Student Newsletter #1 by American School of Kosova

ASK Observer My dearest students, In the celebration of the release of the first ASK Observer, I want to express my appreciation for your dedication, enthusiasm and hard work. You deserve to be proud of your achievement. I am constantly amazed with your ideas and articles. May your future efforts be equally successful and rewarding! Your teacher, Ms. Nora ASK Observer ASK Staff Editors: Ms. Shannon Bruce Ramaka Ms. Nora Nimani Musa Student Editors: Arta Ahmeti Belen McKechnie Bert Hasani Donika Raifi Drin Krasniqi Enduena Klajiqi Fjolla Fejza Writers: Alba Ajdareviq Alba Llugiqi Aliz Mustafa Andrea Baboi Edi Smajli Lea Meraku Nailda Mellani Vlera Pacarada

Cover by: Donika Raifi Back Cover by: Patrick McKechnie Charle

Congratulation from Ms. Shannon and the poem Ms. Shannon Bruce Ramaka Head of School Congratulations! I am so proud that you have completed your first ASK school newspaper. I have read most of the articles in their rough draft form and final version and appreciate the time and thought you have given this work. There is a variety that I think everyone will enjoy. I am even including one of my poems because you inspired me so much! As you know we have just completed a very busy month of October with the following activities: The Kosovo Learning Summit, an external visit from AdvancED Accreditation, Red Ribbon Week, and the first ASK Halloween Carnival coordinated by parents, students, and faculty. The school has also been humming with energy from the clubs that have become so active in such a short period of time… And now your Newspaper! Wow! I am happy that as you explore the powerful use of your written voice, you are also considering the importance of perspective and learning to investigate issues more deeply, rather than just accepting what your friend says to be the “truth”. I believe that reading is the most important activity we can do as members of a “free” society and that learning to write effectively is essential to being an educated person. One of my favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt explains that reading is even essential to democracy, “We know that without libraries, without education, which is based largely on libraries, we cannot have an educated people who will carry on successfully our form of government”. As you read and become more informed, I also hope that you seek out ways to become more involved in our community by lending your attention, skills and talents. Together, I know we can make a great school.

Gjakova By Shannon Bruce Ramaka A Saturday morning view Only occasionally Caught in romantic glimpses Like you Askance I wonder and seek You To know your sad history And tragic loss To walk your streets Hold your hand And understand Your heart Your mind

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The First Kosovo Learning Summit organized by the American School of Kosova ASK Observer

October will be remembered as very significant for the American School of Kosova. For the first time in Kosova’s history we there was organized a Learning Summit for Teachers at ASK and 150 teachers from public schools. Thirteen International teachers and presenters volunteered their time and expertise to “kick-off” t his first conference. They came from the Emirites, Morocco, Turkey, and the U.S. All of them were friends and former colleagues of Ms. Ramaka’s. There were also many other important activities at ASK during October, such as: an external visit from AdvancED Accreditation, Red Ribbon Week, and the first ASK Halloween Carnival coordinated by our parent group headed by Ms. Myra and Ms. Fotini, with the help of our students, and faculty. The Kosovo Learning Summit was a three days event organized by the ASK and supported by the Prishtina Educational Directorate. Shannon Ramaka, the Head of School, the organizer of the summit, remarks that it was inspirational in so many ways and it supported educators at many different stages of their development and areas of interest. “I’m so happy that our ASK teachers were able to experience this and I’m looking forward to how we will keep discussing all year topics we were introduced to over these three days,” says Ramaka . Teacher professional development is one of the main pillars of a good education system; thus bringing international teachers to share their experiences was appreciated among the participants. ]The Summit was also welcomed by our local partner, Director of the Prishtina Educational Directorate, Arberie Nagavci who also cherished the opportunity offered to the teachers. “During these three days, the teachers would have the opportunity to learn from experts’ experiences and use these new ideas in their classrooms, “ said Nagavci in her opening remarks. Some of the topics presented in the summit were: Integrated Technology in High School, Creative Writing and Storytelling, Secrets of Teaching Re-

search writing, Keys to Designing and Implementing Engaging Curriculum, Designing Authentic Assessments to Evaluate Student Understanding and Skills, etc. Meghan Lukens, an international teacher at ASK, was extremely grateful to have the opportunity to learn and grow as a teacher in the summit. “The Kosovo Learning Summit was an awesome and eye-opening experience. It promoted the idea that teachers are lifelong learners and inspired me to look at more innovative and original ways to create an engaging classroom environment,” Lukens says. On the other hand, Valdrina Nekoviq, a public school teacher also values the opportunity as it had a very important role on her professional development. “There are many benefits from attending this summit such as the application of practical and inclusive activities, the creation of communication between students in the classroom and other different strategies of teaching and learning,” says Nekoviq. Some of the presenters in the summit were: JT Rehill, Dr. David Reese, Aimee Meditz, Dr. Jeannette Vos, Garland Green, Petrit Tahiri, Melinda Mula, Hana Zylfiu –Haziri, Rebecca Dahl, Dr. Steven Hudson, Arlene Clark, Nancy Jo Marcet, Susan Enders, Dardane Nuka, Meghan Lukens, Stefanie Hutchins, Lauren Mather, Rhett Morrell, Yesim Kuzanili, etc. This project was organized to foster and support professional development among teachers, inspire them to implement new curriculum and the most effective methods of teaching. “I believe that education is the secret to peace in the world, and it is the time for diversity of people to come together and think profoundly, share their experiences and support each other on this lifelong journey of encouraging our children,” said Ramaka in her closing remarks.

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An Hour Twenty, Forty Too Many – An Hour Twenty, Forty Too Many Bert Hasani As students, our minds tend to wander during class time. Whether it be just for a few moments or for minutes on end, it happens to the best of us. So then, how does ASK’s new 80 minute schedule fit into this? Well, many students are displeased with the change. Some already finding it hard to concentrate for 45 minutes on end might find adding another 35 a bit excessive. Although student opinion is one thing, does scientific evidence support or oppose this new schedule? Well, first off, there’s a popular theory that students can only concentrate for 10-15 minutes at a time which is simply untrue. Some studies also claim block schedules reduce stress and allow for more management. Because of there being no trustworthy answer, researchers revisited the issue in 2010. Each student in a chemistry classroom was given a clicker. They’d press one button if they lost their attention for one minute or less, another for two to three minutes, and the last for 5 minutes or more. The results were all sent to a computer that mapped out the time the students lost attention and its frequency. What researchers found with this is that short lapses of inattention were the most common among the students and the biggest spikes in inattention were: during the beginning of the lesson when students were still settling in, seven to nine minutes in, nine to ten minutes in, and the next near the end of the lesson. Another thing researchers found is that students’ attention increased the most during demonstrations and questions, so the more teachers get the class involved the more they’ll listen.

