to people watch, and walks every day. Incredulously, he said, “Everyone is so friendly, it’s like walking through a large neighborhood cul-de-sac.” Patrick spends quite a bit of time wandering and filming for “Retire Overseas with Patrick”. Locals recognize him now and try to chat as he fumbles his way through the Shqip language. In the evenings, Patrick and April no longer dream of trips to other European countries, they plan them. Recently, they spent a few days in Budapest, Hungary.

6. What’s been your biggest surprise since landing in Pogradec? Because they had researched quite a bit before making the wild leap to move abroad, Patrick and April felt like there weren’t many surprises. But, as we discussed the topics here, these surprises or “ah-ha” moments came out.

   1. They were pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive the utilities have been.

   2. They’ve been a bit annoyed at how long it’s taking to learn Shqip, the Albanian language.

   3. Albanian banks do not have joint accounts. Generally, the man opens the account which naturally reverts to the wife or children when he dies.

   4. April, Patrick’s legal wife, was not named in the deed of the new apartment they bought in Pogradec. Again, if something happens to him, April just naturally takes over.

   5. The handshake contract still works here. Give your word and stick to it!

   **SIDE NOTE: Patrick and April have met many people coming to Albania who have not invested in the same level of research. Some of them seem very surprised by these concepts.

   1. Meals in restaurants may take time (plan 1.5-2.0 hours for dinner). The wait staff don’t ignore you, they give you time to settle into this extension of their home. They also won’t shoo you away when you are finished. Once you order, you can stay all day if you choose.

   2. The shower stalls can be quite small by American standards (3’x3’).

   3. Though the prices of goods and services in Albania are very low in comparison to the United States, some Americans they’ve met have expected twice as much value for even half the price that is already a steal by American standards. There is not a minimum wage in Albania.

7. How do you stay connected to family, friends, or the news back in the United States? There are, of course, the usual methods for staying connected to family and friends (Facebook, phone calls, and WhatsApp). But with the YouTube Channel, family and friends can see his life and even join the live chats. Patrick still reads some news from home by using his VPN. Additionally, he has a Fire Stick to help stay up to date with shows or news. Patrick did remark with surprise “The world is not as violent as the United States”. Now that his lens has widened, Patrick sees sharp safety contrasts between America and his new town of Pogradec. He calls Pogradec his little Mayberry Town and likens it to America in the 60’s and 70’s.

   **TOP TIP from Patrick: If you want to read and see the news in Albania read the Tirana Times which is published in English or the Pogradec Newspaper. Plus there are many Facebook groups for expats in Albania where questions and answers are posted. Just remember to check the sources and verify the information.

8. In a word or phrase, how would you define Albania or it’s people? RESILIENT AND STRONG. Having learned much about their history, Patrick has seen how many times the Albanian people have been stepped on by other countries and their leaders. Yet, the people are still there. They are still strong. They still put their family first. Therefore, they have shown resilience in the face of difficult times.

Patrick and April took a leap of faith to move to a little-known country called Albania. They said good-bye to their jobs, children, friends, and house. I’d say they have some strength and resilience of their own. We had cocktails with them the second night we were in Pogradec, but their charisma was attractive, and we enjoyed several walks, talks, drinks and dinners together during our month in their new home town. Though we met them with a glimmer of fandom in our eyes, we bid them ado as friends.

Watch on YouTube Patrick's interview with me about Followingthestones.com