Good Morning, Hope: A True Story of Refugee Twin Sisters and Their Triumph over War, Poverty, and Heartbreak

The inspiring true story of the Zalli family, forced by war to flee their beloved homeland.

In 1997, Albania experienced a financial crisis far worse than the global financial crisis that would come a decade later. The new free market economy toppled, and pandemonium broke out in the streets. Tons of munitions were looted from Soviet-era armories, and every male age twelve and older was forced to carry a gun to survive.

It took over two years for twin sisters Argita and Detina Zalli and their parents to escape the madness. When they finally made it to England, smuggled out by truck, the thirteen-year-old twins believed life would be much better, but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

Now refugees, the girls were mercilessly bullied by their peers and constantly afraid they would be sent back to Albania and their parents would be sent to jail. To make matters worse, their father could not find work.

But not only did the twins survive, they thrived. Their sense of humor, coupled with their inherent genius, charm, and near-psychic ability to work together, helped them overcome their many challenges. Together, they outsmarted the bullies and went on to become highly accomplished PhD research scientists and lecturers.

In Good Morning, Hope, Argita and Detina share their remarkable, action-packed journey, as well as their unique bond as twins, which nurtured and sustained them throughout their perilous ordeal.