There is also much evidence that a human’s concentration will decrease drastically around the 45 minute mark unless a 15 minute break is taken, so the previous schedule suited this psychological drop off much better. A quick search will also reveal that most American high schools employ ASK’s old schedule. Classes longer than 45 minutes are much more common in college. So, for the students’ best interest, the old schedule could be reinstated, or, classes could become better suited to the new one (e.g. 15 minute breaks at the 45 minute mark, more demonstrations, etc).

Trip to KTV station ASK Journalism class visit KTV station In october, a group of students from american school of kosova visited the kohavision news station in order to get more information regarding the process of making and broadcasting news. Nailda Mellani, Drin Krasniqi and Fjolla Fejza Have you ever wondered how life inside the television station would look like? How hard people have to work so they can present us all the news that we sometimes ignore? Well the journalism class of ASK had the chance to go and visit one of the biggest private television station in Kosovo, and take a look at how our futures might look like tomorrow.The station was located near the school. On our way there, Miss Nora, our teacher, told us: ‘Make sure not to embarrass me‘. When we got there we were greeted by the receptionist who then introduced us to Leka Rezniqi, one of the most famous producers in Kosova who works for Koha Vision TV. We were very surprised by his hospitality. The first location that we saw was the room where the montages occur. It was a very small room with only a chair and a computer next to it. Leka explained that this was where every video was made ready to broadcast. Then we went into the main room where the news anchor, Florije Konjuhi-Arifi, was getting ready to air the morning news. The room that looks huge on television was actually very small in person, which came as a surprise for every one of us. In front of her desk was a small computer where she would read the news and look at the camera at the same time without the viewers’ knowledge. Figure 1: Journalism Students with Leke Rezniqi, producer and Florije Konjuhi-Arifi, news anchor

Behind that studio was a larger room with many

ASK Observer computers in it. ‘This is where everything happens, we meet every morning and discuss which stories are newsworthy’ said Leka. Then we went to the smallest room in the building which they called ‘The Voice Room’ that is commonly known as a sound proof booth that isolates all sounds so that the reader’s voice is perfect and doesn’t have any obstacles.After that we went to the Media Room. There were three people working there and they had about 20 screens in front of them. Their job was to deal with the technical aspects of news. Next to that room was another studio where one of the shows, EXPRESS is hosted. Finally, we went into the largest room of the building, where the most famous shows are held, Interaktiv and Rubikon. Here is where we witnessed firsthand how the morning program transitioned into the news anchor. Figure 2: Students in the studio where Interaktiv show is hosted

us to leave, along with the great memories that will forever live in our minds. We had a great time visiting the KTV station; we got to ask many questions to the journalists directly, so we learned about how news is anchored and how difficult it was to produce your own show. There is another interesting fact worth mentioning, the fact that an Indian TV show who has had the ability to take the viewer’s rate to another level. ”Even though everyone seems to claim that they don’t like it they still call in and complain for the same episode being transmitted twice” added Leka. We ended our visit by taking selfies all over the place and thanking the staff on their warm welcome along with the great experience that they had shared with us that day.

Open house at ASK On October 4, 2016, as every year, the American School of Kosova has organized the Open House inviting all parents along with their children to come to school and get introduced to the teachers, curriculum and everything that their child will be doing this year. Parents finally get to meet student’s second family. Fjolla Fejza

The faces of the students were filled with laughter and joy from what they had just experienced, when the director of Kino ABC entered the door, Miradije Vllahiu, had just walked in and introduced herself to our class in the most warming way ever, and she even invited us to visit her Cinema. Figure 3: Students with Miradije Vllahiu, director of ABC Cinema

As every beginning has an ending, it was time for

Sounds of laughter were coming from the amphitheater. The seats were all filled and everyone’s attention was on Ms. Shannon Ramaka, the principal of ASK. The crowd was mixed with all kinds of people from the little kids to high intellectual elders. There was nothing but excitement in everyone’s eyes as the staff introduced themselves. It’s them, the ones who will educate the leaders of tomorrow. Them who will show you how your kid’s day at school looks like. If you’re still confused on where exactly you are… Welcome to the Open House of Ask 2016. The night starts off by everyone meeting in the lobby chatting and interacting with one another and then the crowd moves in the auditorium where the principal hosts an amazing evening by informing everyone what’s new and what their next move is. As soon as they step outside they enter the world of being a student. They get their schedule and have to go to every class that their child attends, where every teacher will be waiting to introduce their class. The same rules apply to the parents, too. Five minute breaks in between classes, no skipping, no wondering around the hallways, no trips to lockers, etc.

ASK Observer “It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know the parents”- added Miss Cassie, also known as the drama teacher. She was glad that this was happening and felt like it was the perfect timing since teachers had enough time to get to know their students before meeting the parents. The halls were mostly quiet as the classes were being held, you could only see students presenting the new uniform or student volunteers who worked as translators that evening. Erdi Rexha, being one of them, told the ASK newspaper that “Open House is definitely something that should be done in every school”- he said. Along with the good comments there were also a few critiques. ”It seems late… it would be better if open house gets held in the first two weeks of school” – said Nancy Marcet. While on the other hand a parent, Ayseli Payasali, told us that she enjoyed every moment of it and congratulates the school for the amazing work they have done. The final bell rings and the halls get filled with grownups running down the stairs. They had just finished their schedule and were getting ready to leave. As they walked past the doors they made sure to compliment the school and wish them a wonderful school year. The doors close and ASK gets ready to welcome their students tomorrow.

ASK’s First Intersectional Feminist Club Belen McKechnie Charle Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.

When history and psychology teacher Ms.Meghan said that she was thinking about creating an after school feminist club for students I was extremely excited. I’d never been to a school with one and it was just something my friends and I would talk about in our free time because every time we’d mention it at school we would get the typical “oh my God you man hating lunatics”. At first I wasn’t too sure how many people would turn up and what it would be like, much to my surprise the first meeting was incredibly fun. We meet every Thursday at 3:15 afterschool in Ms.Meghan’s classroom to talk about issues that concern both boys and girls, things that we find interesting or that we may be confused about. Our discussions include a series of topics ranging from sexism, racism and even the way history has been manipulated by those in power in order to make us feel a certain way about different events. I seriously urge anyone who is interested in gender equality to attend a meeting just to see what we do and talk about. You don’t

need to identify as a feminist and there’s no commitment to the club. If you don’t like it you can just leave! I hope we can get more people interested in working towards a more equal society that includes everyone.

