If you live in Albania or are Albanian by blood, you might be familiar with the name Adrian Krasta. If you aren’t, maybe you should open the TV a little more often. You see, this man is very well known journalist in Tirana, who ironically enough graduated as an engineer. He hasn’t given up on television ever since 1987 and has hosted countless shows. The most famous and important show he hosted was “Ethet e se Premtes Mbrema”, which he created and produced along with his close friend Pali Kuka. It was kind of like a bootleg X-Factor, but it got pretty popular back in 2004. Apart from his professional life, Krasta created his own little family. His wife is named Brikena Krasta, his eldest son is named Franc Krasta, and his youngest daughter is me, Lea Krasta.

People seem to be having a very difficult time grasping my name. Lea. At times, when they ask for my name, I refuse to reveal my surname, just so they can pin my three letter name to their slightly dysfunctional brain. Of course, it never works.

“No, but like, what’s your full name?” people ask.

“Uh, it’s Lea Krasta.”

“Oh! I know that surname! You’re Adi Krasta’s daughter, right? How is he? Is he working on a new show? Can I get a picture with him? Can he follow me back on Twitter??”

Evidently, I can never answer these questions correctly. Being my father’s personal assistant was never my life’s goal anyway. Most times my indifference and annoyance at people’s perspective of my father’s fame is mistaken as a sign of jealousy, which I scoff at everytime. Truth is, I’m not bothered by my father’s fame. I’m very satisfied with it actually. I like hearing people talk well about him, and I enjoy the immense amount of respect he receives. What I don’t enjoy being, however, is his messenger. Yes Karen, I’m very happy at the fact that you miss my father. Call him, maybe? No Karen, I don’t know what show he’s working on, I’m not the producer nor the co-hostess.

The way I see it, the point of having a father is being the daughter. Groundbreaking, right? Hear me out, it sounds less stupid when explained. The point of being the daughter is feeling like one. Luckily, my father is very caring and tender, so I don’t have daddy issues, that’s not what I’m trying to get across. However, I don’t appreciate it when people are only interested in my existence because I live in the same house as Adi Krasta, just like I don’t appreciate the fact that people only care about my existence because they hope I’ll become like him. As if it’s not enough that I look, think and act like him. Often people are disappointed that I am more cynical and less willing to interview intellectual minds in front of a camera. Facing constant comparison with my father from strangers that don’t know the first thing about me is frustrating, as well as it is demotivating. It makes me feel like a rival, or like a robot specifically made to take my father’s seat.

A couple of years ago my best friend claimed, “I can’t believe I’m friends with Adi Krasta’s daughter.” Although she meant well, the thought that this factor was my only significance hurt. It hurt to the point where I would remember her saying it for the rest of my life. I’m not known as “Lea Krasta” most of the time, I’m known as “Adi Krasta’s daughter.”  So in conclusion, I don’t have any issues with how well known my father is. I’ve had issues on his fame’s impact on me. There haven’t really been any advantages of having a celebrity dad in my life. Being in a constant comparison and being constantly judged for not chasing his journey in life is quite the burden. It’s emotionally draining sometimes, and if maybe people attempted to say my name as it is, and identify me as an individual, I’d do greater things.