Visit to Prishtina

I came to Kosovo for a music tour. Kosovo was amidst war in 1999. I remember seeing the word "GENOCIDE" on the news. The Kosovo genocide was part of the Kosovo conflict (1998 - 99), in which ethnic Albanians opposed ethnic Serbs and the Yugoslavian government in Kosovo.So, I have been in Pristina for a few days now. The people are really nice; if you say "hello," you will receive it in return. Though Albanian is the official language, many people speak English because they love the USA. This is due to the fact that President Clinton helped Kosovo obtain its independence. They even built a monument in the form of a sculpture. The food and services are really inexpensive, compared to Western Europe. Pristina is predominantly Muslim. One can hear the muezzin call for prayer through the day--"Allahu Akbar...La ilah illa Allah waMuhammad rasul'Allah." I noticed that the upcoming generation does not really attend prayers at the mosques. Few women cover in hijab as well. I did see a beautiful cathedral under construction in the heart of the city. Upon asking the locals about life, I discovered that the average salary is approximately 200 Euros per month. The apartments toward the center of Pristina are rented from 700 Euros and above. Thus, most people live a kilometer or more away from the center. Since they cannot afford to live alone, it is common for families to share the expenses in one home. Some foreign students share apartments as well. I was told that the wealthy are importers and that Kosovo does not really manufacture anything. Due to the lack of economic opportunities, many Kosovars go to Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria,and Germany. I learned how to say "good morning" in Albanian today: merimengjes (sounds like meriman Jazz) and "thank you": feliminderit (sounds like faliam indérit). I hope to thank my audience at the end of the shows.