Casual Friday A day filled with colors. A day without the uniform. Fjolla Fejza Clothes are a big deal in our life, especially if you are a teenager. They represent us without any words or gestures. You can understand what people’s mood, profession, taste, or what class they belong to just by looking at their clothes. These pieces of material who happen to be a big part of our life are the things that give others an idea who we might be. Now, no matter how much you might like them, if you wear the same ones five days a week for nine months a year… you will hate it. If you are a student then you know what this article is about. Most of the schools in Kosovo have uniforms. Of course a uniform has its advantages and disadvantages. However, if you stop and analyze it, it is made for a better cause. With it students don’t need to think about what to wear tomorrow at school, and instead of creating outfits on their head, it is better to waste that time learning. Students who don’t belong to middle class and don’t have enough clothes to change every day don’t have to worry fitting in with others… and the most used one… Students will look professional and the effects will all be positive on their work. All of these reasons behind a uniform direct you to one answer. A uniform is made to make everyone the look the same.No differences between anyone, nothing but all looking sharp and ready to go, nothing but the same. Doesn’t that seem wrong? Isn’t it weird that every single citizen of this world is created different… and yet as soon as we step on the school hallways we become have someone we’re not? Isn’t it ironic that schools are supposed to teach students to be themselves and yet they try to turn them all into one? At least that’s what uniforms represent nowadays. As mentioned before a uniform has its benefits… but isn’t it too much? Can’t students and the school find a middle somewhere where everyone would be happy? Well ASK had found it.

ASK Observer Students at ASK for a long time had a day off from the uniform every week, a day for them to be themselves, a day without itching skin from t shirts or uncomfortable pants, a day dedicated to nothing their but own creativity. The magical day was so called Casual Friday. American School of Kosovo was one of the first schools who had it, one of the first schools who had found the middle between students’ happiness and the school. But they took it away. They still have every first Monday of the month as “jeans day” but no one from the students seems to like it. They tend to get confused on which is the first Monday or they end up totally forgetting and show up to school with the uniform. They have had enough protests and improved behavior and always for the past three years they took the privilege back by proving that they deserve it.

ASK School Administration Staff – Student Affair Ms. Shpresa Hana, one of the first members of the ASK staff, expresses benefits and difficulties of her work. Nailda Mellani and Edi Smajli

Casual Friday really was a mood lifter for students and in a way gave them motivation on coming to school that day. “Casual Friday is a great way of expressing individuality at least once a week. It is honestly interesting to see people look different, creative and colorful for a day. Besides that having a casual Friday an opportunity to wear whatever we want (as long as it’s appropriate) would be really comfortable and confidence boosting for a lot of students”-said Hekuran Muja a former president of ASK. To make this article we went around and asked students what they think and is it really necessary to take this magical day out of the student’s life?

Ms. Shpresa Hana, is the Student Affairs Officer, one of the first co-workers of ASK, since May of 2003; when the school was opened. Since she deals with student registration, monitoring student files, keeping track of grades on “PowerSchool” and student data base her days are always busy. “Except for these duties, I am also a proctor and a guide of the entrance exam for students.” –Hana said. When there are parents who are interested in information regarding the school, Hana is always there to greet them, offer help and translation when needed. She used to live in England and was a college coordinator. Working in England was much easier for her as she continued someone else’s work. However, when she arrived to Kosovo she had to start everything from scratch.

“Personally, I see no reason as to why students can’t have one day off and express themselves as freely and creatively as they can. Not only does casual Friday offer a change in the ambiance of the school, it also boosts students’ morale and reinforces the willingness to learn”- added Drin Sylejmani a senior at ASK.

After she saw the advert in newspaper, she applied and got invited. The day of the interview is very important for the employee, but quite stressful too. For Hana this day did not turn out to be as hard as for the other people. “It was actually really funny for me”- Hana added. She was expecting to be interviewed by a board of older people.

They all made sure to tell the newspaper that they’re not saying no to the uniform, of course it is a good idea, and it saves time and one less thing to worry about. But it gets really boring, it gives them nothing to represent themselves and for that students not just at ASK, but all over the world need to get an opportunity to show who they really are, to show their second family so called school a different them, the real them.

Actually, the opposite happened; Mr. Ardian, the superintendent, interviewed her, he was younger than her and this resulted in a very comfortable conversation. Some of the benefits of being a high school coordinator are: workings with teenagers, helping them succeed by giving them different advice and motivating them.“It is very important for me to understand their world”- she said. Hana finds it challenging to talk to parents whose children are performing poorly academically or have behavioral issues. “I can see the disappointment that parents feel about their children because

ASK Observer they always want to see them succeeding.

well established”, Hana remarks.

Since I am a parent too, I put myself in their shoes and I understand their feelings, she says” However, “I am also lucky to experience the joy that parents of successful children have, and I am really proud when I hear about student’s success stories, like when they win full scholarships in prestigious universities or have successfully graduated and are

Even though she faces a lot of difficulties throughout the day as the Student Affairs Officer at ASK, she still manages to deal with every student, patiently, positively and with a smile on her face.

Teacher Profile Aliz Mustafa and Donika Raifi Our first teacher profile is about one of our favorite teachers, Mr. Armend Berisha. You may know him from graphic design, which is where we first met him or photography class this year. We are sad to say that the month of October will be his last with us here in ASK. So we went on to ask Mr. Armend for an interview, which he gladly accepted to do. He told us that ASK has been one of the best experiences for him personally, with in the first

couple of days he already felt as a part of the ASK family because of all the warm welcomes. “I never thought I would be a teacher” he said. He wasn’t sure how it would work out for him, but he was very happy with how friendly all the students were. When asked about his favorite memory he wasn’t sure what to say there were too many, however he said some of the most memorable times would be the proud feeling he got after

seeing all of the students logo assignments, the whole yearbook making experience and getting to help out a colleague in need all together. ASK has been a huge part of his life for the past three years, and will be greatly missed. He has grown very close with everyone in the school and appreciates all the good times. He will miss the school, and even the everyday routine he has gotten so used to. He gave out a word of advice to all students, which was to not waste time, enjoy it and work hard. He went on to say, that if he could pick between being a student or teacher he would still choose to be a student. ASK has helped him grow in many ways as well as professionally, however it is time for him to move on to a more intense level in his career. Making his time in ASK come to an end, everyone in ASK will miss him, and wishes him the best of luck.

