ASK Observer - March 2017 by American School of Kosova

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MARCH 2017

ASK OBSERVER MARCH 2017

ASK OBSERVER Student Editors/Writers:

Belén McKechnie Charle Bert Hasani Enduena Klajiqi Drin Krasniqi Donika Raifi

Student Writers: Alba Ajdareviq Alba Llugiqi Andreea C. Baboi

In a Journalist’s Shoes for a Couple of Hours Fjolla Fejza

Arta Ahmeti Edi Smajli Fjolla Fejza Lea Meraku Nailda Mellani Vlera Paqarada Journalism Teacher:

Nora Nimani Musa

Designers:

Ms. Emma Sanders Graphic Design Class

Cover by: Alba Ajdareviq

ASK’s Journalism class visits RTK ( Radio Television of Kosova), where they learn more about journalism, censorship and the obstacles a Journalist in Kosova faces

Have you ever wondered what the story behind those curtains is? The curtains that divide the real world with the one that journalists create for others to see. Now that the word journalist came up, the first thing that probably pops into your minds is a good looking reporter talking about the weather… easy he? All she has to do is stand there and read from the screen for a couple of minutes and then she leaves, well that would definitely be the easiest job in the universe… Now sorry if your dream of becoming that certain journalist crushes into pieces in the next few paragraphs… but ladies and gentleman unfortunately that is not how the journalism world works. Behind those curtains, the real people stand by, people who work day and

night, and people whose first priority is us, the viewers. The ASK journalism class was lucky enough to go and meet the real heroes behind a television station. Radio Television of Kosova gave the students an opportunity to see and experience the life of a journalist for a couple of hours. It is weird how good looking the whole TV station looks like from our homes, while in reality they all turned into a big disappointment.There wasn’t even a certain building that all the shows get recorded in… it was more like three very old, small houses that they had managed to turn into a TV station. And this isn’t even the saddest thing yet. RTK is a public TV station, which means it is funded by the government, and is a property of the government, and yet it manages to look like a homeless shelter inside and out. But all those disastrous looks of the building were thrown down by the warming welcomes of the staff in there, especially from Edona Musa Mustafa, news editor, journalist and news anchor, who had taken her own time in order to walk us through the exciting life that happens in those small houses. As we walked through different rooms, she kept explaining how things work around there. The station was similar to the KTV, since they both had a room for morning brainstorming, two news broadcasting room and a special IT room, where all the technological aspects of broadcasting are done. The most interesting part was our final stop, when we started asking questions and got the real answers that not every journalist dares to tell. She started talking from the basics of being a journalist to the very dangerous life that they tend to accept in order to serve the job. “But none of this matters if you really love this job, and have been born to work something like this” Mustafa added, while talking about in what danger her life was put in just because of an investigative story, which resulted with a happy ending, and a human Traficant on jail. One of the questions in everyone’s mind was if the station censures the stories of journalists, since RTK is a national TV channel. Mustafa told us that there are cases when journalists censor themselves, while the editors and the government aren’t involved in the censure despite what the public tends to think. If you’re thinking of becoming a journalist in the future what you see in front of the curtains is not what will be waiting for you, when you start the job. But after all, like Mustafa said, no matter what job you take in the future if you really love the job, then these little obstacles are there to make you stronger. Special thanks go to the RTK station and Mustafa for this amazing opportunity where we, as the future journalists of Kosovo learned a lot about the eager world that is waiting for us out there. The life behind those curtains.

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A Good Word Heals Enduena Klajiqi

University Clinical Centre of Kosovo

The lack of awareness regarding Mental Disorders in Kosova still remains, while the staff of the Psychiatric Clinic, work everyday to fight the stigma towards Mental Disorders. As a community, we try to help each other in times of need, whether if it is problems within social circles, family circles or health problems; however, as a community we are deeply flawed in the way that we think about individuals with Mental Disorders. Considering the fact that we are in the 21st century, with various evidence in this topic and stories that we see and hear every day you would think our country has a higher level of awareness, but unfortunately the stigma remains.

The Psychiatric Clinic in Kosova, besides diagnosing and treating patients with psychiatric disorders, deals with the education of mental health professionals, inside and outside the clinic. The clinic has 5 departments; the department of psychiatric emergencies, the department of psychotic disorders, non-psychotic disorders, department of addictions and the department of children and adolescents. The goal of the clinic is to provide care in a humane way for individuals with mental disorders or severe mental problems. member of the staff has a specific

Each member of the staff has a specific duty, which altogether helps fulfill this goal. One of the members of this staff is Doctor Valdete Alidema Serreqi, a valuable asset to the clinic. Alidema Serreqi has a specialization in Psychiatry and has been working on the clinic for over 19 years, treating patients with psychic chronic disorders.” This is the nature that I treat the most but, besides this I also treat other disorders such as neuroses, depression, personality disorders, while abuses I treat rarely; this is because we did the separation since 2010 depending on the pathology of the patient”- says Alidema Serreqi, as she continues to explain the different kinds of treatment such as psychotherapy and occupational therapy. “Occupational therapy is when they have drawing, music-therapy, sketching and so on. Unfortunately, we don’t have the means financially to do these types of therapies more frequently. We have some instruments that were provided for us but no one can play them, while earlier the patients would gather around and sing and so on” – added Alidema Serreqi. She continues to also explain other problematic aspects of the disorders. Often time families do not understand what their close one if going through, this is why she also talks member about the “Center of Mental Health”, one of 7 of its kind in our community.

The duty of these clinics is to educate the families on what their loved one is going through. “Before it was really difficult because we had to work with families that weren’t much aware of these topics. But usually we as humans, are scared of what we don’t know”- she continues. Families regardless of their financial conditions, do everything possible to provide the patient with their medication or fulfill other needs. When asked about the awareness in Kosova, she distinguished the period before and after the war, where people after the war have found it easier to reach out for help.” The reason why it’s easier it’s because young people are reading and researching, they need to talk to someone about the problems that they have. With someone who is an expert and maybe can help them reorganize or to restructure their lives”- adds Alidema Serreqi. She herself has given a great contribution towards this cause, since she has taken initiative for creating brochures that would inform the population on the Clinic itself and their services. Another important asset to the Psychiatric Clinic is the head nurse Sabri Cakaj, who has been working at the clinic for 7 years, and is also the vice-president of the Health Syndication of Kosova. Mr. Cakaj mostly deals with psychoses, but also has experience with addictions and depression; besides this he has been working in the Forensic Psychiatric Department which has been present on the last few years. As the head-nurse, he is one of the

