Introduction of English in my native language – Albanian in Kosovo

I have chosen to explain how English was introduced in our society. I have identified four main pillars: Family, School, Media and lately International Presence in Kosovo.

In some families was very important to learn English. Let say my few friend’s parents completed their master or PhDs in English speaking countries. This made my friends attend school in English speaking countries meaning English schools. Some of them had their parents as ambassadors, counselors or company representative at that time Yugoslavia’s reps in countries all over the world, and the official language for them was English.

English language was introduced in my native language since I started schooling. In our educational curriculum English language as a subject is since 4th grade, where we start learning Basic English.

Media as the second pillar I consider it as the most important one. I watched MTV since I was ten and all the shows and songs were in English. Therefore I learned and improved my English since being very young. An enormous impact also had when I start becoming a fan of specific music band and then I started collecting their lyrics and posters. The only way to get information about a certain band I had to buy magazines in English language in order to find out what is going on in their lives. Teenage stuff but when I look back helped me positively. Movies were also influential when looking at the language perspective. Movies even in our local TV media were not synchronized consequently this provided us with the opportunity to learn and improve an English language.

However bigger of the biggest influence was since in Kosovo, the United Nations took on a sweeping undertaking that was exceptional in both its scope and structural complexity. No other mission had ever been designed in a way that other multilateral organizations were full partners under United Nations leadership. So since 1999 Kosovo is administered by United Nation Mission in Kosovo. The task before the international community is to help the people in Kosovo to rebuild their lives and heal the wounds of conflict.

Under this administration English language became a necessity in order to be available in current job market in Kosovo. Police, Justice and Civil Administration are under the direct leadership of the United Nations; Democratization and Institution Building is led by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Reconstruction and Economic Development is led by the European Union (EU). Thus, to get a job with above mentioned institutions you need to have pretty good English. Also non-governmental organizations whether local or international you need English. If local you need to fundraise, and usually the main donors are English speakers and if international NGO English language it is a must.

Media THEN and NOW

The first printed newspaper was published in 1605 in Strasbourg, which is now France but then an imperial free city in the Holy Roman Empire. Until radio broadcasts emerged print media was the only source of information for public.

Walter Ong, once said "Print situates words in space more relentlessly than writing ever did ... By and large, printed text are far easier to read than manuscript texts. The effects of the greater legibility of print are massive. The greater legibility makes for rapid, silent reading. Such reading in turn makes for a different relationship between the reader and the authorial voice in the text and calls for different styles of writing...Manuscript culture is producer-oriented ... Print is consumer-oriented ..."

Since only print media existed how this medium did influence public opinion?
Well just as it does today I believe. My personal opinion about how public got influenced by the media coverage is that they’ve chosen to believe completely in order to create a comfort atmosphere for them. The perception of strong influence of media coverage indirectly leads the public into something that they want to believe or into something that is believable and consumable for them. What I am trying to say with print media only, public was easier to be manipulated due to the lack of other sources of information. I might conclude that it was easier for journalist to publish anything without fearing that public will have the chance to investigate. In the other hand the only challenge for journalist might have been collecting the data and information as a result of absence of other media, internet etc.

The life of a journalist in general now and then is extremely busy due to the traveling expected. Journalist must be flexible, tremendously creative and fast, visionary meaning having a clear vision in order for them to succeed, be the best and positioning them well in the society, and be with positive reputation. Journalist should definitely stay relevant and maintain quality.

I believe that people were better off than we are today, attributable to the fact of less information and possibilities to know more, which create an easier life style. As a disadvantage I consider, is that people are human beings that can absorb more than what they were able to at that time.

Personally I think that they lacked access to information comparing to us in the future. With the technology development for the journalist at that time was very difficult to reach information comparing to today with internet and online readings. Today, media management is a global phenomenon, and research and inquiry in the field of media management crosses interdisciplinary lines, theoretical domains, and political systems. To understand contemporary trends and patterns in media management research, it is first helpful to review the major historical contributions to general management theory.

Speaking in front of an audience

I had to speak in front of an audience many times but this time I will share with you a speech which was very strange.

One year ago my friends and I were invited to a V.I.P wedding here in Kosovo. We went there and suddenly I was approached by a wedding planner and I was asked to read a letter in front of 1000 guests.

