Isn’t it amazing how nothing in life is constant? Everything changes, grows, shrinks, evolves. The relationships between human beings are probably the most interesting ones to observe – those if anything constantly change. Is it from relationships around us that we learn the most? Do we change because of change or is it the way in which we deal with change that changes us?

It doesn’t seem to matter how old or mature we are, heartache and sadness is still heartache and sadness. When we find ourselves loosing a lover or a friend, when another story of two becoming one intentionally or unintentionally goes to waste as it reaches its last chapter, it doesn’t seem to matter in what way it gets lost, it hurts all the same and the bitter aftertaste cannot be washed away even with the strongest coffee.

One of the things life can seem to teach us is that there are no escape plans to get away from fate – just vague instruction manuals suggesting that the only way of surviving unpredictability is being prepared for it. And when a new day arises, the sun is still the sun. How would we ever be able to appreciate it we never felt heartache or sadness?

Photo courtesy: Anna Wiman.

The heart of Brussels – La Grand Place.

Spring in Brussels.

Berlaymont building, home of the European Commission.

Stockholm – European Green Capital 2010.

Rond-point Schuman is surrounded by EU buildings and other offices and according to the locals it is Brussels ugliest roundabout, haha.

View from Think Young’s office at Rond-point Schuman 6.

Workshop at Palais des Academies with JADE.

Andrea Gerosa, founder of Think Young and holder of the workshop.

Kelsey and Ben in Park du Cinquantenaire.

Ben in Park du Cinquantenaire.

Kelsey in Park du Cinquantenaire

Cathédrale Saint-Michel, reminds me of Notre Dame in Paris!

European Parliament

La Grand Place.

Palais Royal de Bruxelles

This 25 km long canyon is located in the west, close to the border with Montenegro. Kosovo’s second largest city, Pejë, is located at the entrance of the canyon. Not only is this one of the nicest places in Kosovo with fresh air and beautiful mountain and valleys, it’s also a natural source that helps the economy of the Republic of Kosovo go around. There’s no doubt that Kosovo is a developing country on close to every level in society. And sometimes, big government processes maybe isn’t the solution from the beginning…

The Rugova Canyon, "Gryka e Rugovës", Kosovo, march 2009

When living in Kosovo, writer and poet Elizabeth Gowing single-handedly started a little campaign to promote the importance of local foods for the Kosovo economy by printing campaign business cards and giving them to waiters in restaurants where Kosovo products were not an option on the menu.

On her website, it reads:

The people of Kosovo are passionate about their country. But their passion doesn’t always extend to the products of their country. And Kosovo’s international visitors’ snobbery, ignorance or fear fuels a sense that the products of Kosovo are inferior to their imported equivalents. So fewer people buy Kosovan mineral water, fruit juice, milk, honey, vegetables, beer, wine, handcrafts… And less money goes into the Kosovan economy, so the quality of Kosovan mineral water, fruit juice, milk, honey, vegetables, beer, wine, handcrafts… decreases.

Ujë burimi Rugovë - Rugova spring water from Kosovo

Elizabeth established the Facebook group “Could I have a glass of Kosovan mineral water please (A mundem m’e pase nje gote e ujes të Kosovës)” to increase the awareness of Kosovo products. The description of the group reads:

Kosovo has such delicious water (from Kllokot, Rugova, Dea…) and yet I keep being served mineral water here that has flown for miles, and is enriching the economy of Italy rather than Kosovo. I’m wondering how many people asking for Kosovan water in the cafes it will take to change what’s made available…Will you stop drinking San Pellegrino and start asking for Kosovan mineral water?

Buying products imported from all over Europe makes no sense when excellent products are made right in the heart of the country itself, many of which are often cheaper than imported alternatives. When I lived in Kosovo last summer I only enjoyed the country’s own quality vegetables, fine wine and great beer, as well as the local water. Buying local products to a larger extent would truly do the economy of this little Balkan country more than good.

