A normal Monday from the Albanian coast
If you had told me a few years ago that I'd be spending a Monday morning working with a view of the Adriatic Sea, I probably wouldn't have believed you.
But here I am.
Laptop open.
Coffee nearby.
Meetings as usual.
And the Albanian coast right in front of me.
The old idea of travel
For a long time, I thought life was divided into categories.
Work.
Vacation.
Normal life.
Special moments.
Everything had its place.
You worked all year.
Then you traveled.
Then you came back to reality.
But somewhere along the way, reality became much more interesting.
A week in Albania
My wife and I arrived in Tirana on Friday and immediately took a van to Vlore, where we're staying for the week.
That same evening, we met friends for dinner and enjoyed one of those conversations that somehow feel even better when you're far from home.
Saturday was simple.
Beach.
Sun.
Football.
No plans.
No rush.
Then Sunday came.
And honestly, it felt surreal.
We spent the day on a speedboat, stopping multiple times to swim in crystal-clear water and explore beautiful spots along the coast.
Those kinds of days where you look around and think:
"I can't believe this is real."
And then Monday arrived.
Which brings me back to this laptop.
Maybe work and life don't have to compete
Today, I'm working as usual.
Pull requests.
Messages.
Meetings.
Code reviews.
Nothing extraordinary.
Except for the fact that between tasks, I can look up and see the sea.
And somehow, that changes everything.
Not because I'm more productive.
Not because remote work is perfect.
But because it reminds me that life doesn't always need to wait for the next vacation.
Four years ago, I couldn't have imagined this
Moving to Germany wasn't really about living in Albania.
Or visiting Rome.
Or taking spontaneous trips.
It was simply about trying to build a better future.
One step at a time.
But life has a funny way of rewarding you in ways you never specifically planned.
Sometimes the things you dream about happen.
And sometimes life gives you things you never thought to dream about.
Practical takeaway
I used to think happiness would come from extraordinary moments.
Now I think it comes from ordinary moments in unexpected places.
Like answering Slack messages from a balcony overlooking the sea.
Or having a completely normal Monday from the Albanian coast.
And maybe that's enough.