ASK OBSERVER Department which has been present on the last few years. As the head-nurse, he is one of the members that interacts the most with patients. His goal is to involve the patients in different activities. “Throughout the period that the patient stays here, he doesn’t only have the prescribed therapy and the bed, but the opportunity for involvement in different activities, because the patient in specific cases has a preserved consciousness.We have patients of different professions, such as writers, mathematicians, lawyers, doctors. The idea is to re-socialize the patient, so that he or she can get their normal life back”- says Cakaj. When asked about the conditions of the Psychiatric Clinic, he says that there is room for improvement, for the most important people inside the clinics, the patients themselves. Financial support is what they lack the most, just as any other Department of Health in Kosova. Even though the conditions are not ideal, investments from foreign donations such as those of Basel years earlier, have improved the infrastructure of the clinic noticeably. The biggest problem regarding the mentality towards mental disorders in Kosova is the stigma according to Cakaj. “The first war that should be taken on is the stigma. People behave differently because they think that, if someone is here he or she must be insane, but thatis not the case. A mental disorder is

is equal with any other disease.”- adds Cakaj. He also takes the example of the individuals with addiction problems; because of their addiction society outcasts them. He says that it is our duty as humans, to not see them as people who have failed, but to give them a chance to get their life back. For him, the most absurd misconception of mental disorders is when people relate it with superstitions or other beliefs. “Religious freedom is a right of everyone, it is granted by law, although I don’t agree with the opinion that psychiatric problems come as a result of this; we have mechanisms that prove otherwise. I don’t agree with the mindset that the disorder is sent from God and as a result we should give up, that is in no way possible”- says Cakaj. He uses the opportunity to send a message: “These disorders are also called “Disorders of the Soul”, and the most effective therapy is a good word. So, if you encounter someone with a psychiatric disorder give them a good word, so they will feel warmth and not feel so alienated” – said Cakaj. The condition of the Psychiatric Clinic was described as stable by a patient in the clinic, who will be referred to as Patient X, due to Confidentiality reasons. “The service of the nurses is the part that I like the most, I have communication with them, they help me, and because of them I feel better… safer. I feel proud that we have the Nurses here, in general”- says Patient X, when asked about his favorite thing about the clinic.

about the clinic. He adds that they are provided with almost everything. He talks about the fact that he wanted to be a driver, but he didn’t finish his driving lessons because he didn’t take his therapy in order. Even though he does now he says that loneliness has left its mark…It is our duty as humans to take care for those who are in need.The people that suffer from mental disorders should not be stigmatized or judges, at the end of the day they just like all of us; trying to figure out where to head to. As said by Plato: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”. Note: A special thanks goes to Doctor Valdete Alidema Serreqi, and Mr. Sabri Cakaj, for providing an opportunity to research more into this topic, and raise awareness in our own community. The passion and devotion that they have for their jobs is truly inspiring. The profession that they practice every day is noble and the most humane of all.

Finding Unity in Diversity: Discovering the Contrasting Profiles of Young Lives Around The World Lea Meraku

The world as we know it is a giant orb infused with millions of cultures and societies, each varying from the other.Therefore, diversity is a primal component that makes our universe so astounding. Even though generations upon generations of the human race have been living in different concepts of tradition, there is a prevalent factor which unites these people, especially the youth: the impact their community has on their everyday life. It is common knowledge ever since the initial concepts of a society; people have followed sets of rules established by the community. The reason behind the obedience they have shown towards them is perhaps the mere concept of a human thriving in a society and their consequent desire of being accepted. This occurrence is especially present in the younger generations. The Pew Research Center has listed that the ability to “get along with others” is one of the crucial skills young people need to succeed in life in a study done in 2011. Many sociologists say that humans are hardwired to crave social acceptance, ever since ancient tribes and civilizations which all had specific rules of social conduct followed such as Ancient Egyptians, the Aztecs, the Mayans, leading up to today. “More people behave ‘as expected’ if they have to take a moral decision in front of someone”, says Anna LeMind, sociologist and founder of LearningMind.com.

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Hands of diversity isolated tree - Stock Illustration/Manos de arbol aislado diversidad Ilustracion de stock (Google Image)

However, is that the answer to sociology? Are we nothing but a pack of followers destined to follow unwritten laws of social conduct? In order to analyze this topic, three young students from different places around the world give their opinion on social benefits and limitations and how they depend upon the community around them. Jordan is a 16-year old from South Africa who is currently graduating in Ankara, Turkey. She praises Turkey for the freedom it provides compared to her home country and also adds that she has interactions with people from all around the world. However, she states that her biggest concern and factor which affects her is the political conflict. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes we will get warnings to stay out of a certain areaâ&#x20AC;? she adds. In terms of the culture and how it affects .

her social circumstances, she elaborates on how foreign it is to other places she’s experienced. “I travel very often but have never found a country quite similar to Turkey. There isn’t much diversity [overall], but it’s good because it forces Turks to traditional things.” Moving over to the USA, Alexandra, a high school student living in Nebraska, shares her liking for the Midwest, where she explains the people as “very nice and hospitable”. Because of the wide array of nationalities in her school, she says that diversity does not contribute to everyday life. She weighs in on what she thinks is the biggest social problem in her school: consumption of drugs and alcohol, a topic widely mentioned. “I think people don't have trouble fitting in but a lot of people believe that if they want to be popular then they have to have drugs and alcohol. That is such a big problem here.” Alexandra adds. Many researches has been done about the issue Alexandra mentioned, with the “Do Something” movement stating that by the 8th grade, 28% of adolescents have consumed alcohol, 15% have smoked cigarettes, and 16.5% have used marijuana. They also describe THC (the active ingredient in the drug that causes addiction) as nearly 5 times stronger than it was 20 years ago, a factor which could significantly worsen the situation.

Japan is known as an extremely homogeneous society with non-Japanese, mostly Koreans and Chinese, making up only about 1% of the population. Linde, a Belgian student living in Tokyo, speaks highly of this side of Japan. “I like how Japan is very much invested in continuous technological advancement yet always places importance on traditional values” she says regarding the connection between modern everyday life and social cultures. Furthermore, she states that the Japanese culture is “very peaceful” and that everyone has a “polite nature”. Despite these benefits of the community as a whole, she believes that one of the biggest difficulties young generations face is social expectations of reaching success in terms of their career, this way struggling with “breaking apart from what is expected of them. With the world continuously expanding, experts have estimated that a quarter of a million people are being added to the world every day. These people all derive from wide range backgrounds, eventually leading to the further diversification of the human race. With this in mind, it is only logical that the environment plays a huge role on the average human being. This impact is notably amplified in young people who find themselves in one of the most crucial stages for building their unique personality. Even though the life of someone reading

ASK OBSERVER this may differ completely to the people in this article, that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change the importance of humanity and one of the goals of countless leaders and movements: ending cultural stereotypes and "tribal stigmas" explained by Erving Goffman, a Canadian-American sociologist and writer, who is also considered "the most influential American sociologist of the twentieth century".

Despite the daunting ideology of the high-demand life in the 21st century, it is crucial to our wellbeing both as individuals and as a community to accept and embrace these societal and cultural differences. People and industries alike need to realize once and for all that our species derives from the array of traits and characteristics displayed all around us. Therefore, we need to realize that the assimilation of these cultures would lead to the eventual demise of human character as we know it. Accepting and being content with these ideas does not require much, except the human realization of the beauty that lies in our ethnicity.

Down Syndrome Kids: Pure Smiles and Heavenly Faces Vlera Paqarada As every human in the world, we all have our differences and factors that make us unique. Some people are taller, some are stronger, and some have a higher IQ. Some are good at sports and some are good at arts, some love books and some love movies, some can sing and some can solve math problems. We differ from our hair color, skin color, race, gender and ideals. However, in Kosova and all around the world, there is a group of people that are labeled as â&#x20AC;&#x153;differentâ&#x20AC;? because of their number of chromosomes. These individuals that are touched by the Down syndrome are born with it and spend their lives with it. But what is, actually, Down Syndrome? As every organism and human body is made out of cells, every cell has a nucleus where the genetic material is stored in genes. They carry the codes that are in power of our traits. Normally the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes but if a person is touched by the Down Syndrome, the individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

This might lead to certain characteristics such as some physical traits that consist of low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the yes and a single deep crease across the center of the palm, however there are some individuals in which these characteristics are not very evident. Even though they might be looked at as different, they are actually like every other human being. They have the same feelings, they have marvelous thoughts, they express love and appreciation in the most wonderful way, and their minds are as pure as every other kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind. These kids are capable of doing everything that anyone considered as human can: they can love, they can get disappointed, they can tell when there is sadness in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes and they are compassionate, always willing to make you smile and always willing to smile back at you.