Join the Facebook group today! Also read Elizabeth Gowing’s article on the matter in New Kosova Report: “Your money where you mouth is: Why Kosovo needs us to eat local“.

Photo courtesy: Anna Wiman.

I would have never behaved like this in Kosovo. Standing still at an intersection, no matter what speed the traffic was moving in, would have been ridiculous. If people would behave with German preciseness in Kosovo traffic, the amount of hurt pedestrians would tripple in no time! I quickly had to learn that sometimes the only way of staying safe in Prishtina traffic was to move instead of patiently wait for my turn because of the simple fact that there is no “my turn” – there is only something called “coordination”. Both driving in Kosovo and being a pedestrian requires an understanding for the art of true cooperation.

Traffic in Kosovo is… interesting. Newly arrived to the country, you will, at some point, end up behind a slow tractor, a horse-drawn cart, a “Kosovo Harley” or a wedding caravan on even the major highways and you will ask yourself what on earth is going on. Once you realise that it is a fact of life that there is no way of getting away from these situations and no point in even trying to get out of the traffic jam mess, you are ready to receive the diploma of understanding Kosovo traffic. Both the “Kosovo Harley” and the wedding caravan can be seen in the picture above, taken on a sunny Sunday in July 2009. This is the month when all the diaspora comes back to Kosovo for summer holiday and half of them seem to get married during this time. The typical wedding caravan never drives faster than 50km/h, no matter what road they are on, constantly blowing the horn to attract attention and to celebrate the happiness over the newly wed couple.

I had a good laugh when a Kosovar friend my age sent me a list making fun of Kosovo traffic and Kosovar drivers. The list needs to be read with a good portion of irony and humor. I experienced everything on this list – as a pedestrian but also as a driver.

Inofficial traffic rules of Kosovo:
1. You need to know how to blow the horn before you start driving.
2. It’s OK to just stop in the middle of the road if you see someone you know and want to talk to on the sidewalk.
3. Sidewalks do not exist for pedestrians, they are for parking (and driving).
4. Cutting other vehicles off in any situation is totally acceptable.
5. To avoid all pot holes, swerving into other vehicles and pedestrians is sometimes necessary.
6. If you want to drive in Kosovo, you have to learn how to park over the curb.
7. When traffic comes to a complete stop – blow the horn.
8. When overtaking vehicles, the traffic in the other lane should get out of the way. If they don’t, just blow the horn.
9. Wear the seatbelt only if you feel like it.
10. The safety of pedestrians is not important.
12. You can drive wherever by flashing the lights and blowing the horn.
13. If an accident occurs, it’s always the other driver’s fault.
14. Parking is allowed anywhere, at all times. Even in the middle of the road.
15. A car that doesn’t have a horn is a useless car. The horn is the most important part of the car.

Photo courtesy: Anna Wiman.

The future of Kosovo celebrating independence day

How I wish I could have been in Prishtina three days ago. The Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia February 17th 2008, 9 years after the NATO bombing campaign that drove Serbian military forces out of Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, and by that stopped the killing of ethnic Albanians. Two years ago, state after state recognized the newborn country as Kosovars danced in the streets of Prishtina. So far, 65 countries have recognized Kosovo.

The amount of recognizing states has slowed down since. The 127 UN member states choosing not to recognize the Republic of Kosovo are probably waiting with their decision until the International Court of Justice, the hightest court within the United Nations, announces the verdict on the validity of the decelaration of independence.

Reuters reported on February 16th that Western countries wants Kosovo to stop relying on donors and instead “take more resolute steps to fight poverty, crime and corruption”. The road towards independence was long and the road ahead is not easy either. Kosovo, a country of 2 million people, most of which are ethnic Albanians, is one of Europe’s poorest countries and has received 4 million euros in aid since the Kosovo war ended in 1999.