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Life as an ASK student Dea Smajli was a student at the American School of Kosova since her freshmen year and graduated last spring, leaving with a lot of unforgettable memories and experiences. Edi Smajli She describes her freshmen year as the most embarrassing and the senior year as the most joyful. One of the downfalls of being a freshman is being a new student in school. Dea says: “The sophomore year sounded as an average year since I had to take the hardest classes, one of them being World History, my least favorite subject”. The junior year turned out even worse, because of Chemistry, the one class she was counting the days from the first day of school until the last one. The cherry on the cake was the senior year. It was little bit of every year gathered as one. As every girl had dreams about prom, Dea was one of them. “The prom night seemed to be the night that caused me the most stress, more than taking a final exam. I just wanted to look pretty with a perfect outfit, nice make up and gorgeous shoes.”

The best thing that she experienced so far was the senior trip in Dubai, where, according to Dea, they had the best time of their lives. She also talked about her graduation ceremony and tried to describe her excitement and the feelings you get when your name is called. “Of course I felt very anxious when walking towards the school principal and getting the diploma that I’ve been working so hard for all this time” Dea added. The best part of that event finally came and that was throwing the cap up in the air. This was very exciting because she had been waiting for this moment her entire life. Her advice to seniors of this year is:” Try to be positive in everything that you do and enjoy the last year because you will miss it”.

One of the best moments that is stuck in her mind were the robots at prom when they joined in and danced with the students and teachers that were part of this unforgettable moment. She continued this interview by describing and telling the silliest things that she did in her last year of high school. Also, she adds that the toughest assignment for her was giving speeches in front of the whole class. Those made her stay up late, re-reading her speech over and over again.

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Red Ribbon Week at ASK Bert Hasani Red Ribbon Week is one of the biggest and oldest AIDS and drug prevention program, usually taking place from October 23-31 annually. The American School of Kosova participates every year, either spreading awareness about the cause or having students participate with all sorts of Activities. This year’s campaign was kicked off by Ms. Toska, the school counselor. This time around Red Ribbon Week really set the focus on self appreciation and awareness. Some people really focus on their flaws and it’s good to boost your self esteem once in a while. The event started on Monday morning, October 24, with an announcement in the school auditorium given by Hekuran Muja, immediately followed by an emotional reading of a letter written by a father about his autistic child. The students in the audience were then encouraged to share anything they might find relevant to Red Ribbon Week and its cause.

Later in the week, students were set out onto the streets of Prishtina with ribbons provided by the school. On these ribbons were quotes written by students promoting a drug-free life. They were put up all around the surrounding area of the school, making sure that people would notice the cause. “Just keep swimming” was one of the quotes that our students Diellza and Herolina chose for this activity to encourage people to never give up no matter the circumstances. Another activity was exchanging cigarettes for fruits, where Ms. Toska and the Middle School students went to Mother Teresa Boulevard, bringing awareness by doing a fruit exchange for cigarettes. The middle school classes also did a play about bullying and its effect on students. Every person can benefit from the message Red Ribbon Week sends, and it’s a joy that ASK continues to support it year after year.

Figure 5: Students activities during the Red Ribbon Week

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ASK’s 2016/2017 Student Senate Executive Team Belen McKechnie Charle On Thursday 20th of October all of ASK’s high school students took part in a vote which would elect their Senate Executive Team for the 2016/2017 school year. On Thursday afternoon the votes were counted by Ms.Meghan and Ms.Ilirjana and on Friday the results were shown. ASK’s “Civic Party” won, beating “Team Titans”. In order to compete in the race, both teams created excellent campaign videos explaining what their goals were and what they hoped to change for this academic year. These videos were later posted on YouTube and were shown to each class in their homeroom period on Wednesday the 19th in order for students to decide who they were going to vote for in the election. The “Civic Party” has 4 key members who have ensured their voters that they will do their best in order to make this school year unforgettable. Starting with Melisa Gjoci (president), Lis Vranica (vice president), Vesa Shahini (Secretary) and last but not least Drin Sylejmani (Treasurer). We hope to see positive changes in the near future for the school itself and the ASK student community.

US ELECTION What will happen with The White House? Belen McKechnie Charle and Drin Krasniqi The 2016 US presidential election has given a lot to talk about over the past year, with social media blowing up due to allegations said by both controversial candidates. It has been said that this election is probably one of the toughest elections for the American people, due to the fact that Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump are both either strongly liked or disliked. Even runner up in the race to the White House, socialist Bernie Sanders had his fair share of criticism towards Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton. Having said this, republican candidate Donald Trump has faced

both criticisms from the Republican Party as well as the Democratic Party due to his comments on women after The Washington Post published a video from 2005. The video, shows Trump bragging about his experience with women, where he uses expressions such as ‘When you’re famous they let you do everything’, ‘whenever I see a beautiful woman I can’t stop myself from kissing her’ and more disrespectful comments. The aftermath of the video was that many high profile Republicans condemned Trump and asked him to step down from

the presidential race. Trump responded to the video by saying that nobody is perfect and that he was sorry for his comments. He replied to Republicans on twitter saying “I will never drop out of the race, will never let my supporters down!’ November 8th will be the turning point in America’s contemporary history, the people of the US will have to decide whether they want another four years of liberal and open minded policies or if they want to return to the conservative right wing policies that were in place before both of Obama’s historical legislatures.

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ASK CATWALK Enduena Klajiqi and Drin Krasniqi This Halloween the American School of Kosovo got into the Spooky Spirit a little earlier. On October 28th, the SRC (School Recognition Club) held its annual catwalk for the 2nd year in a row, where the students had the opportunity to express their creativity through the costumes that they would later show in front of the whole school in the amphitheatre. There were more than 70 different costumes, ranging from witches and skeletons to possessed priests. The SRC decided that the four best costumes would win free Homecoming tickets.

When the catwalk started, we met the jury which made out of 4 teachers and the principal. Finally, it was very difficult for the jury to pick out four costumes so they decided to declare five winners. The highlight of the catwalk was when one of the students, Granit Muja, who was dressed as a possessed priest poured a glass of fake blood over his face. He was joined on stage by two other students, Vesa Kroรงi and Kujtesa Ibishi, which were dressed as two blood-covered psychotic nurses. Needless to say, they won first place.