ASK event for the children with Down Syndrome

ASK OBSERVER Fortunately, in our country as in many other countries, there are people who are willing to take care of the kids touched with this syndrome; the “Down Syndrome Kids of Kosova”. This is an organization created by people familiar with the syndrome and parents or relatives of kids touched by it. The organization not only tries to help kids both economically, in their medical needs and material requirements, but it also serves as a social help to everyone related to the syndrome. It is always a great thing for the kids to know that there are a lot of other people their age that are just like them and that go through the same stages and the same things. They meet with each other, they become friends and they listen to each other, being confident and believing that at least they can trust each other, and that they have each other to understand their factors of happiness, sadness or different thoughts and ideas. And not only for the kids, the “Down Syndrome Kids of Kosova” also helps the parents of these kids to reach for help, advice or even simple conversations regarding their kids and what they are going through. X- a mother with a child touched by down syndrome, became a part of the organization in 2015. “I was lost”-she says. “I felt unsupported, none of the people I knew could understand what me and my child were going through, they all tried to console me but they could not understand that I was not

sad because of how my child was. I loved my child more than anything else in the world, and he was a blessing to me. Every day was a new challenge and every moment spent with him was another moment of happiness and joy. I have never experienced such emotions, however I needed someone to understand me, I needed someone to help me be a good mother to my wonderful son. When my sister first suggested the organization I called her mad, but since the day one that I visited the center, I felt like I have never felt before ever since I had my son. There were other parents that could understand everything I was going through and never hesitated to help me deal with every situation, I can’t thank “Down Syndrome Kids of Kosova” enough for the support that they offered to me and my son.” And not only women, but also the fathers that were parents of kids touched by the Down Syndrome found support in the organization. The woman’s husband says that he could no longer deal with everything on his own, and he could no longer see his wife and son in pain, so all of this came to an end when they found support from other couples that were parents of kids with Down Syndrome. The teachers of the center claim that spending their days with these kids, is the best experiences they could ever wish for, and the best way to spend their days.

As every human in the world, we all have our differences and factors that make us un“I wouldn’t trade it for the world, these kids are the light of my life, and they make me understand how irrelevant the physical differences are and how innocent a human mind can be. Their problems are my problems, and I gladly deal with them because they are worth it” Says one of the teachers in the center. The American School of Kosova organized an event especially for these children and the students got to interact with these kids and got to understand how smart, beautiful and imaginative their minds are.

A Step Towards a Brighter Future Nailda Mellani

Regardless of economic issues, the society still tries to find a solution to poverty in Kosovo. Charity club of ASK and Red Cross of Kosovo cooperate to help people in need. There is not much happening between the walls of this country of ours. Kosovo is a small place, but with a lot of historical events that have taken place over the years. From the bleeding war to the bright independence, it (Kosovo) has faced a lot of challenges. One of the challenges is the poverty. Even though our country has experienced consistent economic growth after the war, it continues to struggle with high rates of poverty and unemployment. Saying that Kosovo has a bad economy might sound cliché but you don’t need to go far from Prishtina to agree. If you take a walk around the city, you’ll face a lot of beggars, left at the mercy of fate, hoping that they’ll earn some coins in order to provide some food to themselves and their children; you’ll face a lot of people who

can’t have a better job than selling packets of cigarettes on the streets, bars and buses. Her case is also similar. Jane Doe has to wake up at three o’clock because she has a long and tiring day ahead. First she prepares the food for her sick husband, mother in law, and her four young children. She lives in Ferizaj but she works in Prishtina as a charwoman in the Faculty of Medicine. It does not matter whether it is cold or sunny outside, she still has to catch the earliest bus to Prishtina. She does not blame anyone for her misfortune. “This is my destiny”- says she with her eyes itchy. Still she wants a second job because of her oldest daughter. Since she will begin high school in September, she wants to be able to provide all basic

ASK OBSERVER needs for her child. Sometimes she gets help from a neighbor who lives nearby, which consists of food or cash. But this is not the only case of people who live in extreme poverty. So, which are solutions that we give as a society? Can we really understand poverty without ever going through it? Kindness, defined as the “virtue of showing love” is not necessarily a duty. It is measured by the hearts we have touched. This is exactly what the charity club in American School of Kosova does. In an interview with Dardane Nuka, head of the charity club, we really understand how important this cause is and the way our “kindness” changes somebody’s life. Speaking of her experience, Nuka tells us that while being there, distributing the food or clothes, seeing that smile on their face, make you see the level of poverty. You read about poverty, people tell you about poverty and then you are there, you see it, you touch it.”- Nuka said. There are several activities that the charity club has organized, such as bake sale and movie night, not excluding the charity jars and tea and cookie activity. This seems like a very fun way to collect the funds. Since they have to deal with a lot of work throughout the days, they try to set their expectations low. When asked about the goals and objectives, Nuka said: “It’s not really that much materialistic. Of course I could say the more money we make, the more families we can help, and that’s always the main goals.” The charity club has to deal with lots of different emotions.They find the families in need through Red Cross (which provided them with a list of people who need help), and after collecting enough money, food or clothes, the students and teacher distribute personally to the families. And this is exactly where it gets emotional. Nuka told us that it was shocking the first two years when she started leading the charity club. “It makes you understand that it’s one of those few things you should do very much voluntarily, it’s one of those very few things to do that come from the heart. No benefit in that at all. Really! The only benefit is that satisfaction that you have of seeing how you have made happy all those families. It’s amazing, you feel like you’ve contributed a bit to their happiness.”- Nuka said for us. And last but not least she invites all students of ASK to be part of this club, since there are lots of peers of ours that need our help. This will impact a lot of people’s lives ASK Students’ Charity Club and will help us to grow as individuals.

Besides charity club, there are other non-governmental organizations as well that help people with bad living conditions. Red Cross is an international humanitarian institute that operates in over 190 countries around the world with approximately 17 million volunteers and half a million aid workers. This organization helped Kosovo during the war crisis (1998-1999) which left a painful and tragic legacy. Almost two decades after its end, the unresolved issue of missing people continues to burden thousands of families and the society in general. International Committee of the Red Cross still helps them, distributing them clothes and collecting information on cases of disappearance directly from the families and other sources. They also help families with low incomes, those who live near mountain areas, etc. Their whole work is based on seven essential principles which are; humanity, being unbiased and neutral, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality. Kindness is the best gift you can give. Lend a helping hand to the people in need. Let’s put a smile on somebody’s face, let’s share the happiness with others.

