Paperjam: Please, introduce yourself.

Borana Mihaj: I’m Borana, I’m 25 years old and I’m from Albania. I work as a business analyst for a company called Armundia Luxembourg.

And how did you end up in Luxembourg?

I don’t have a short answer for that! Armundia is an Italian company but it has a branch in Albania, so I worked in Albania for two years, but then I had to change projects since we had a client here in Luxembourg--and I had to physically come in Luxembourg. So I started doing work transfers in June 2023: you would find me doing two weeks or ten days in Luxembourg, then back in Albania, then back again in Luxembourg. I did that until November 2024, so six months ago. Armundia [in 2023] opened a branch in Luxembourg, so they were hiring people… and I decided to come here full time.

Had you lived abroad before?

No, it was my first time. I really wanted to have an experience abroad, and this was the chance. I started with the work transfers, something partial. That was a very interesting period, a very challenging one. You’re never in the same place. You’re never bored. You need to organise a lot of things here in Luxembourg and back in Albania. And then there came the moment when I had to decide if I would take this path here in Luxembourg or stay in Albania--or look for something else. But having gotten to know Luxembourg, I wanted to have the full experience here, to come to live here. So I said: I’ll try it. Let’s see how it goes. I can always go back to Albania.

And you don’t regret the decision?

Oh no, no, no!

Back to your work transfer period, then… what were your very first impressions of Luxembourg?

It was very nice. I liked it. As I said, I was here for the first time in June 2023, so the weather was great. I didn’t have that weather shock! Back in Albania it was very hot while here it was, like, normal temperatures… and I really liked that the days were long. Even when it rains, sometimes during summer, that’s no problem for me. So, yes, I really liked it. And I wasn’t alone. I had my colleagues here, so I can’t say that I had no support. And then I started meeting other people, from other nationalities… I started to learn a lot, and it really grows on you.

And how did the administrative side of things go?

Yes, the paperwork… from Albania to Luxembourg--since Albania is not part of the European Union--the paperwork is much more complicated. It took about four months, the whole process: we started the process in June or May and came here in November. And we had to get a residence right away. In just three days! So yes, it wasn’t very easy, but we had help from the company: they gave us the apartment, so we registered there and that allowed us to take our time to find our own apartment.

And I’m talking in “we” because I’m with my boyfriend here. I convinced him to come in Luxembourg with me. So yes, finding the apartment was not very easy. We had to search a lot. The prices are not the best. But we ended up finding something that we really liked.

And was your boyfriend able to find work here easily?

We both work for the same company! So he started working for the projects here in Luxembourg when we came here.

I see. And how has the integration process been going?

For me it’s been gradual because of the doing work transfers, so I kind of knew what was waiting for me. Like languages, I think, are very important. The fact that many people here speak English is a big help, compared to other countries where if you don’t speak the language--and people don’t speak a lot of English--then it becomes hard to integrate. But being in a country like Luxembourg, where there are many expats, many foreigners… you don’t feel like a real outsider. You don’t feel left out of the community.

Have you met any Luxembourgers?

I have met just a few, like two or three. So… not a lot! Maybe because Luxembourgish people work more for public sector. Being in a private sector, I mostly work with foreigners.

And what languages do you use here?

I speak Albanian, of course. I also speak fluent English and Italian, because the company is Italian. So with my colleagues in Italy I speak Italian; with my colleagues in Albania I speak Albanian; and with other nationalities I speak English. And now I’m also studying French, so I’m trying to speak more in French, you know, to practice. Yes, it’s multilingual! One of our clients is a bank, and they have many nationalities--and when you get into an elevator there you don’t know in what language to say hi to people. Sometimes I just go for “ciao,” more of a basic one.

What about culture shock?

I would say… businesses closing early at night also on the weekends.

And how the children speak a lot of languages… like they are four years old and they speak more languages than you! And I say: how is that even possible? So yes, that’s a kind of shock, but a very good one. I really support it. I didn’t know a lot about Luxembourg, I had no idea [about the languages], because Luxembourg is a small country that maybe you don’t hear about a lot compared to other countries in Europe. And then you come here and you see that they speak more than four languages, they are so advanced, the transportation is free--you see that this is a developed country with a very good work/life balance.

Something else that surprised me was that there are so many Albanians here. I had no idea. I met someone from my high school, I met someone from my university.

Back in Albania does Luxembourg have a reputation?

No, to be honest! When I started telling my parents and relatives that I’m moving to Luxembourg, they were like: “Where is it? Germany? No--Belgium?” No, it’s a country! It’s a country itself!

Could you see yourself staying here long-term?

I could see myself here for a long period of time. I mean, you never know. I never thought that I would be in Luxembourg, but here I am. So I don’t know what can happen after a few years. I’m not one of those people who say that I will be here for one or two years, and then I’ll go. Career-wise, I really like it. And also I see that there are many positive things for the country itself, also for children. It’s very family-oriented and the quality of life is very good. So I might see myself here, yes… but for now I’m just really enjoying it, the work, friends, colleagues. It’s going very well.

And if there were something you could bring from Albania (or somewhere else) to Luxembourg, what would it b--

The sun. [She laughs.]

All right, valid answer. And finally… Luxembourgish food?

Yes, I’ve had the chance to try some. I’ve tried many cuisines, also from different countries--that’s also a positive thing.

But that--I can’t pronounce it right--you know the potato thing?

Gromperekichelchen.

Yes! That’s good. But, as I said, I’ve had the chance to try many different cuisines, things that you don’t find in Albania. Which is good, because that was one aspect that I was worried about. Like, would I be able to adapt to the food here compared to in Albania? But yes. Definitely, yes.