Figure 6: The winners of 2z016 ASK Cat Walk: Kujte- Figure 9: Melisa Gjoci and Lis Vranica as Pocahontas sa Ibishi, Granit Muja and Vesa Kroรงi and John Smith

Figure 7: All the participants of the ASK Catwalk 2016 Figure 10: Belina Blakaj as Joker

Figure 8: Students feeling the Halloween Spirit

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The ASK Halloween Carnival- A Spooktacular feast Lea Meraku and Alba Ajdareviq The ASK Halloween Carnival, held three days before the carnival. Overall, the Carnival was a huge sucthe Celtic festival was an occasion to be remembered. cess. Here’s to hoping that each of the following carnivals will be even better and scarier than the On the 28th of October, hours after the school day last. We say farewell to Halloween and its creepy ended, the Halloween Fun at ASK was far from over. festivities, but only until the next. ;) The Halloween Carnival, organized with the joint effort of initiator Mayra Alvarez, Fotini Bitzioni, and Figure 11: Melisa Gjoci Face painting many other parents and student volunteers, lasted between 6 and 8 pm and contained many games and activities enjoyed by the children and staff alike. “I believe that when parents, students and teachers come together, use their talents and creativity we bring an educational experience that is stronger and richer, not only for the students but for the entire ASK community. This is what the carnival was all about. Sharing students’ talents, showcasing our collective power to create, experiencing an American tradition and most of all having a blast together as a community in a Figure 12: The Piñata healthy way.” says Alvarez. The way that this carnival came to life is quite an interesting story. “Halloween tradition was something that I didn’t know, and I didn’t even consider relevant to me or our family, until we arrived in Kosovo and we found ourselves in our first Halloween party at Mayra’s! It was all games, treats and lots of fun for the children -but also for the parents- in an amazingly decorated house! Well, it didn’t take us long to become part of it, in preparation and in action the following years!” Fotini said, regarding the idea of the Carnival. The ASK Halloween Carnival consisted of many games, each held in different areas of the school, such as the Haunted Hallway, Face Painting, Piñata, Egg On a Spoon, Dart Throwing, Halloween Puzzles, Halloween Twister, Donut eating contest, Spider Toss, Ring Toss, etc. which were all embellished in HallowFigure 13: Halloween Carnival Map een decorations and themes. The winners of each game were awarded by getting to choose from a box filled with Halloween surprises. The teachers were supervising and along with the student volunteers, made sure the games were fair and fun for everybody. “It’s great that the parents and students cooperated with the school to bring this to life, as it’s something which they haven’t had a chance to experience in the past. The games were all fun...everyone was enjoying the atmosphere” says an ASK student regarding

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Creepy clown sightings create chaos in the United States The October 2016 clown sightings are a series of incidents where individuals, dressed up as intimating and evil clowns walk around the streets of United States, their intentions being unknown. Drin Krasniqi Clowns are generally known as persons who make others laugh through their physical comedy, however due to scary movies, books and certain legends they have become a symbol of terror in most people’s minds. The creepy clown sightings of October 2016 have started since late August, when a person was seen dressed up as a clown holding black balloons waving to passers nearby. The video of the clown went viral in social media, and

since then there have been numerous sightings of similar scary looking clowns throughout the United States. Before the trend became popular, most sightings included the clowns in a stationary position, just looking or waving at the nearby passers. Nonetheless, reports of creepy clowns have extent to more than 20 states, and even in international countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, causing schools such as the Wenatchee High School in Washington to close and several arrests. Even though there still hasn’t been any American casualty reported, a teenager was stabbed last week in Sweden from an unknown individual dressed as a sinister clown. The sightings have only grown larger and creepier, with the police still unable to stop the trend. ‘My son told me that a clown had tried to lure him into the woods, and then the next day, there were like 30 kids that came up to me and said, ‘Ms. Donna, Ms. Donna, there’s clowns in the woods’ said Donna Arnold, a mother form South Carolina. The children have reported that the clowns had large amounts of money in their hands and had tried to convince the children to follow them into the woods. Furthermore, there have been quite a lot of videos posted online of people finding creepy clowns in the middle of streets at hours after midnight, the Atlantic Magazine reported.. Whether these sightings will soon fade away or continue and create a situation that the police won’t be able to control has yet to be seen. Though one thing that this situation has proved for sure is the power that social media has over the modern world today.

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GIVE GAP YEAR A CHANCE THE STRUGGLE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GO NEXT... Fjolla Fejza It all hits you on your junior/senior year, SAT, TOEFL, recommendation letters, GPA, school credits, scholarships etc. Every high school student knows the real struggle, and then of course college applications. If you are a person who has had a talent his/her whole life then this is the easiest part, if you are a person who always knew what college you’re going to then this isn’t a problem. BUT there are thousands and thousands of students in this world that are lost and don’t know what their next destination is. If you belong to the third group how about you give a gap year a chance? But first before jumping to conclusions what is really a “gap year”? A “gap year” is basically a period of time between high school graduation and college.You can choose how long you want it to last, a semester or a whole year. Yet this does not mean that for a whole year you become a pensioner... A gap year actually gives you the opportunity to do and accomplish things more than you can ever imagine. People have different stereotypes on why students choose this, especially parents. No, gap year is not for those who couldn’t get into college... Nerds take gap years too. All kinds of students take it, from the ones with the highest GPA to the lowest. Most of the students feel like they are seeking a sense of purpose and direction for their education and are concerned that going to college without those two things it would be a waste of time and money. Then there are students who have just had enough and need a break from all this, they may decide to travel and learn about new cultures. . As long as you find the missing piece you were looking for then you’re safe. The number of students that decide to take a break has been increasing from time to time. Actually many students of ASK have happened to take a gap year and now are successful and have continued college and probably have opened their own businesses. We had the chance to interview a recent graduate who decided to take a gap year and has been willing to answer some questions for us. Fidan Fejza a former student of ASK who graduated in 2015 decided to take a break and make his dreams come true. Now he is getting ready to go to college along with the accomplishments he achieved during this year, which you can all read about in the interview below.

What made you choose the gap year?

Throughout my senior year at ASK I discovered that most of the knowledge I was acquiring was through self-education. Hence the idea of having a full year in which I can both continue learning and put into form what I was learning gave me a great feeling about it.

The benefits of gap year, good/bad?

Well, I would say my largest benefit was having the opportunity towards controlling my own life 24/7. I was planning and still plan my day the night before, and wake up doing what I love doing. There is no such thing as a bad part to a gap year. It can only turn out bad if you’re not able to control yourself enough in order to plan your days ahead. You can go out when you want to go out, travel when you like to travel, and most importantly work on what you really want to work. I don’t think there is a better time to do that than when we’re 18. Your accomplishments during this year? My biggest accomplishment is that I realized I was right when it came to choosing what I want to do in my life. As an entrepreneur I had the chance to meet many new and influential people, and find the confidence in myself toward going through all my obstacles in life. That lead me towards releasing SKIP the day I turned 19. Throughout this past 3 months SKIP has created an average fan-base and led my co-workers and I towards the start of creating our second app. Through this time, we have also build and will soon launch our online shopping website. My whole gap year’s work is finally being rewarded and I cannot be more thankful. What would be your advice for the generations that graduate this year? The senior year is the year in which we as students are required to choose our whole life path. Make sure you think 5 years ahead and if you do not see yourselves doing what you love doing then you might want to change your plans. We all have that one thing that truly makes us happy doing, and if you have not found it yet it means you are not doing enough new things to find out. The senior year is all about exploring new adventures and having fun. Happiness is defined differently by all of us,

ASK Observer it is only important we create our own definition. How did being the president of the student body at the ASK help you afterwards? The ASK presidency was my pre entrepreneurial education. That is when I found out I loved being a Leader. Leadership has the same rules for both being President at ASK or being the president of any other organization/company. It is just that the tasks and the people you encounter are different.