15% of GDP is donor help and exports cover only 10% of imports. The annual per capita income is 1.760 euros. The EU average is 24.000 euros. Foreign investors hesitate to invest in Kosovo because of the tensions between the Albanian majority and the Serbian minority. Although around 10.000 NATO military troops and 2.000 police and judges from the EU are present in Kosovo, the country continues to be a place for organized crime activities and corruption.

The key to developing Kosovo is by focusing more on the young population. I met so many people my age last summer, keen to learn, keen to explore, keen to experience, keen to develop their country. A huge amount of young people is walking around, wanting to help and contribute. But with 45% of the population living in poverty and 40% of the population being unemployed, being able to afford an education is hard. Non-governmental organizations based in Kosovo and international organizations that don’t just give money but give educational aid in the form of educational material, organizing of summer schools, scholarships etc are crucial for the development of Kosovo.

How I wish I could have been in Prishtina three days ago. I would have danced in the streets, together with my fellow young Europeans, who should have the right to an education and the possibility to travel freely just as much as me.

Photo courtesy: Al Jazeera.

“Attitude is your paintbrush. How will you paint your day?”

A friend of mine in Albania just shared this saying with me today. I’ve heard the core value in this quote expressed in many different ways, but the fact that it is you and no one else that can paint your day still stands – it’s a constant fact no matter where you come from, what sex or age you are, what religion you believe in or what color your skin is. I think it’s vital to keep in mind in order to even being able to lead a balanced life. Unfortunately, it seems to be easily forgotten.

For me, on a personal level, the quote is about understanding that everybody is their own boss and that the attitude one decides to uphold not only influences whatever choices one makes but also the way in which one is seen by other people. For me, the key to living a succesful and dynamic life is patience, understanding, self-respect – and hard work. Recently, I’ve discovered more of my own power. I can make things happen if I really want to.

But when it all comes down to it - is having the “right” attitude towards things enough to find the key to happiness? I believe that everything needs its time. I’ve come to understand the point of going through different phases. Accepting the fact that the human being is and will always be an emotional creature is hard when we sometimes realise how much inside us and underneath our skin needs lots of energy to deal with.

I’ve learned a lot about attitude the last eight months. I don’t think being able to handle one’s “attitude” is about changing it whenever it “fits”, but I am a strong beliver of embracing flexibility and taking on an understanding approach. Working and living in Kosovo was probably all about flexibility and understanding. I’ve never met so many different people with such extreme differences in their backgrounds, ideas and opinions.

What colors I choose to paint my day with and why probably not only inflences today but the rest of my life. How can young people know what colors to choose? Is life about learning and knowing what colors to choose?

Or as my friend said: The way we decide to paint our day is what we are.

Photo courtesy: thedailygreen.com.

“There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damn lies and statistics”

The last two weeks have been intense. Two days ago, I took the statistics exam that had been a weight on my shoulders for months. I was determined to try and do my best, although maths is truly one of my biggest horrors (not my strong side what so ever…) plus the fact that the course was being taught in another language than my mother tongue. Fortunately, I am blessed with having a wonderful German friend who can do statistics in his sleep and it’s because of him that there is a slight chance that I might have passed this exam! I can’t wait for the results! The importance and value of statistics is not to turn away from, but the quote above, by Mark Twain, really amuses me.

In the middle of learning about variance, standard deviation, correlation and histograms, the contract of my old room ran out and I had to move to a new place. After living with two German guys in a very nice shared apartment for six months at the main square, literally in the city centre of Lüneburg, I’ve moved to another shared apartment a 15-minute walk from there, at the outskirts of the old part of town. The new place is bigger – I share it with two boys and two girls. My accomodation is very important for the next six weeks – I need a big desk and a lot of light to be able to do all the work I want to do. Other than a nice desk to work at and a big window that lets in lots of light, my room also has a double bed and a walk-in closet (!). What more can a young woman ask for?

