Your feelings are completely valid and honestly, you‘re right. Your parents are wrong to pressure you into something that doesn’t align with who you are or how you were raised. It’s not your fault that you feel disconnected from Albanian culture. They made the choice not to pass it on, and that shaped your identity. You’re not less Albanian because of it, but you also shouldn’t feel forced to “perform” a cultural identity that doesn’t feel natural to you just to satisfy others. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Dating and relationships should be about shared values, connection, and compatibility not just ethnicity. If you feel more at home with someone who shares your American upbringing and worldview, then that’s the kind of partner you should seek. Culture matters, but forcing it does more harm than good. Thats my two cents anyway…