Hence the challenges we overcame that year as a school senate led me towards being able to overcome the challenges I also face today. What are your plans for the future? Always being innovative creative and never stop learning. My next 3 years are going to be occupied with both SKIP and the Online Store while finishing college. I want to continue building a strong foundation.

Albanian culture thorugh Romanian eyes How a culture is beautifully fused for creating what is known as ”the Albanian culture”. Andreea Baboi As for the beginning, let’s have a look over the Albanian history. It is known that the national symbol is the eagle, right? Here is why: The eagle (shqiponjë) appears in a stone carving from 1190, at the time of the first Albanian principality, known as Arbanon used as a heraldic symbol. The most important is the double-headed eagle, part of a nationalist movement against the Ottoman Empire, representing a symbol of freedom and independence. The Albanian flag for the first time was raised in November 28, 1912, during the Albanian Declaration of Independence in Vlorë and this is known as the National Flag Day. The Albanians also declare themselves as being the “descendants of the eagles”, which is clearly spoted in their eyes when they speak about their nation. When we discuss about the Albanian culture, we can also mention the Balkans. Balkan is a region where all of its countries are similar but also pretty different at the same time, putting their own touch of flavor in the Balkan mix. Countries like Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, and Romania as well, had their individual role in developing the Albanian diversity throughout the history. For example, we all

know about Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, and how they affected the Albanian population. But what we don’t know is the bond between the Illyrians (Albanians) and Thracians (reported as Romanian ancestors) and how they had been fighting together against the Ottoman Empire (a good example would be the battle at Fushe Kosove in 1389), or the Dacians (also a Romanian root) influencing the Albanian language along with Turkish, Greek, and other nations. Something that not all of you may know is the poem widely proclaimed by the nationalist statesman Pashko Vasa: “Albanians, you are killing your brothers, Into a hundred factions you are divided, Some say “I believe in God”, others “I in Allah”, Some say “I am Turk”, others “I am Latin”, Some “I am Greek”, others “I am Slav”, But you are brothers, all of you, my hapless people! Awaken, Albania, wake from your slumber, Let us, as brothers, swear a common oath, Not to look to church or mosque, The faith of the Albanian is Albanianism!”

Actually, the last line of the poem was a catchword of the nationalist movement that led to independence in 1912. Let’s not forget about the traditional dishes like Burek, Flija, one of the best desserts I’ve ever ate called “Trileqe”, and also the fact that Kosovo has one of the best Macchiato coffees, the black tea, and the Turkish coffee(which reaaaaally wakes you up on a hard day). Those are some things that Albanian people would share with you when invited in their house, as they are well known for their hospitality (true fact). There are very many things that are left to say about Albania. Seeing new faces every day, hearing new things, saying new statements help us seeing a trend in this particular nation’s originality. The truth is that you, people, as native Albanians, maybe know more than I have written. But you have to admit that Albania really has diversity into its culture, and that is what makes this country so special and unique. This originality is what makes people like me fall in love with the spirit of having around me such a gorgeous multiplicity from just a single nation.

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How to travel the world for free Have you always wanted to travel the world? Do you not want to pay up to 3000$ just for travel and accommodation? Do you want to be able to fulfill your dream by doing basically nothing? If your answer is yes to all three questions then keep reading and find out the ‘secret’ to achieve this... Drin Krasniqi Tringa Krasniqi was just a freshman at the RIT Kosovo campus, when she was presented with an opportunity to visit Norway for free. At first she thought it was just an internet hoax, however after obtaining more information regarding the opportunity, Tringa learned that there was a conference for young people in Trondheim (a city in Norway) which covered all travel and accommodation costs. “It was incredible, all you had to do was give some information online and submit two essays”- says Tringa. Tringa describes the experience as one of the best in her life, where she even got the chance to watch the Northern Lights for free. While she was attending, she asked the other participants on how they applied for the conference and through their answers she learned that there many webpages online that offer similar opportunities. In these sites you can choose the location of the conference you wish to attend. Some of these websites are Heysuccess. com or Mladiinfo.com. You can find more webpages just by typing ‘fully funded conferences’ on Google. Note that there are three types of conferences:

The ones that are not funded, which means that you have to pay for everything yourself, partially funded, where you have to pay for travel and visa costs, and fully funded where you don’t have to pay for anything. It’s very important to know that when we say conference we don’t mean places where you sit around all day learning and listening. You get to visit a country, engage in group activities and games and meet people from all around the world. Every conference has a different theme, meaning that each one is unique on its own. When you find a conference that you’d like to attend make sure to meet the requirements, since some conferences require younger people, some older and some do not accept certain nationalities. If you meet the requirements then you can start applying and they will respond in one or two months. “The most important things to mention in your application are to include as many extracurricular activities and show leadership skills” says Tringa, who has so far traveled many continents for free using this method.

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KENYA Located in East Africa, Kenya is known for its lush greenery and wildlife. It has a population of roughly 43 million and borders 5 countries. Its capital city Nairobi, is nicknamed “Safari Capital”, and “City Under The Sun”. If you get the chance to visit this beautiful country, here are the most fun things to do.

1.See thousands of unique animals in their natural habitat in “the Maasai Mara National Reserve” In this natural safari reserve, tourists have the chance to pay a tour in a safari Jeep and spend the entire day exploring different Kenyan habitats and species. If you’re lucky, you may be able to even spot a lion or leopard running in the wild ;) 2. Visit endangered elephants and the Black Rhino Black Rhi and donate to help them in “the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust” The most successful orphanage for animals in the world, it was founded in 1977 and has succesfully hand raise up ro 150 elephants to date. Many people also pay a small amount of money to ‘adopt’ an elephant to pay for its care. 3. Visit and feed Giraffes in “The Giraffe Centre” The Giraffe Centre is a Non-Profit making organization whose main objective is to provide conservation education for school children and the youth of Kenya. 90% of the money from the entrance fees, tea shop and gift shop is donated to charity. Visiting and getting the chance to feed cute giraffes in beautiful scenery and nature while also donating to charity? A big yes.