UWC: A Teenager’s Dream Drin Krasniqi Before reading this article, you should ask yourself the following questions: Are you tired of living in Kosovo? Would you like to live in another country without having to pay for anything? Do you want to get enrolled in the best high school in the world? If you answered yes to those questions then I have the perfect solution for you. UWC or United World College is a series of schools located in 17 different countries all around the world. The UWC is made out of the schools, educational programs and national committees, which we will talk about later. The UWC schools are the most unique in the world due to many reasons, for example: The student body is made out of 85 different nationalities, so you have the chance to meet with people from all around the world and get to know about cultures you never even knew existed, the school has the most advanced high school diploma in the world and there are exclusive benefits to everyone who graduates from these schools. Furthermore, each UWC school has a relatively low number of students, ranging from 200 to 300 depending on the school’s location. All of UWC schools have the same educational system: the IB (International Baccalaureate), a two year system. The student body for each school is chosen carefully from a selective committee. Almost e very country in the world has its own national committee, including Kosovo. The head of the UWC committee in Kosovo is Liza Gashi, who herself, just like every other member of the committee is a graduate of a UWC school, particularly that located in

ASK OBSERVER Costa Rica. She graduated in 2009, and afterwards studied at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, the oldest university in Argentina and Wartburg College. She just recently earned her Master’s degree from Arizona State University, one of the most prestigious in the world. ‘Studying at UWC gives you opportunities that you’ve never even dreamed of’ says Gashi. She has been the head of the UWC Kosovo committee for the past seven years. Some other well-known Albanian alumni of UWC schools include Herda Xhaferaj and Andrra Fehmiu, both of whom graduated from UWC Mostar and are currently enrolled in Harvard University. ‘The best thing about UWC Mostar was that every student had their mentor who would guide them through the university application process. Because of these mentors, I was able to get enrolled in some Ivy League universities, including Harvard. Though I didn’t believe that I would’ve been accepted, I still thought about taking a gap year and increasing my chances of getting accepted since I was sure that these were the universities I wanted to attend’- said Herda regarding her experiences at UWC. In order to get enrolled in one of the UWC schools you have to apply online through the UWC Kosoova webpage. There are three requirements: - You must be a Kosovar citizen. - You must be attending grade 10, 11, or 12 of high school.

- You must complete this application form There are three steps which you have to go through in order to attend one of the schools. The first one is completely online, where you have to write six essays and give details regarding your school and your current grades, though you won’t have to send any transcripts unless you are one of the lucky people who get selected. After you submit your application there will be a three to four week period until the committee decides whether you have passed the first part and if you have they will give you information regarding where the second part will be held.

United World College (UWC), Sarsallah (Google Image)

The second part is a face to face interview with two or three previous graduates of UWC schools. In the interview they will ask normal questions regarding your application so that they can ensure that everything you have stated on your application is true and so that they can get further information regarding the applicant him/herself. The interviews are relatively short, consist-

cant him/herself. The interviews are relatively short, consisting of 15 to 30 minutes. Again, there will be a three to four week pause until you will receive the news via email whether you have passed the second stage or not. By this time, only about 30 people will still be part of the application process. The last part of the application is a camp in Boga. All of the 30 students alongside some of the UWC alumni will be part of the camp which lasts 2 or 3 days. During these three days the selection committee will organize multiple workshops and games so that they can select the most suitable candidates for each school. This year you can get selected to attend one of the following schools: UWC Maastricht, located in the Netherlands, UWC Adriatic in Italy, UWC Changshu China in Hong Kong and UWC Mostar. ‘ The camp was a perfect experience, even though I thought it would be more professional oriented, the committee was super cool and it was an experience that I would recommend to everyone’ adds Kaltrina Kaja, one of the applicants from last year. ‘Apart from the 5 people selected to attend the above mentioned schools, there will also be 10 other people selected to attend a one or two week summer program in Austria or Germany with all expenses paid’- adds Gashi, meaning that even if you don’t want to attend the whole two year program you still can go to one of the summer programs. Though UWC has many benefits it still isn’t perfect. Since the IB is a two year

program, students from grades 11 and 12 will get to lose one or two years of study respectively in order to get their IB diploma. Furthermore, living away from your family and friends surrounded by people you never knew before might be difficult for some people. In the end, if you are selected you are the person who decides whether to attend the school or not, though you lose nothing by applying. channel. Mustafa told us that there are cases when journalists censor themselves, while the editors and the government aren’t involved in the censure despite what the public tends to think. If you’re thinking of becoming a journalist in the future what you see in front of the curtains is not what will be waiting for you, when you start the job. But after all, like Mustafa said, no matter what job you take in the future if you really love the job, then these little obstacles are there to make you stronger. Special thanks go to the RTK station and Mustafa for this amazing opportunity where we, as the future journalists of Kosovo learned a lot about the eager world that is waiting for us out there. The life behind those curtains.

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Art is Not a Job Donika Raifi You may be at an age where you must start to make choices to build your career, or you might just be someone whose heart holds a special place for art. You have probably heard “Art doesn’t pay pills or Pick a legitimate career” more times than you could count. All time favorite response is “I doubt you will be that lucky 1% that makes it” Dream big but what they really mean is not too big; Art is not a career.

interview with Anna & Ricardo Marmitte - success stories of the modern dancing era. As stated by Anna in the interview, "I started dancing Ballroom and Latin when I was 6 years old. I performed in various countries and participated in many competitions. Living in the Middle East I developed love for Belly Dancing. In addition to that, Latin beats of salsa, merengue and bachata captured my attention and since then it's been an addiction in a way".

According to an article by John Munger, director of research "The vast majority of dancers cannot make a living off of dancing alone as a performer". In fact, less than 3000 people in the entire nation make a living out of similar professions. In turn, many individuals have gained a belief that art professions, i.e dancing and painting, have no long-run prospective. Furthermore, numerous factors have contributed towards enforcing this belief, "It's not a profession where you say, 'I want to make $70,000 a year, so I'll be a dancer," says Deborah Allton, eastern counsel for the American Guild of Musical".

When I moved to Toronto I became an Official Zumba® Fitness Instructor and now I teach about 23 classes a week. In 2010, I was lucky enough to be selected as a Zumba® Jammer (1 out of 6 in Canada), she added. For those who do not know, a zumba “jammer” is an individual who specializes in Zumba choreography and has been officially selected and licensed by Zumba Fitness. Only licensed Zumba Jammers may lead a ZIN Jam session. Hosting a jam session means you are flying to different countries at the very least 3 times a year; which sounds pretty great.

This radical approach towards arts can seem contradicting at first - as some of the most successful people I know are dancers. In order to get a clearer view of this phenomenon that has spread throughout societies; I conducted an

Isn’t hard work and dedication supposed to always pay off? “When you work hard you will always be successful” at least that’s what I’ve been told, and I have a perfect example to back it up. Ricardo, originally from Mauritius

Yll Avdiu

Dea Balaj

now lives in Ontario, Canada. He is a Zumba® Education Specialist known as ZES) Ricardo started dancing at the age of 8. “My dance background in jazz, ballet, tap dance, Indian dance, hip hop, Argentine tango, merengue, bachata and salsa goes quite far back. He said. As I reached young adult hood I started to work at hotels in Mauritius, my family was never rich, and for quite some time they were barely getting by, so I got a job as an entertainer in a hotel. Eventually I did more than just host volleyball tournaments. I got to dance in various shows bringing me to where I am today. He added. He has been performing in various countries for over 14 years. In March 2008, he became an official Zumba® Fitness instructor and now teaches Zumba® Fitness classes all over the GTA and world. He became CanFitPro Certified group Fitness Instructor in June, 2009; In 2010, he was selected to become a Zumba® Jammer, 1 out of 6 in Canada just like his wife. He then became a ZES 1 out of 114 worldwide. A ZES is an individual who teaches you to become a jammer yourself. Not only that but he travels to a new place on average once or twice a week. “It is truly exhausting but I wouldn’t trade it for the world” He said. “I have been told that dance would never make a living for me, let alone enough to sustain a family since the beginning of time”, said Ricardo. I am very proud of where I have gotten, and I highly suggest to never give up something that makes you happy”; was his final comment.

