Workshop 2

Vlora Xhaferi

Ms. Ritt

English 241

April 19, 2019

My name is Tirana Ocha. My parents are Kalem and Lilly Ocha, my father is Albanian and my mother is American. Right now, we are on our way to Vlore, Albania. The city where my father’s family lives. Ever since we got on the plane I have felt my heart jumping with excitement. But at the same time I have had an uncomfortable, nervous feeling in my stomach. I have not met my family in Albania, yet. Both my parents have told me so much about them but they could never find the moment to take me to see them, until now. The most important thing my parents told me about them are that they are good people, they would never resent me for being half-Albanian half-American, and that they are really looking forward to seeing us. I have not bothered to ask why because I am just glad that we are going. Maybe one day I will. But for now, I am going to try to enjoy this.

July 1, 2010. After a long flight of eleven hours and forty minutes from Chicago, we finally made it. We made it to Vlore, Albania! The city that will be home for the next two months. It was nighttime when we landed so I was too sleepy to remember everything that had happened afterwards. My eyes had gotten so sleepy and baggy as the rest of my body was sore and tired from the long plane ride. What I vaguely remember is getting off the plane and my mother picking me up before I could fall hard onto my sleepy face.

“It’s okay Tirana. Go to sleep,” Father said.

“Don’t worry sweet girl. You will sleep well tonight,” Mother said. And with that I had shut my sleepy, baggy eyes. After that I remember my eyes opening for a very short moment. I saw big doors with a swirling metal detail on the front. And I remember my mother laying me down onto a bed for the night.

July 2, 2010. I had not woken up yet. I was in a very deep and peaceful sleep. But then all of a sudden, there was something or someone calling out to me as I still slept.

“Tirana. Wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!!!” the voice called out. And with that, I woke up with a fright. I looked around and saw that no one was in my room. As I leapt up from my bed and made my way out my door my long brown hair had trailed behind me along with the end of my white pajama dress. As I made my way to the end of the staircase, I was approached by my mother.

“Good morning sweet girl,” Mother said with a happy voice as she embraced me into one of her warm hugs.

“Good morning mama,” I said. With a slight whimper in my voice.

“Are you okay?” Mother asked.

“Mama, were you or papa in my room just now? Raising your voice to wake me up?” I asked.

“No. Why?” Mother asked as a worrying look began to take hold of her face,

“Because I heard someone telling me to wake up. Then yelled for me to wake up,” I said.

“It was probably nothing sweet girl. Come on, your dad is making breakfast,” Mother said as she took me into the direction of the kitchen. Once we made it to the kitchen we all sat down and enjoyed a blueberry pancake breakfast my papa had made. My parents and I had come to Vlore, Albania for the summer, my ninth birthday and to be close with my family on the other side of the world. As we continued our breakfast, we talked about what had happened last night as I was sleeping, what we were going to do today, the family I would be meeting today and the house we were staying in. My uncle Skander and his son Marco had helped us settle in when we had arrived last night. Today I would be meeting my Uncle Skander, his wife Afrodita, their son Marco, my second cousin Elaine and countless others relatives and cousins. The house we were staying in was set in the western hills of Vlore, close to the sea. And apparently, it had been the Ocha family for countless years. My Uncle Skander and his wife Afrodita had offered it to us for our stay. They would have not had it any other way.

After eating we got ourselves ready for the day. I left my long brown hair down and put on my favorite yellow floral dress with my best brown sandals. Mother and father dressed casually. They always made sure that I was the best dressed between the three of us. Before we knew it, we were going to my uncle Skander’s house to spend the day with the rest of the family. I was nervous when we first arrived at the house. I could feel my small legs begin to tremble and then my mothers’ hands plopping onto my shoulders and my fathers’ hand grasping onto mine. The second we made it to the front door, my second cousin Elaine had opened the door and she embraced me with such a warm and loving hug. Everyone was so happy that my parents and I were finally there. My Uncle Skander, Aunt Afrodita and cousin Marco approached me and hugged me after shaking my hand. In that moment my fears had gone away and I thought things could not get any better than they already were. We spent the whole day at my uncle’s house, talking with the family and eating homemade Albanian dishes. Sometimes I would find myself looking at the big fish tank in the living room with Elaine. Being surrounded by my family and parents made me want to not go back to the house. But I was not going to have it my way. My aunt and uncle offered it to us so there was no way we could just pack up our stuff and leave the house. It was ours for two months and we were going to remain there.

July 11, 2010. Today is my last day as eight years old. Time had flown by as we spent almost every day with the family. There were still times when I would hear voices that I could not figure out where they were coming from. I told my parents but it was not as if they were hearing voices in their room. Or in any other part of the house. They just called them a part of nightmares. I could still hear them, and that clearly meant that they were not going away anytime soon. I was just surprised that they were not destroying our visit. And that there was nothing else that would possibly destroy our visit.

My parents and the rest of the family had arranged for an early family dinner in the courtyard. We had spent the whole morning getting the house ready for the family. Mother wanted to make sure that everything was cleaned up and that they knew we were taking care of it. When they arrived, we all made our way out to the backyard. And with the day, we all just sat around while eating good food and talking with each other. Nothing else mattered. Not even the voices I was hearing.

The sun had begun to settle for its nightly rest on that side of the world. My mother could see that I was already growing tired and decided that I should get some rest for my big day in just a few hours. So my mother had decided to get me into bed, after making sure I said ‘good night’ to everyone. As soon as we got into my room she let me slip into my white pajama dress and wash myself up. And then she tucked me into bad. Just as she has done throughout the whole trip.

“Good night, Tirana,” Mother said.

“Good night, mama,” I said as she placed a gentle kiss into my head. As soon as she turned off the lights and closed the door, I shut my eyes. For the first time since waking up early in the morning, I slept. For three hours.

July 11, 2010. 10:30 p.m.. There was a noise coming from outside my window. It was coming from the backyard. The noise sounded like laughter then there was loud and painful screaming. I woke up and it was still dark in my room and outside the house. With just one look outside my window, I saw nothing. Clearly everyone had gone or the night. My hands started to tremble as the cool night breeze had touched my skin and blew through my long brown hair. Then out of nowhere, I heard another noise. Only this time it came from outside my room. The noise sounded like footsteps. Light footsteps falling onto the hallway floor outside my room and making the floorboard screak. I departed from my bed to see what or who was in the hall. And as I slowly opened my door, there was the sound of a gasp. I froze. But that did not stop me from wanting to know. I stepped out and, nothing.

There was nothing and no one in the hall. I could hear my parents breathing and heavy snoring coming from their room. They were fast asleep. I carefully and quietly walked down the hallway and made my way down the short staircase. I had reached the end of the staircase and there was still mothing. I made my way to look through the glass doors to the backyard. As soon as I touched the glass, I felt cold and wet. Cold and wet. Though it was dry, warm and breezy outside. I turned around to go back to my room and…

There she was. Looking at me. A tall, dripping-wet, dark-haired woman with lightened skin. And a pair of white, lifeless eyes. Just staring at me.