4. Buy the best Kenyan souvenirs in “the Maasai Market” A tourist favorite, the Maasai market has thousands of Kenyan souvernirs inspired by Maasai tribes, warriors, and Kenyan wildlife. Find it on Tuesdays in WestGate Shopping Mall Nairobi.

TIP: I also recommend checking out the prints in the locations above (such as in the elephant orphanage and the giraffe centre. They are very beautiful, affordable, and make for great gifts.By buying them, you also donate to various causes.

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Africa: The Land of Contrasts and Extremes “Africa has made me more realistic.” Arta Ahmeti Maintaining international peace, protecting human rights and improving people’s well-being has been the key purpose of United Nations, an intergovernmental organization. Accepting United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) was a result of a threat to global peace and security. Mr. Bashkim Ahmeti is a Chief, Monitoring Unit in UNMISS, Juba, working now for United Nations more than 10 years, contributing towards improving the lives of people everywhere. Due to prosperity not being present on the continent, life in South Sudan is very challenging and perilous. “Poverty is flagrant. There is an air of chaos with so many people on the streets, and stalls and shops crammed almost on top of each other. The heat doesn’t help.”- He says. As corruption arises, success is never guaranteed in Africa. There is clearly a lack of true leadership. King Solomon, the wisest man ever to walk this earth, declared that where knowledge lacks, people perish. And this is very accurate for Africa, indeed. “There is sadness to all of it – like it’s a perpetual vicious circle most of the people in front of you will not grow out of.”- Ahmeti added. But on the other hand, he claims that there is an appeal to Africa. “The heat makes you feel like it is a never-ending summer. Of course the good things in Africa usually come at a cost, which can be quite steep. The people are proud and friendly – like anywhere, be aware of culture and behavior though. Africa grows on you.”

The vast continent of Africa is so rich and diverse in its culture with it not only changing from one country to another but within an individual country many different cultures and personalities can be found. Ahmeti perceived there is selfishness about people, who will take and not give back. “People are naturally good but shaped by upbringing and experiences. People look out for their own interests, which make them less dependable.”- He says. But nevertheless, Africa has its own conflicts as well. Recently, a civil war broke out in Juba between forces of the government and opposition forces. This dispute was genuinely devastating. Peacemaking is an issue. According to Ahmeti, people in South Sudan desire peace. “’Of course people want peace. From my experience, in conflict they spend years fleeing their homes and livelihoods and starting over somewhere else, before having to run away again. There is the human life cost as well. Families suffer.” - he makes it clear. While peace is the common goal, the means of achieving it remains a debate that spills over into conflict, with political, economic and social implications. Regardless of UN’s main focus on solving international problems of economics, social, cultural and humanitarian character, there is no end to worries. Yet, United Nations is striving for better. Ahmeti adds:” The UN is doing what it can to support the pillars of peace and democracy. The challenge is the time it takes to

install the values and change the behaviors and mentalities to open the way for progress. There are many obstacles that require a multi-faceted approach, and ultimately depend on the beneficiaries of such efforts. There is always a margin for error. Each context is different. And the UN does not control all variables.” Ahmeti also contributed in helping to build up communities in need. “I was very happy with my job when I managed to provide help to orphanage place in South Sudan. We organized a town hall meeting with all employees, explained the situation and asked for their support. The response was amazing.”-He tells. In a few days, they raised substantial funds in support to this orphanage. The school was reconstructed with all facilities. Kids with smiling faces were running in the courtyard. And of course there is something special about Africa that touches the soul, inspiring and troubling. The continent is still prone to all the ills of humanity. Additionally, Africa has shaped Ahmeti too. ‘’Africa has made me more realistic. It has made me appreciate my life more. It has made me realize how lucky I am to have had the opportunities my environment enabled me to have. And it has motivated me to give back/help/ support.’’- He says. Whether you’re a wide-eyed first-timer or a frequent visitor, Africa cannot fail to get under your skin. It is stunning from sea to sky.

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Justice must be brought to America’s Justice system “Police brutality is like a rapidly spreading infection that kills and injures hundreds of African American/mixed people” -Anonymous (John Doe) Alba Llugiqi John Doe is a seventeen year old African-American boy from New York, who attends Charter School Applied Technology. Doe is the star player of his football team the Riverside Warriors. He wants to win an athletic scholarship in a college that offers a good curriculum and a fantastic coach. His dream is now in vain since recently he has gotten severely injured due to police brutality. As Doe was driving to his friend’s house, he was pulled over and was asked by an officer if he could search the car. Doe replied that the police could not search his car without a warrant. He was immediately asked to step out of the vehicle so that he could be searched. “No, not without a warrant and you will not arrest me until I know the reason of why I am getting arrested”- he added. The police officer told Doe that he was resisting arrest however John went back to his car. “He had no reason to arrest me without a warrant, so, I had every right to walk away but a couple seconds later I felt this agonizing pain all over my body. I was tased, punched multiple times and then was put in handcuffs” says John. He was arrested for possession of marijuana, but was only given 30 days of community since it was a small amount of marijuana and the judge was lenient because of John’s injuries. The arresting officer is currently on paid leave and has not been prosecuted or brought to justice. John Doe later said that police should not be excused from the law. Their job is to protect American citizens and enforce the law. The enforcement of law is the job of the government. He ends this interview with a quote, “I find it absolutely disgusting that one day my little brother may not be able to walk on the street because of his skin color or that his rights will not be respected after so many years of fighting for equal rights” -John Doe.

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A Writer Answers A writer’s point of view on being a writer. Bert Hasani

With the world readership at an all time high today, and with an abundance of writers to discover and enjoy, the readers’ choice has never been greater. To get an insight of what it means to be a storyteller I’ve decided to interview Jeton K - a novelist/screenwriter based in London and Prishtina. What was your inspiration for writing? It became obvious that what influenced Jeton were the movies, cartoons, song lyrics, and other forms of storytelling that he used to watch and listen to as a child. Specifically, even cartoons like He-Man and Transformers. “I wondered who wrote them or what made them write these stories. And then I thought one day maybe I should write stories as well.” Is there any writer or director that you look up to? Poet Hermann Hesse and singer-songwriter Roger Waters are among some of the names he mentioned. Particularly he likes the way they tell a story with very few words. He quotes a line from a Pink Floyd song, “tight as a tourniquet, dry as a funeral drum”. It’s very descriptive but also concise. What were some of your biggest obstacles when writing your first book? Jeton states that you must learn the structure of a story, how to develop characters, and how to devise plots. Although, one of the most important things for him was learning how to use language effectively and to not bore the reader. “I think the biggest obstacle was my own lack of knowledge.”

