The small village of Nderlysaj lies a short way down the valley from Theth. The house sits alongside the river that carves its way through the valley. A short walk away from the village is the blue eye, a popular swimming hole and cafe hidden among the trees. In the warmer months, hikers flock to the area where they can rest after long days of travel. Guest houses dot the entire valley, opening their doors to all the weary travelers and eager sightseers.

One of these guest houses is run by Prena and her family. The red house sticks out among the broad expanse of crop fields. The withered remains of harvested corn cover the ground. In another field, sheep run wildly, looking for something to eat.

Prena still has the xhubleta that she wore as a young woman, but the dress is no longer an important part of her life. She does not know much about her xhubleta. In her younger years, Prena inherited the dress from her mother.

The first time she wore the dress was when she got married. After the ceremony, she continued to wear the xhubleta for 12 months on special occasions. Sadly, Prena’s husband passed away when she was only 27 years old. Once he passed, Prena did not feel the need to wear the dress anymore. Instead, she stored the dress away in a duffle bag within her home.

Prena’s daughter did not continue the tradition of wearing a xhubleta on her wedding day. She wore a white dress, more common in current times. While Prena no longer saw it necessary to wear the xhubleta herself, she would like to see it continue to be worn for weddings.