The story of American Cheryl Orlov: I left Los Angeles for Albania
2025-08-11 18:15:19
TiranaPost
"I left Los Angeles after my business closed and moved to Albania. Here, I pay less than $500 in rent a month, and I've never been happier," says American Cheryl Orlov, 55, who tells her story and her acquaintance with Albania, which she discovered through a travel podcast, writes the businessinsider.com website.
"I lived in the Los Angeles area for 23 years, where my home was two miles from Redondo Beach. I owned a furniture company for 32 years, built it from scratch, and worked hard to create a comfortable lifestyle," she says.
"I had a diverse life in Los Angeles. I built a wonderful community of friends and was very active, especially in endurance sports. I love to travel and experience different cultures, and I've always said that the city is a great place to live if you can't see the world," she adds.
“I traveled abroad once or twice a year, and for a while, I was content. But in 2016, I went to Africa for a charity trip. I visited Uganda, Morocco, and South Africa, and during my visit, something changed in me: I was ready to move abroad; I just had to find a way. A few things held me back. I owned several properties and had a full-time business. But as the years went by, I started selling my properties. I downsized my house and even started closing my business, all for the dream of leaving the United States,” Orlov recounts.
How did I discover Albania?
In April 2022, I was listening to a podcast about expats and a blogger I was interviewing recommended that I visit Albania. I have visited all seven continents and nearly 50 countries, and Albania wasn't even on my plans at the time.
I started doing a lot of research. I watched videos on YouTube and even interviewed solo female travelers about their experiences in Albania. And in September 2022, my friend and I took a scouting trip here.
During my trip here, I hired a driver who took us from one city to another. We ended up in Tirana, the capital of Albania. At first, I didn't want to live there based on what I had read online, but once I visited, I immediately felt like it was my place.
The culture and history of Albania are so rich… incredible. Historically, it was heavily influenced by the Ottoman Empire. The country was liberated from communism in the 1990s and is still developing.
Albania is very similar to California in terms of topography. Although it is a small country, it features the Alps and coastlines along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
I love the people of Albania; their hospitality is unparalleled. They make you feel at home, like family.
I feel safe and comfortable where I live. After my exploratory trip, I returned to the United States and began planning my move. I sold almost everything I owned and proceeded to close my business.
I didn't need a visa to visit Albania because Americans can stay up to a year without a visa. After that, if we leave the country for 90 days, the one-year period resets upon our return.
I found an apartment in Tirana, the capital, through word of mouth in a Facebook group. An American had spoken very highly of the owner, who had lived in America for six years.
I would be moving to an unfamiliar place for the rest of my life, so it was important to be in a comfortable and safe area, in a building where people spoke English and where I liked the owner.
In September 2023, I moved to Tirana. I live in the city, but in a quiet neighborhood where many Albanians live: immigrants tend to live closer to the center.
The building I live in is a five-unit villa, with each floor containing an apartment. I live on the ground floor and have an apartment with two bedrooms and one bathroom. I have a good relationship with my landlord and I wouldn't say it's the norm here, but I pay 400 euros ($466) a month.
Other bills are also quite affordable. I usually spend 20 to 30 euros a week on food at the local market, and going out for dinner usually costs between 15 and 20 euros ($17-23). Buses cost around $0.50, and taxis usually cost around 5 euros.
Learning Albanian is hard, but one of the biggest challenges of living here is the frequency with which immigrants come and go. I've noticed that people usually stay for a year or two, then leave.
Uncertainty is hard for me: it's hard to keep saying goodbye. When I was in California, I didn't have to worry about it as much. So it's something I've had to adjust to.
I don't know if Albania will be my country forever, but I'm still very happy here. You don't understand how stressed I was in America until I moved to Tirana.
From Albania, I can easily fly anywhere in Europe, Africa or Asia… I am currently in Malaysia. I have experienced so many different cultures, and while it is not for everyone, I feel like I am one of them.
I occasionally go back to the US to visit friends and family. My relationships are very important to me – but I don't think I'll ever go back full-time.
"I definitely wish I had left the US earlier, but I believe that everything happens for a reason. I wouldn't do anything differently. I believe that it's never too late to start traveling or moving to a new place," she says.