Lulzim Peci, ambassador of Kosovo to Sweden

According to a press release from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs on February 4th, the newly appointed ambassador of Kosovo to Sweden, Lulzim Peci, has submitted his credentials to His Majesty the King, Carl Gustaf XVI. New Kosova Report reports that Mr Peci expressed his graditute for the help Sweden has given Kosovo and informed HM King about the progress made in the country. HM King Carl XVI Gustaf and Princess Victoria expressed their interest in the economic development and the importance of protecting the environment in Kosovo.

Photo courtesy: Kosova Press.

Portugese KFOR soldier

“Kosovo is a success story”.

These were the words of the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen during last week’s two-day meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Istanbul, Turkey, focusing on reviewing operations in Afghanistan and the security situation in Kosovo. ”Kosovo is facing challenges that are not of a military nature. NATO is looking into the possibility to increase its troops in Afghanistan, by reducing its troops in Kosovo”. Afghanistan, despite its improvement after a difficuelt year, is in the need of increased deployment of army and police instructors to help Afghan government forces assume responsibility for security.

Although an official decision has not been taken yet, NATO’s plans to downsize their troops in Kosovo once again to less than 4000 during 2011 does not come as a surprise. Regarding security, Kosovo has marked a significant progress, which is why the KFOR troops reduction happened recently in the first place. Werner Almhofer, Head of  the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said that the OSCE Mission in Kosovo should monitor the effect of KFOR reductions on Kosovo. Despite recognizing the improved security situation in the country in general, he stressed that there are still tentions in the north of Kosovo, the situation being relatively stable, but fragile.

Meanwhile in Belgrade, Serbian media reported on a rather interesting statement made by Russias ambassador to Serbia, Aleksandr Konuzin. “By joining NATO Serbia would recognize Kosovo, because the alliance regards Kosovo as an independent state. Joining NATO would mean sharing this point of view. Serbia can’t have both NATO and Kosovo”. Furthermore, Konuzin supports the decision to whether Serbia should join NATO to be made through a referendum and stated that Russia’s relationship with other countries depend on those countries ties with NATO. “Naive people trust NATO”, Konuzin said.

Photo courtesy: NATO.

Westminster Abbey. Few Londoners take the opportunity to actually stop sometimes and observe the beauty of London. It truly feels like the abbey stands strong with all its glory while the city barely seems to notice as it rushes by.

Side street in Belgravia neighbourhood. I enjoyed a nice lunch with an ex-collegue and friend at Belgrave Square a.k.a “Embassy Land”. Around the corner in the neighbourhood I found this little pittoresque side street.

Attended a seminar and discussion at London School of Economics. Spoke to as well as listened to correspondents from The Economist and BBC speak about current Balkan and Eastern European issues.

The family and the jogger. Starting off at Buckingham Palace, enjoying Green Park along the Princess Diana of Wales Memorial Walk. The air was fresh and people started taking off their coats in the sunshine – London at its best.

Paradise at Charing Cross Road. Established in 1903, Foyles book store is one of the oldest book stores in London and also said to be one of the best. It was once listed in Guiness Book of Records because of its book shelf area (50 km in total). It truly is a gem - ”I’m just going to pop in” always ends up with me being stuck at least two hours and never leaving empty-handed.

Shaky Big Ben. Tried to get a new perspective on Big Ben, so often photographed and admired from visitors from all over the world.

A – Z map. Central London in my pocket. Because getting lost is just part of the deal. Also, the reason why I always become owner of blistered feet when visiting the city is probably becauce of the fact that walking crazy distances between stations instead of using the tube seems more fun.

Young Londoner in Hyde Park. This young man drinking Red Bull with loud music in his earphones had no idea I took this photo of him at Hyde Park Corner, close to the Marble Arch at the Oxford Street/Park Lane intersection.

London cab. As much as I tried to catch the most yellow taxis possible when visiting New York City, I try catching the old-fashioned type of taxis in London (unfortunately they are becoming more and more rare), complete with an old white-haired gentleman wearing a checked cap, preferebly called “James”, saying things like “Where to, miss?” and “Thank you, love”.

Photo courtesy: Anna Wiman.