A recent study conducted by Trade Schools, Colleges and Universities, surveyed around 2,000 adults about how their current lives compare to their childhood goals. The study found that close to 80 percent — 78.06 percent, to be exact — of adults don't end up following through on the career of their six-year-old imaginations. The approximate 22 percent of people, who do pursue jobs their younger selves dreamed about, are tremendously happy with their careers. Success is directly related to you. You must be willing to work hard in a sense fight for your dream because you can achieve greatness in everything that you set your mind to. Be a part of that 22% group who love their jobs, no matter whether its art or economics.

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Misconception of the Word “Feminism” and Its Purpose Alba Ajdareviq Nowadays people fight and argue with each other, for different reasons. Besides many major problems the society faces today, one of the most common is the movement of feminism. Equal rights and the respect for women has always been a problem, and finally it is time for feminist’s voice to be heard. All around the world people, especially women fight for equal rights among genders, protesting and raising their voice against their government and the society, the ones that violate the basic rights of us as human beings. In Kosova, there are many organizations that fight against this in different ways, especially through art. One of the most well-known organizations is ArtPolis, which organizes the festival “FemART”, “Our society violates the basic rights of a human being, whether it is in the social, economic or psychological way”, says the project manager of ArtPolis, JetbardhaSelmani. According to her, the festival wasn’t very successful in the beginning, due to the fact that “we live in a patriarchal society, and a patriarch cannot stand it if a woman has more attention than usually while the festival lasts”, Selmani adds. However, throughout the years, this festival has gained more and more audience, and has become popular in our country. “With different dimensions of art, we

promote equal rights between everyone, especially women and men”, states Ms. Selmani. Jetbardha Selmani, Project Manager at FemArt On the other hand, at the American School of Kosova, a new high school teacher, who traveled all the way from Colorado to teach here, has begun something that our school has not seen until now. With the help of the head of the school, Shannon Bruce Ramaka, and the President of the Student’s Senate, Melisa Gjoci, Ms. Meghan Lukens formed “The Intersectional Feminist Club”.

Women's March in Prishtina, photo by Armend Nimani (Google Image)

“I decided that if I were to start a feminist club, it must be intersectional”, Ms. Lukens adds. She also quoted the American professor, Kimberle Crenshaw, who identifies intersectional feminism as: "The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and

in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional system of society. Examples of this include race, gender, class, ability, and ethnicity.” “This club was mainly created in order to reflect the range of identities at out school and in our community“, replied Ms. Lukens when asked about its purpose. The club has become a success, with many students attending the weekly Tuesday meetings, “This club helps one become more knowledgeable and expressive about real issues within the world, and take action to work towards more equal, equitable, and educated world”, adds Ms. Lukens. Nevertheless, the word “feminism” itself brings different thoughts to different people. “Feminism to me is the best way how equal rights among genders can be achieved”, states a high school student. “No, I do not support feminism. If men should not be in a higher position than women, then women should not either.” adds a citizen. “I do not have to state what feminism is, because it is 2017, and I assume that most of us know what that is, but a thing we have not realized yet, that is the thing that our society needs the most.” added another citizen. Both Ms. Selmani, another teacher at ASK and MS. Lukens stated that “Feminism means equal rights and opportunities for all genders, men and women”. “A lot of people misunderstand this because of the name feminism, which is similar femininity, thus they think it asks for more rights for the women”, adds Ms. Selmani. Besides that, people in Kosova like living a life without many changes, and this would be a major change in their life, in every possible aspect. “A lot of people say they believe in gender equality, and then I explain to them that they are in fact, a feminist”, says Ms. Lukens. “People have a tendency to believe that a feminists is synonymous with a man-hater, which is absolutely not true”, adds Ms. Lukens. There is not only one person out there that thinks the same way. And you may be a part of that group. But how can we change it? What can we do as a society to improve this? According to Ms. Selmani, if we as a community promote the real meaning of feminism and if we try to aware our society about it, as the time passes the number of people who truly understand the word Jetbardha Selmani, “feminism”, will increase. “To achieve this, we should ask Project Manager at FemArt for equal rights and in a way fight the relevant institution, and firstly asking for this to be put in the school curriculum in one way or another, so the students become familiar with this concept from an earlier age.” says Ms. Selmani. While according to Ms. Lukens, who is already trying to put this in the curriculum, there are three steps we must accomplish regarding the misconception of Intersectional Feminism, or Feminism itself. “The first step is becoming educated on the topic; and understanding your own identity and the privileges you may or may not experiences. The second step is empathy; learning how to empathize with those who experience oppression in different ways from you. The third step is action, specifically positively influencing others to understand systems of oppression and how we can move past this issues”, stated Ms. Lukens.

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The Lack of Sexual Education in the Schools of Kosovo Fjolla Fejza

“The judgments, the embarrassments , the shyness about sexual topics should finally come to an end.” "Sixteen and Pregnant “the famous TV show which has brought a lot of attention since the early seasons. Behind this funny/sad show there hides a great life lesson that they are trying to share with the world. But the term world unfortunately does not include Kosovo. Kosovo in the other hand has been stuck with a Stone Age mentality that word Sex itself it’s forbidden to ever be mentioned in families or schools. People are raised with the idea that these intimate topics are something to be ashamed and not talked about… and where did that get us? “Even though we’re a very small country, the number of pregnant teens, sexual diseases, and teenage crises has only been increasing for the past three years”- said Feride Fejza an educational psychologist. “Sexual education is a very important topic that should definitely be taught in schools… there are ways to prevent all of the cases above, but the lack of knowledge has brought

us where we are.’’ – She added. According to a study that made by the advocates of youth, the sexual education classes in high schools have definitely made a greater impact towards this field. These studies have found out that between 2000 and 2012 the teen birth rate fell for 62 % in US. This all happened after people got to learn all about how to avoid/prevent these cases… Hajrush Fejza the first one to study this field in Kosovo has recently started working with young ages. “Our clinic has been opened for a while now, but not a lot of people are aware of it… even if they are they’re way too shy to come in for help. And it’s absurd how many cases are in this country that refuse even coming in for a consult. Which is very wrong” he added. Even though thanks to social media, internet, new generations have shown that are slowly walking away from this taboo that was created in

our country. But we aren’t quite there yet. Dr. Fejza is one of the few people who is actually working towards sexual education as a subject in schools of our country. .. he sees this as a very necessary subject for kids of all ages. He has even brought this topic in many of his interviews, but no one seemed to show much interest in . Now there are schools that have a sexual education class kind off where they talk about the body changes, sexual diseases etc. “We didn’t really consider it as a subject… it was more like a gather around and talk about politics or football, since the teacher was only interested in these two, while the lessons, well we learned them by heart at home, and that only happened before exams.”-added a former high school student. But it isn’t just school that avoids these topics, families do too. “While growing up, you change and along with the change come the questions which most of the time were answered with a awkward silence and a terrifying look on our parents faces, which lead us nowhere but to thinking that talking about any of this was wrong.”- said Erza Bikliqi. Even if the students wanted to complain, they had no shoulder to cry to. Since no one ever

took it as serious as it should be. We have been living in a desperate fairytale where we’re way to innocent to even mention any of these topics. Parents are willing to kick their daughters out for getting pregnant at a young age or if you’re lucky enough they marry you, and of course not by your will. Our Society has come to a point where they’re professionals at hiding feelings, diseases, and their whole life in general, just for the others not to find out that might be something wrong with their body or emotional state or even sexual orientation… and all of this happens when people aren’t educated as much. Now do you see how far this has gone? If new generations from the early ages are taught for this than none of this will happen. They won’t be shy to go for a consult to a sexologist if they have a problem. They won’t consider people crazy for going to a psychologist, or talk about football and politics in classes. But they’ll live a healthy normal life like every citizen of this country deserves to. And finally the reality will be a great place to be part of instead for creating our disastrous fairy tales all based on lies. Now stop and think about it, go back which one is the better solution? And when you do answer this question. What do you think now; is sexual education really a necessary think on our beautiful, honest country?