I had to read a congratulation letter in Albanian and English. This letter was written by our late President Dr. Ibrahim Rugova. He was sending his wishes and greetings to the newly weds, and the family and also justifying his absence.
First I had a million butterflies just because the letter was from the President. On top of that 1000 guests and all these V.I.Ps from political and all other spheres were there.

I started practicing in the toilet because that was the only quiet place, so I missed the party. Even though I was trying hard to memorize few sentences so I wouldn’t have to read line by line, still I was not focused enough. I was missing the fun and also I was not prepared to go in front of these people and give a speech.

During the speech I was shaking so bad that I had difficulties to keep the letter in front of me and follow each sentence. Once I moved my eyes away from the letter and I saw that Prime Minister and all other ministers were in front of me and carefully listening I start shaking even more, I could tell from my letter that I had in front.

The biggest problem was that I couldn’t memorize anything due to short notice and due to my panic. The panic never went away. But I still did it and received huge applause, maybe not because I was good but because it was President’s letter.
I had to read this letter because it was in English, too, so the wedding planner thought I could be the one that read Albanian as well as English.

After, I felt much relieved and I’ve been told that I was much better in English than in Albanian. I felt OK, continued drinking and dancing. That’s why I went there initially to have fun not to read someone else’s speech. I was able to finally enjoy the party.

The only thing that I didn’t like was that during the whole night I was stared at by all guests present in that hall. Probably they were curious to know who am I that had the chance to read President’s letter, because officially I am not presidency’s spokesperson. This confused them of not being able to find out who I am, and why me reading the letter.

Weird situation, ha?

Majority and minority dilemma

I personally believe that every single human being is important. Coming from Kosovo it gives me the opportunity to personalize this essay a little bit. As Albanians from Kosovo we have been excluded forever in Yugoslavia.

Being Albanian in former Yugoslavia was not easy. We were marginalized and completely excluded. It is a burden when you know that majority in your country at that time Yugoslavia look at you as less important citizen. Or even in my hometown Prishtina where majority were not Serbs but still they were ruling. Sometimes I would get strange reactions from them, by calling me names which would humiliate me or degrade me. Sometimes that didn’t have to say anything you could have sense it in the air.

Currently I am a majority and I definitely feel very OK. Being able to walk freely down the street without anyone judging just for your different ethnicity is a wonderful feeling. However I never forget about minorities and I try to be as polite as possible with them, because I know best how painful it is to be treated badly. I am not saying that they should be privileged because we will face positive discrimination. However minorities should be treated for what they deserve or what every world citizen deserves.

Trying to explain the current political situation in Kosovo would take me hours.
As the saying goes “it takes two to tango”. That’s how I define situation in Kosovo when we discuss minority integration. Our Kosovo governmental institutions are not doing their best to integrate Serb minorities. They offer education and media in their own language. Also the power is decentralized in order to offer all citizens’ services in their local communities; all religious groups within Kosovo can freely practice their religion etc.

On the other hand, Serb minority is giving zero contribution to integrate.They are still ruled by Belgrade which stops their integration and stops their development. To my understanding Belgrade does not rule them for their benefit but is more manipulation in order to distract every progressive process that happens in Kosovo. Serbs from Kosovo boycotted our governmental institutions right from the beginning. When you have reserved seats in the national parliament and you boycott the highest institution; and you decide to turn down self-representation then you cannot complain.

Also people in general from both ethnicities have anger, hate and amount of revenge feeling from the past, which currently makes reconciliation impossible or very hard.

My personal opinion is that the only way to keep every citizen satisfied equal opportunities should be provided.
Inclusion is the key to harmony. If you leave certain ethnic, racial, or religious group excluded from political, social and economical processes people accumulate anger and frustration. When people are left outside the processes the fear can be created from the unknown or unaware sense usually creates panic.

This is what I have learned while being excluded myself, so I would say by including all you make people feel important, active, alive and willing to contribute for the society, by always applying participatory methods.

Based on the experiences in Balkan (where I feel more competent to talk about) education is the most important factor in every society, while having educated people will have a progressive environment which leads to stability within the country and region.