SOMETIMES THERE IS NO NEED FOR MANY WORDS TO DESCRIBE FRIENDSHIP: STORIES FROM ALBANIA

 V. is angry and she keeps everyone away. Subsequently, she calms down. Hence, she allows Brunilda to approach by explaining "I see my relatives from time to time. They bring me many things. However, I do not want their things, I want them". The patients of the Elbasan Psychiatric Hospital barely speak, but they can explain themselves through the joy of the small attention they receive and their friends’ fond memories.

Sadik Dinci Hospital gathers the sick, ex-convicts, drug addicts, prostitutes, and the disabled. For instance, as an adult, L. had nowhere else to go especially after spending so many years in an orphanage in Shkodra.

The Community of Sant'Egidio is eagerly awaited: after the summer of solidarity, the three hundred inmates are waiting for the Christmas party, lunch, and visits.
Before lunch and the party, these people spent one hour just to make themselves look pretty: the ladies trimmed their hair and put on nail polish, whereas the men relaxed by letting themselves be smeared with aftershave lotion. About fifteen people from different Communities -from Rome, Naples, Novara, and Livorno in addition to the 20 young people from Genoa- celebrated the New Year in Albania by visiting hundreds of friends: psychiatric patients from Elbasan, friends that are being hosted by the family home in Tirana, inmates that are from Shenkoll Prison, and children and families who are from the district of Lezhe and Mirdita, which are both situated in the North part of the country.

The goal was twofold: first, it is to bring greetings and closeness to people who are perceived to be excluded; second, it is to make the sick to "go out".

One of the most beautiful excursions was the cable car ride to Mount Dajti, which overlooks Tirana: once these individuals got off, - some of the friends had never seen snow - a real snowball fight began. In the end, everyone built a puppet: sometimes, there is no need for many words to describe friendship.