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Air Pollution In Prishtina:

An Alarming Issue That Needs To Gather Us All Arta Ahmeti Clean air is considered to be a basic requirement of human health and well being. Contrary to this statement, air pollution is becoming a major health and quality-of-life issue facing millions around the world, and most importantly, our capital city, Prishtina. With the development of industry, air pollution gradually increased, occurring inside homes, schools, offices and even in the countryside. As a result there has been an increase in the death rates resulting from various diseases caused by air pollution all around the world. Air pollution does not only affect people but it also damages the ecological system in which plants and animals are harmed as well. This problem has reached such a critical stage that it affects the earth's atmosphere as it lets in more harmful radiation from the sun. Our polluted atmosphere has created insulation within earth, thus, preventing heat from escaping back into space. If we investigate the major sources of pollution, we realize that they are caused by human activity. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina has installed an air quality monitor to measure pollution in Pristina’s air. The Embassy’s monitors collect data continuously; there are hourly updates on the website which are used to compute an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of from 0 to 500. The purpose of this measure-

ment is to explain what local air quality means to the population’s health. The word "Hazardous" constantly appears, meaning that AQI is greater than 300. This triggers a health warning of emergency conditions and the entire population is more likely to be affected. We can tell that the pollution in our capital is an alarming issue, but what is the specific the source of it? Ilir Morina, the head of the Agency of Environment Protection at the Ministry of Environment states that the main pollutants of air in Prishtina are old Vehicles and fuel burning companies. “Air Pollution is a huge problem occurring worldwide. I have to tell that the air right now is perilous and sometimes when there is no wind the index is way higher than normal.” Furthermore, he explains the main causes of the pollution.

The “Basic reason for Prishtina’s air pollution is coal mining and energy released by our producer of energy, Kosovo Energy Corporation(KEK)who operates through two power plants, located 5 km near Prishtina. Another concern are the old cars in the city that highly contribute to the pollution of air, along with the wood and coal household heating system and central coal-heating company "Termokos"- says Mr. Morina.

When asked about the measurements , he responded: “The apparatus needed for these measurements at the Ministry of Environment is non-professional. Because of poor conditions and technology, we frequently struggle while monitoring the pollution. I have to confirm that we don’t have enough funds to support us.”- Morina adds. The heating company "Termokos" covers most of the neighborhoods in Pristina, operating with oil and gas, which makes it clear that this company remains one of the main pollutants of our city. But the question is, what can we do as citizens to make this stop? However, there were various suggestions when solving this problem. Shpend Ahmeti, the mayor of Prishtina proposed that for one day, only people who have cars with odd registration number can drive, and then the following day would be cars with even registration number. This would hopefully reduce the cars on the road and the air pollution. Another suggestion is that as society we should spread awareness and try to walk on our way to school or work instead of using transportation. Trim Ilazi, one of the participants at PEN Organization (PEN EDUCATION NETWORK) was the first to take action with his group against air pollution. These young activists have put dolls covered with masks on their mouths while holding posters with different sayings on them, for instance “Our environment should not be destroyed for economic development”. “It is a duty of institutions and government to raise awareness and alarm people for what is happening.We even put the dolls in the front of the Ministry of Environment, but the police removed them quickly” says Trim. According to sources, air pollution is more harmful than water pollution. Even the citizens have shown concern for this issue, while most of them are very worried about their health. “When there is no wind, I often look at the U.S Embassy air pollution website. The index number is often above 200. I try not to leave the house because I personally have serious health problems and I am scared to be honest” said a citizen. People should take into account this issue and they should do whatever they can to keep our environment clean. So please, be a part of the solution, and not part of the pollution. Air Quality Monitor Prishtina, U.S. Embassy in Kosovo (Google Image)

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Women Empowerment Alba Llugiqi

In Kosovo, women are subjected to intense patriarchy. It’s very rare to have successful Albanian women like Besa Llugiqi, Vlora Citaku and Aida Derguti to influence others that they need to have equal opportunities in the workplace, politics, and economics. The Albanian woman stereotype is that women are expected to get married, have children, clean, cook, have everything ready and perfect once the husband or kids come home, and to still have the best appearance possible. One thing that must be pointed out is that not only do men have this stereotype for women but also women themselves have this stereotype on a very high pedestal. “Yes, but unfortunately this contribution in many cases is caused not only by men, but also by women who maintain the patriarchal order”- says Aida Derguti, the deputy speaker of

the parliament. When asked whether she thought that women were a major minority in Kosovo, she adds: “The success of change in society should be measured by results of work, the positive change that is achieved in society as a result of commitment of hard work” The main reason that men are the majority in many aspects of politics and economics is because “men invest in other men” as said by ASK student Belen Mckechnie. When asked about the average Albanian girl’s life, ambassador Vlora Citaku replied, “In Albanian culture the life of a stay at home wife who

constantly makes pite and flija is a good one” she jokes, “But now, we’re seeing a large pattern of women working more and not having children or getting married around the world. This is happening because women are becoming more educated and I think social media also greatly impacts this.” Social media is a main component in helping women realize that they can stand up against the government. Social media based news pages like AJ+ and BuzzFeed are showing the side of women's subjugation and how they fight back. Education is one of the many main key components when it comes to changing the mindset of society and ending the patriarchy that has suffocated women in every aspect. “If it wasn't for Valbona Bajrami and my parents pushing both my sister and I to get an education and pursue my interest in music before anything, I don’t think I would be performing in today.” says Soprano Besa Llugiqi. If we do not educate our children at young age that they do not need to follow such stereotypes, history will become an infinite timeline of men ruling over women and women will just assent to such inconsistent representation.

Besa Llugiqi, Soprano (Google Image)

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Stress Among Teenagers Edi Smajli Towards the end of the school year students become more enthusiastic because they see the end of it as more achievable, but there are always kids who feel unhappy and would want the semester to last longer because of their grades. This time is filled up with many assignments to complete, whether it is an U.S government worksheet or a magazine for the physics class. This means that students become overwhelmed with the workload and have no idea where to begin. This kind of behavior has to do with their emotions and feeling stressed. An expert psychologist named Lirje Lokaj said “All of this stress is not caused spontaneously but it is caused by humans”. According to a Challenge Success report, the age that stress is most reflected is on the high school students because they want to have success but they pass through difficult times getting there and this comes due to the fact of growing”. “Sometimes stress does not affect into us only in a negative way, since there are two types of stresses, a good stress or as a psychological term “eustress” and a bad stress” adds Lokaj. A good stress is the type of stress when you feel happy or excited for something that is going to happen and there is no fear while a bad stress is the one that causes you fear and makes you feel ill and sick in some cases. “The most

common type of stress that high school students deal with is the bad stress and this is shown at the end of the semester or at the end of the year” says Lokaj. So, then are school assignments causing stress to the students? “It all depends from the school and the curriculum that the school has and how busy it is. However, this might affect because there is a ton of assignments due in a day and of course the student will be feeling stressed out for many reasons such as not being able to finish all tasks on time, not finishing it the right way and worrying about the grade” Lokaj adds. If for example there are a lot of assignments to get done for a night then the stress will not allow the kid sleep, relaxed and calm because his/her brain is focused on whether they get a good grade. “It is so important that the sleeping cycle is not ruined for teenagers because this is the period where they grow and all their organs transform or prepare for the adult body” Lokaj includes. “The importance is finding a perfect time that works best for every individual and then people wouldn’t be feeling stressful and would also achieve things in the future that they set” says Viona Sejdiu a senior student at ASK.

not get so stressed out because of school, because in the end we still are going to be accepted at a university and then when we think back what we did is risked our health” adds Sejdiu.

