Author: Daniel Vasta

It’s two weeks after I left Kosovo, and here are my honest impressions of the time I spent there.

You are a beautifully strong, intelligent, and honest young nation. I’ve seen a mindset, a place of heart, in you all that demands change of your county. I’ve seen you take the initiative, and bit by bit, step forward in the direction you want to see the country move, for the better. You guys really do have a lot to offer. It makes me sad that sometimes you might not realize the power you have, and the difference, maybe small, but all together big, you are making for your country.

As my last week in Kosovo rolled up, I began receiving the question: “Are you excited to go home?”. The only thing that I could think to say was; “Why would I be excited?”. I was not excited to leave people who have really had an impact on me, whether if you realize this or not. Everyone I met, from all the Balkan region, have had in impact on me in their own way.

I am really humbled to have met people, around my age, who have more history in their few years than I could imagine. People who, as just kids, had to rebuild their homes time after time, after they had been set fire. People who have had to stand with their village, lined up at risk of being executed with their whole family. I am amazed by the strength it takes to grow up after all that. The only dead bodies I have seen were of those who were old, and ready to go. It was not the same for you. And things like that don’t have many words to describe the depths and expanses that form in the soul of such a person.

I’ve had more hospitality and help in Kosovo than I have had anywhere else. If I needed to get something done, but didn’t have the means to do it, you would pull the strings and make it happen. I’ve learned the raw power of an optimistic phone call to a few friends in order to reach a goal. It seemed intrinsic for you to extend a hand (At least, speaking as an American) to help in any way possible. Complete strangers had gone out of their way to help me reach my goals.

Thank you all for what you have offered me in friendship, and hospitality. As I got close to the end of my time in Kosovo I thought about how I hated that there is that possibility I might not see some of you ever again. I hate that, and really don’t want that to be.

So, if any of you ever find yourselves on the East Coast in the States, let me know!

 

Miss you guys. Hope to see you all again sometime soon.

Daniel

I’m sitting here trying to get myself to finally cut this audio and start to stitch it together. But the later it gets, and the closer I get to the next day, the more my nerves tighten.

Weeks ago, I found this article that briefly touched on the lives of a number of families who were living in an abandoned prison in Istog, Kosovo. The old Dubrava Prison. This struck me, and seemed to be the sort of social issues story I’d really want to work on. I had one goal this whole trip, and it was to make this story come to fruition. Weeks went by where I hadn’t thought I was making any progress, and there were times were it looked like things were falling through. I was fairly ready to give it up, and move on to plan B. However, there were lingering questions that I had to have answered before I gave it up. So I kept going on with it.

Now here I am a day after I had been there, and I have seen the families living there. And I will be very honest: I don’t know why I thought this story would be easy, and I don’t mean easy getting there, making contacts, and all the normal journalistic work. Rather, I mean, why did I not expect that I might see something there that would really strike me with fear, and a form of sorrow?

I spoke with my mom tonight, and I tried to hold what I saw back. I didn’t want her to be scared for me, (She wasn’t. She trusts God too much to worry), but I knew I needed to talk it out so that I could be ready to go back. She asked me; “What is your motive in going there?”. I have to be frank; I’ve been asking myself that same question. I would never want to be so shallow as to enter these people’s lives, and record their poverty just so I could have a good story for my portfolio. If that is my motive, then sorry Meredith, I don’t think I am going to finish this. But I know that’s not the reason.

I’m still searching for my purpose in this project. I won’t pretend to know exactly what got me here, but I’m here, and I’m going to do the work. Hopefully I will find the reason why I came. I just feel like I have nothing to offer these people. Sure, I can bring them some fruit, and maybe print them some family photos, but they’ll eat once, and be hungry again. They might have a photo to cherish for a moment, but who’s to say the elements won’t seep through the ceiling, walls, come up through the floor, and destroy the images.

The image below is what really has stricken me. And I don’t really have much to say about it. At this point, I’m just as confused, disgusted, and sorry as you might be.

So, I’m here preparing to go back. Spend two full days with the family. I asked my mom to pray. She will be sending some bible verses in the morning.

   Albania was a great place for us to explore. It was so fresh and new and full of new experiences for me. I just remember driving through the mountains the first day and being amazed by them. I’d never really been somewhere with that sort of terrain. It was all so beautiful. The trip was designed as a “cultural experience” and I believe it was definitely successful in doing so. I feel like I got to know the Albanian people well through our travels.