How was your experience in publishing? When going into publishing your story must be relevant, compelling, and interesting to readers. Even if a story is good, a lot of the time that’s not enough because it has to be the best. And while publishers are always looking for something unique, they also want something almost every story has. Good language, structure, dialogue, characters, etc. He mentions Harry Potter and how J.K. Rowling had to approach many different publishers who rejected her until one came along that thought it was worth publishing, and now we see what happened to that franchise. Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? One of the most important things for any writer to do is read. Read more. And more. Read all the time. Even if it’s an article or the description on the back of a product. See how the language is used, especially from some of your favorite writers. “You have to know the character better than you know anyone in real life. You have to learn everything about them...their fears, their ambitions, what color they like, etc.” As you can see writers get inspired from the world around them. In the text above you have found some tips and tricks to becoming a successful writer in the future. “It all starts with an idea, and no idea is a bad idea” - added Jeton.

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AN ARCHAEOLOGIST IN KOSOVA Exclusive interview with head of the Dresnik project of The National Institute of Archeology Elvis Shala. He studied classical Archeology and is currently a Researcher. Enduena Klajiqi So what inspired you to become an archeologist? “If I’m honest I was inspired by the fact that there was no math.*Laughs*. There was no math. But maybe the city of Prizren itself I mean the historic monuments fascinated me so that I would continue to study archeology. There isn’t one special particular thing behind it, but since I was a child I loved all the Indiana Jones movies, anything new like discoveries, I was drawn by them”. Can you tell us a bit about your current position? “I’m currently working in the Archeological Institute of Kosovo, as an archeologist. I’m the head of the Capital Project of Dresnik and besides this project; I have another project which is only for more limited research which is Gllamnik, or the place that

it’s known as Gllamnik. So I’m working on these two projects right now. Besides them I also am involved in epigraphy and numismatic”. Can you tell me more about what numismatics is? “Numismatics is the study of old coins to be clearer”. Okay, but can you tell us a bit more about the best things that your job offers, what is the most fascinating thing for you? “Well, before I decided to study archeology I wanted to have a job that I would love, because you’ll have your profession throughout your whole life so everything that has to do with archeology for me is interesting, it’s fascinating so it’s not only the job, or being the head of the Dresnik project which for now is the most important locality for Kosovo”. What about the worst things about your job? Something that it’s exhausting or disturbing? “Well exhausting is… The fieldwork it’s itself exhausting and the bureaucratic aspects are indeed annoying but at the end of the day they’re parts of your job. So every time we have research, we have to make reports for the preservation of archeological inheritance of Kosovo; and for this reason we make some reports for historical regions and I would have to say that part is the most exhausting. So the bureaucratic part of my job”.

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What do you think about the state of archeology in Kosovo, do you think we’re developing towards this aspect or is there room for improvement? “Archeology is a luxury. And when you think about how Kosovo is a poor country, the poorest country in Balkans, so if we compare these two things luxury and the economic state of Kosovo then we can’t say that it’s bad. The government does finance well, the population is also very interested, so we don’t have any problems from the government nor from the population. So no one asks questions about why is the government investing money in Archeology when we don’t have the most important things, and up until now no one has ever asked this question. So the population does agree with this situation”*Laughs*. What do think, in what way do you personally promote the importance of Archeology to the population? “Well Archeology and Importance. What can I say about this? *Laughs*so every country presents itself with the historical monuments that they have, and in Kosovo, a country that is this small, if we could present something to the world that would be our historical cultural monuments. For example we have monuments like The Monastery of Deqan, Monastery of Graqanica, like the Mosque of Sinan Pasha, Hamam of Prizren, and Ulpiana. So these are attractions for people to come in Kosovo, and to see these places and travel. We don’t have anything to offer to the world besides these places because our cities aren’t that attractive compared to other cities. So with these monuments, we can raise our economy through tourism. I just try to get this point through to the people”

Which is one of the best moments that you’ve had during fieldwork? “Moments? I’ve had so many moments. One of them was when we discovered a room of a roman house which dated earlier than the temple, in which we found a set of 16 full plates. That was a really special moment. And this year we discovered In Dresnik the head of a Woman. That was one of the most perfect moments. And finally what are some other artifacts that you’ve found? “So obviously in archeology during excavations, we also face bodies, human remains, skeletons. It is my least favorite part about archeology. So personally I don’t want to do excavations where there were cemeteries because my specialization is the architecture, and cemeteries are not in my professional interest, and for that we have anthropology. Luckily *Laughs*.” Elvis, Thank you very much for this interview, thank you for your time. Please, it was my pleasure. “Archeology now in the 21st century has gained a whole new perspective; it is no longer nationalism, now we are in a period in time when we talk about globalism. A historical monument doesn’t belong to Kosovo but it belongs to the world. And this is the truth that the people should know”. - Elvis Shala.

ASK Observer Figure 14: Dea Balaj, Halloween art work

Figure 16: Dea Balaj, Halloween art work

Figure 15: Dea Balaj, Halloween art work

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FUN TIME… Alba Ajdarevic and Vlera Paçarada

DID YOU KNOW THAT…? 1.

Ancient Egypt King Tutankhamun died at the age of 18.

The Salema Porgy is a species of fish that can cause hallucinations when eaten. In Ancient Rome it was consumed as a recreational drug.

At its peak, the Roman Empire comprised only 12% of the world’s population.

Many ancient Egyptian Pharaohs were overweight and unhealthy, in contrast to their typical depiction, due to a sugary diet of alcohol, bread and honey.

From bottom to top, Mount Everest is not the world’s tallest mountain. Mauna Kea in Hawaii is about 1 km (3280 feet) taller.

The American Civil War broke out in 1861 when the Confederates attacked a U.S. fortress, Fommrt Sumter, and ended with the surrender of all Confederate armies in 1865.

Indonesia is the world’s largest island country, with more than 13,000 islands.

More than 2,500 left-handed people are killed every year by using equipment meant for right-handed people.

The creator of the Pringles packaging had his ashes stored in a Pringles Can after he died.

10. Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to explain why the sky is blue.

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TOP 10 BILLBOARD SONGS; OCTOBER, 2016 POSITION:

SONG:

ARTIST:

Closer

Halsey ft. The Chainsmokers

Starboy

The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk

Heathens

Twenty one pilots

Cold Water

Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber & MO

Let Me Love You

DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber

Broccoli

D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty

Treat You Better

Shawn Mendes

Cheap Thrills

Sia ft. Sean Paul

Don’t Let Me Down

The Chainsmokers ft. Daya

I Hate U I Love U

Gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien

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