On July 5, 2o16, I had the wonderful opportunity to follow a family as they celebrated Bajram, which marks the end of Ramadan. Fatlinda and Mirlinda Rrustemaj welcomed me as part of their family to experience the culture of Kosovo as well as the traditional celebrations.
The day started with food prepared by the women of the household. A large pan of rice and meat sat at the table surrounded by salad, bread and cheese. Shortly after starting this feast, it was time for desserts. It was quickly explained to me that desserts and sweets were a large part of the culture. We moved into the living room where Mirlinda brought a tray of baklava and water.
The day continued with a trip to the village where the family used to live; Peje, Kosovo. About a one and half hour drive from Prishtina, the small village was still home to many of their extended family. Once again, I was greeted with open arms and more food. I was given more baklava and cake as we sat with their family and I pretended to have an inkling of what was taking place during the Albanian conversations. I watched as the children play-fought with each other with a seemingly endless amount of energy.
The day continued with a very steep drive up a mountainside to see where the girls’ grandparents lived and where they had spent some time in the summer. After what I had referred to as a drive similar to a roller coaster, we reached 2,000 meters when we arrived.
It was an incredible opportunity to have learned about this holiday from a family that was so willing to let me be a part of it. I saw how family is such a large part of this day and how welcoming the family was to everyone. And not to mention all the wonderful food that left me full until the next day!