   The event that I feel taught me the most about the Albanian people was at the soccer game in Tirana, the capital, where Albania was playing Romania in the Eurocup. What I learned that night was how passionate the Albanian people are, and how much they feel for their country. It was really quite amazing to see the celebrations as Albania took the lead in the game, and ultimately win. I expected rioting like you’d see in many other cities during these sorts of games, but instead I saw ecstatic dance and song that lasted late into the night.

   They drove around the city in processions of celebration till after midnight; that’s some real national pride, and I was honestly pretty moved and inspired by it. People waved the Albanian flag high from early that day onward. I had never seen so much red in my life. Albanians are a beautiful people, energetic, passionate, and endearing. It was an honor to get the chance to see that country, and root for their team alongside them.

 

 

Don’t always listen to what people tell you.

I don’t mean that in a rebellious way, but in a way that you retain your liberty, focus, and goals. There are plenty of times where someone will say your ideas, goals, or whatever you are trying to do is impossible, thus discouraging you from doing it. I don’t believe that anyone intends to cut us down, rather, they might just be rationalizing based off what they know. This is something that sort of just popped into my head as I was getting ready to write for the journal, and was also thinking about my day.

Yesterday someone told me that I might as well just save my time, and not bother looking into a story idea. Today, someone told me that it would be too difficult to get access to someone, and said I’d just have to wait for a response (I’m a journalist, we don’t wait). If I had taken that advice to heart, I would not have taken the steps forward I needed to keep working toward my goal with this story. At times people may say you will fail, and then you do. I’ve been told plenty that it’s ok to fail, but you have to fail trying your best, and pursuing every avenue, not just giving up because someone above you says you can’t do it.

This is more of a problem for me than it might be for other folks. I listen to what everyone has to say too much, and when I have too much conflicting advice, then I go a little haywire. So, I’m essentially writing this as a note to self: Obviously take credible advice, learn from what others know, but don’t stop pursuing your goals (big and small) until you know for sure, tested by you, that it would be better not to continue. Until then, keep on workin’.

I am hugely looking forward to the trip as it quickly approaches. I am a little nervous, but that’s to be expected when I know I will be doing something totally new, do a lot of on the fly problem solving, and adjusting to a new place and people. Research about Kosovo and the surrounding areas has done a lot to bring clarity to understanding about the young country.

I imagine a very young population with a ton of potential, that has only just scratched the surface of reaching fruition. I feel as that the people of Kosovo have all this movement, ambition, and energy, but do not always have an appropriate outlet for their progressive qualities. With over 50% of the population under 30, and extremely high unemployment rates, I’d imagine that the people have this sort of youthful energy, but do not have all the opportunities to fully utilize it. I feel that the people of Kosovo are desperately trying to push forward as a country, but are held back by the past, and current limitation in many different ways.

I also imagine that for those who find the correct outlet for their creativity, and talents, that they do what they do really well, and have a big impact on the culture in Kosovo. Those such as
Alketa Xhafa-Mripa, who uses her art to bring attention to war crimes, and the entrepreneurs who pursue their passions in brewing beer regardless of conservative religious traditions, and even the A.U.K for pushing quality education to prepare Kosovars for a national and international presence in the world. I think Kosovo has a lot to offer, and a lot of great qualities to build upon.

A fear I have for Kosovo, not one that I feel threatened by personally, is that I’m afraid the poverty in Kosovo will push the young people to except invitations to destructive organizations as an outlet for their “energy”, for lack of a better word. I hope that young Kosovars do not give in to radicalization as an alternative to the poverty and bleak future prospects that many people may be faced with there. I know it has been a little exaggerated(NYT), and the reasons for this “phenomenon” are extremely complex, but to me, for any amount of Kosovars to make such a destructive choice is a tragedy.

Last thought: I have discovered I really like the research stage of big projects like this. I’ve had a great time researching Kosovo and looking for different story ideas, and I really look forward to putting all the reading to practice in a few days!

(Photo of my usual work station, doing research at my favorite coffee shop back home –Which reminds me: I am extremely excited to explore all the coffee shops and cafés in Prishtina!)

-Daniel