Budtender of the Month: Julian Hyseni

This summer, when he’s not budtending at Ocean Greens, you’ll find Albanian native Julian Hyseni basking in the fresh mountain air of the Pacific Northwest while hiking. He is into the local Seattle funk and alternative rock music scenes and loves hanging out with family and friends. Follow him on Instagram, @Julian_OG1.

What is the Cannabis culture like in your home country?
That’s a tough one because Albania was a communist country until the fall of the Soviet Union, so it was one of the most isolated countries in the ’90s. The stigma is still very real with our parents, but I remember my grandmother giving us Cannabis tea to help children sleep. But in the last two or three decades, the youth that are now grown up understand it better. It’s changing from communist propaganda and becoming more accepted.

Are you the only Albanian budtender in Washington State?
No, there are a few others. In fact, we’ve had several here at Ocean Greens.

How important is budtending to you?
I have pride in what I do. I’m not just interested in selling the plant because I have people who come in for all kinds of ailments like stress, anxiety and insomnia. It’s not just about the recreational world; I want to have an impact in the medical realm as well.

What is your end goal? Do you have something burning inside of you?
What I like about this plant is it slows life down, allows you to embrace the moment. Whether you’re sitting down with friends or your brother, you just light a joint and feel social. Cannabis makes the world less frenetic.

Where is the ultimate place in the world for you?
If we’re talking about where to be in the summer, it is definitely the Pacific Northwest. I’ve traveled all over the world — Europe, Asia, Latin America. I lived in Italy for 10 years before I moved here in 2009. This place is the best.