Born in Albania, Bred an Ohio Boy

From the Balkans to Sunbury, Ohio. One of the author's childhood homes in Ohio. (Photo via Jonny Gartner) Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. Whenever people ask where I’m from, my hesitation is long enough to make things awkward. I was born in a small town in southern Central Albania called Lushnjë. My twin sister and I spent a year and a half in an orphanage in the capital of Tirana before we were adopted and rather unceremoniously transplanted to Cincinnati, on the banks of the Ohio River. Jonny Gartner is a public policy professional from the great state of Ohio. More Where I'm From