Viona Sejdiu, ASK Senior

Lirije Lokaj, Psychologist

“The Brain cannot take a lot of information in a couple of minutes and that’s why it happens that 80% of the students forget what was said in class. Reviewing your notes after school is very important since in this way you won’t forget them” Lokaj expresses. “Having a class for more than sixty minutes isn’t preferable at all because the student’s concentration and teacher’s concentration loses, the energy decreases and the stress increases, it is proven by other famous psychologist in the world that the brain can’t accept information that easily after 45 -50 minutes of class” says the Lokaj. “I feel stressed a lot this time, because I have to study a lot and complete many assignments on time in order to keep my grades high” says Sejdiu. “School is not the only place where we feel stressed out because there are times that people do not feel comfortable at home because of their family members” points out the Lokaj. “Like a pianist who is ready to give a great performance feels stressed out before he/she starts to play the instrument” mentioned Sejdiu. “After all, we as students have to try our best to relax and

On the other hand the psychologist noted that “The two main reasons of bad stresses that adults handle is job losing, or financial problems, however, some ways of reducing stress in humans are avoiding negative thinking; never think that you cannot achieve something. Organize your life, as mentioned before and set the goals that you want to accomplish for a day. Stop worrying about things you can’t change. This exactly connects with high school students because if they get a bad grade they need to deal with it and not be sad and mad about it because they cannot bring the time back. Develop a sense of humor; this is important for all the people because no matter how sad, angry you feel just because you lost your job try to add humor to it and the stress will be removed and you will feel much better. Try to have more personal talks with members you know of, discussing with your family members, friends or even the psychologist if needed because it is the best thing to do, because in that way you will feel much better, and much happier and most importantly more positive about yourself” In the end Lokaj suggests that “we should give it a try to fights stress and be calm and happy like all human beings deserve to live”.

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Ammunition for Argumentation Bert Hasani Well, for a start, let's take a look at how gun laws work here. The main issue you're probably wondering about: do people have a right to bear arms in Kosovo? To put it simply, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by the law. Although, that doesn't mean there aren't people who bear arms. In fact, the number of guns owned by people in Kosovo, both legal and illegal, are estimated at 400,000 according to a UNDP survey. On January 17, 2017, the Minister of Internal Affairs in Kosovo, Skender Hyseni, during the presentation of the new Draft Law for legalizing weapons and the surrender of small arms and light weapons, ammunition and explosives to the Kosovo Assembly, said that about 250 thousand illegal arms are in possession of citizens. He even claimed that for every seven people, one person owns an illegal firearm in Kosovo (that's about 300,000), one of the highest rates in all of Europe. The country is even ranked in the top 30 out of 178 countries on private gun ownership. Hyseni also stated that the police confiscate 1.300 illegal arms during one year.

suddenly I hear these two bangs and people start running. I remember seeing a black bag on stage. I was afraid for my life.” After informing the victim of Kosovo’s gun rates, I asked them if they'd like the government to crack down on gun control. They responded with a resounding yes, also commenting that the increased security at the following festival made them feel much safer.

For perspective, I have confronted a person about his experience with gun violence first hand, specifically during last year's Beerfest. “We were all having fun; drinking and dancing, when

The easy access to guns has an obvious correlation with Kosovo’s crime rate, which is why we have international organizations like the UNDP. Among many other things, they work

It was during the early to mid 2000s that international organizations (such as the UN and EU) got involved with efforts to put a stop to organized crime and the illegal use of arms. What might be most relevant to guns in the country is this quote from the 2012 Crime and Safety Report from OSAC. “Criminals often commit crimes while armed with handguns, as weapons are fairly easy to obtain.” As for which way the crime rate is headed, the Kosovo Police report of 2016 has shown that the gun crimes last year have decreased a significant 37.89% as only 59 gun related crimes have been reported compared to 2015’s 95. It's safe to say they're on the way down.

Kosovo Marks International Gun Destruction Day – Destroys over 700 Small Arms, UNDP

people of the excessive amount of guns and their poor security in the country. In 2014 they managed to destroy a collective of over 700 small arms as well as over 1000 spare parts with the help of the Kosovo Police and EU. While they've only made a dent into the huge numbers of weapons floating around, it shows an effort to improve, and you must start somewhere. “It is an effective method of reducing both the actual number, as well as the supply of weapons on and to the illicit market. In contrast to other methods of disposal such as sale or gift, destruction ensures that SALW (Small Arms and Light Weapons) will not find their way (back) into the illicit market and can thus build confidence in overall efforts to prevent, combat, and eradicate their unlawful trade of SALW among the people of Kosovo.”, stated Mr. Bajram Rexhepi, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative. With laws that don't strictly regulate the ownership of such weapons, it is only logical to wonder how they make their way into the hands of the country's citizens. One of the many answers is gunrunners, people who are engaged in the sale of illegal firearms. In an interview with Balkan Insight, one gunrunner comments on how he sells his weapons for as low as 80 euros, claiming they're so cheap even children can buy them. There are also a myriad of other loopholes that allow you to own as much as a rifle, for example, hunting reasons. Police aren't even required to do background checks because of the current legislation. But really, there are only around 10,000 actual hunters in Kosovo compared to the 50,000 thrown around by the hunter’s federation according to hunting associations. That's quite a large gap, leaving a lot of gun owner’s

ASK OBSERVER intentions a mystery.The UNDP conducted a survey, and about 23% of their participants said wanted a gun to protect themselves and their families, which sheds a little light on why many would oppose an outright ban. This draws lines to some current controversies happening in America where many are protesting the right to own a gun amidst recent shootings. Occurrences like last year's Orlando raise a lot of questions and conversations about the management of guns in the country which could be quite healthy for the improvement and development of gun control everywhere in the world. It may be surprising to even hear a comparatively more largely developed country such as America have the same issues as Kosovo regarding the topic. The lack of extensive background checks is being heavily criticized on both sides, so perhaps a united effort could be of great use, benefiting the people greatly. As previously associated, the more guns that there are about in the wild, or at least illegal guns, the more crime there is to be subject to. A large part of OSAC reports every year is the feeling of security within a countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s citizens. Do you feel in danger simply walking home or going to a festival? If the answer is no, adding more regulation to such lethal weapons could be a benefit to you. Or maybe, it'd be just one less thing to worry about.

