— Macché. Tu non sai l’albanese. L’espressione perfetta è “më bie qielli në kokë” — mi cade il cielo sulla testa.

Albania’s history—isolation under Enver Hoxha, the transition from a closed Stalinist state to a chaotic free market, and a diaspora that spans the globe—has produced a culture allergic to vagueness. Albanians value besa (a sworn oath of honor) and directness. Sarcasm is often mistrusted; clarity is a form of respect.

, like his first disastrous audition or his first date with Besa?