Helping You Find Your Path into Making a Difference AFS is also known as the American Field Service. It is a nonprofit organization and is focused on intercultural learning. The organization allows students from around the world to participate in high school exchange programs in 40 different countries, as well as seminars, team building activities and volunteer work around the world. It seeks to unite young people of all different cultures and backgrounds and has been doing so for the past 70 years. Talking my best friend Zehra-Astrid Merdžanić, I found out about the organization. In her sophomore year of high school she decided she wanted to take part in a high school exchange program in order to better her French language and obtain new experiences. “I was really keen on leaving Sarajevo, for a year for me to experience a different high school lifestyle”, she said when I asked her why she chose to take part in the exchange. Zehra has grown up in a multicultural household being the daughter of two Bosnian immigrants that fled to Sweden during the 1992/1995 war. She spent her early years in Sweden and moved to Sarajevo at the age of 5, and has lived there ever since. “I have travelled my whole life with my family but I really wanted to know what it was like to live in another country and what people my age

were like in different areas of the world”. Zehra took it upon herself to find which exchange program best fitted her criteria, whilst doing research online she came across the AFS website. When reading about the organization and what it did she realized AFS was for her. “I thought it was interesting because it didn't only focus on sending students on exchange but rather implementing intercultural learning, understanding of cultures and peace during the exchange”. After spending a year in the south of France, Zehra returned to Sarajevo with a new way of seeing things. “I learnt a lot during my exchange, I experience what it was like to not live in the capital city of a country and what worries students of my age from France had”.Today, at 17 and

Girls at the conference in Brussels by Zehra-Astrid Merdžanić

ASK OBSERVER two years after her first interaction with AFS she is an active member and volunteer for the Bosnian AFS committee, she has taken part in seminars as a participant in 2015 in Brussels and Venice, and has been a volunteer and trainer in events across Europe in 2016. Úlfur Atli Stefaníuson was born and raised in Iceland. Growing up, he was eager to encounter new cultures and experiences. His discovery of AFS was a bit different to Zehra’s as he learnt about the organization during a school presentation. When I asked him about his first impressions of the organization he said “The idea of spending a year abroad in a country so far away from Iceland was really exciting”. Úlfur took part in a yearlong exchange program in Paraguay from 2013 to 2014. During his stay there he met many new people and learned about things he had never heard of, “what was most interesting for me were the cultural differences between Iceland and Paraguay”- says Ulfur. Apart from that, he has taken part in several AFS events as a volunteer as well as an organizer, where he organized an exchange between the Icelandic, Slovak, German and Portuguese AFS offices. In addition to meeting new people and learning about different cultures, one of the best things he said to have learned were his “management and interpersonal skills”.

My final question to both Zehra and Úlfur was “In what ways do you think AFS can improve their advertisement and how can they make sure they are reaching out to as many young people as possible?” They both mentioned the fact that social media plays an incredibly important role in the lives of young people today and will continue to do so in the future. “A great way to reach out to teenagers is through things such as Twitter or Facebook” says Zehra, “Short and concise messages about the options AFS has to offer young adults are the best way to grab their attention”. But not only this, Úlfur mentioned the importance of educating schools on the options their students have outside of their country or city. “Taking AFS volunteers and taking them to schools around their country or city would be a great way to advertise the organization. It would give the students a real-life idea of what it is like to volunteer and take part in AFS events, rather than just a teacher talking about it in class”. Overall, looking into the AFS website is a great way to begin making an impact in your community and those around the world. Learning and meeting about new places and people is the best way to ensure that our future generations grow more open minded and accepting than us, and thus allowing people to achieve total equality and respect from those around them and those who are in power.

The life Beneath The "Camo"(-uflage) Andreea-C. Baboi

How to Obey the Rules and Still be Cool You maybe had seen people in their uniforms walking around the streets, staying straight and usually doing the "head-to-the-temple" salute. But did you ever wonder what do they think about? What are their hobbies? Or do you think that they are just like robots that only know to subordinate to their superiors and don't really have a "personal life"? If the answers you thought about were unclear, or not even "reasonable", confusing, then this article is exactly what you need.

in her eyes when she spoke about her job. You can guess how into it she is. When it came to talk about family, she told me that she has a little son, and whenever she can, she takes him to mountain trips and mostly hiking. As for hobbies, she prefers bicycling, running, and winter sports. She also mentioned that to be a soldier, this requires bravery and, depending what do you want to work as, a thirst for knowledge: "Guess what, learning does not stop when you finish your University".

The thing is that people do not usually get to really talk to a soldier, because one cannot just walk around and ask them random questions. Well, sometimes you do. Because of the curiosity, of course! There had been three different soldiers that were willing to answer to my childish-like questions, but their names will not be shown, due to confidentiality. The two women are from Ireland and The Czech Republic, and the man is from Greece. They all were pretty friendly and opened.

The second one is the lady from Ireland. She had a little of a more formal attitude, she was just as relaxed as the first one. She does work as an OR-8, and she started off in 1997 by joining the Irish Defense Forces as an Infantry unit. She is here since September 2016 (for the third time) and she enjoys being here to the fullest. The part that she likes the most is that she got to learn a lot about the different cultures, societies, diversity in people and how to achieve her goals by working in a team. Her family relationships are really tight, she has two daughters, but her husband works in the same domain so it is easier to communicate and be connected to each other.

The first one who I talked to was the lady from The Czech Republic. She currently works as an OF-2(Lieutenant). She started her career in 2005 in the Czech Military and entered afterwards in the Defense Military Academy. She does enjoy working more in an international environment rather than only with colleagues from the same country, because it brings more diversity. While interviewing her, I saw the flame

Hm..the man from Greece, he is an OF-1( First- Lieutenant) and he is here since almost a year ago. As being a little bit older, he joined the military service in Greece, 1990. He had and still has a big passion for giving his best in helping out people. He had

ASK OBSERVER been gone through a lot of work until he got to be present here.When I asked him about his feelings towards the international environment he frenetically said a convinced "Absolutely!". He has, as he told me, a beautiful wife and two daughters, of who he is really proud. He communicates a lot with them through Skype, and it seemed that they had a good rela-

tionship, even at such a distance (not too far, but still not the same country They all had in common their passion for working, but I asked them a bonus question, which it was: "Do you think that there is a balance between obedience and freedom? Or, to be more specific, between rules and "coolness"?". All of them gave me similar answers, but the one that suits the most sounds like that: "If you do refer to back when I was your age, I am going to tell you one thing. Growing up comes with advantages and some little so-called disadvantages. While in high school, everyone tries to act cool so as to be more impressive and remarkable in some way than the others. It is your choice the way that you want to be seen. Do your best and try to keep your image at the level that you won't regret it later. So did I, and look at me. I am suc-

cessful (at least I think so), I am happy, I have a family which I love, and I even do have time for myself. Can you believe it?" The point is that there is more hiding out there than just a "rough-alike" image, subordinated to a superior institution/ organization. They are actually normal people who get united so that conflicts get solved and people sleep peacefully at night. And they do this by choice. It is just simply their will to do well. Also the experience of being a soldier does not mean that you just "put on your uniform and go to war and all you see is blood". Just to get there, it takes you years of experience, patience, and also boldness. But it is not boring; it is the type of routine that "always changes". It's a paradox somehow. They do show respect, but they have fun too, as we do as students: going to field trips, doing team-building activities, and so on. Although you would think that being a soldier does not let you afford a "personal life", there are so many examples of persons that achieved the state of happiness in their relations, even though it seems tough because of the distance. I can tell you for sure that those three people that I interviewed are not the only ones who are so successful, you cannot imagine how many are just the same as they are: joining together for causes that not everyone has the courage to involve in. People who live a little more dangerously than the others, but they do enjoy it. Why so? Because out of this, there is accomplishment, and also the spiritual reward: they save lives.

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