Delicious selection from a menu at one of the local restaurants...If I wasn't a vegetarian, I would have to order the Frizzle Meat Muffles...
Spending the holidays in Kosovo has been quite an experience. 95% of the population of Kosovo is Muslim, but the hoiday of Christmas is honored and respected, and believe it or not, the church on Christmas mass was packed! I went to see what it was like, along with my Muslim and Christian friends (I believe I was probably the only person in the church raised Jewish), but it was facsinating to see everyone lined up in the aisles, simply out of respect for the Christian religion. This tradition started after the war ended in 1999, when the Albanians were freed. Although the Albanian people always respected various religions, this type of open support became tradition after the people got their freedom.
With Naime, one of the teachers at the schools, we made Oblanda and Bombica, two traditional Albanian treats, so that we could host a little Christmas party. Here, Naime's neice is ready to eat the Oblanda!
The streets of Peja were filled with Christmas lights and decorations. The Santas stood outside every night dancing to Albanian music, ready to have their pictures taken with the children of the community.
A picture taken inside of the church during Christmas mass. At the end of the ceremony, only a few people stood in line to receive Holy Communion, which means that about 99% of the people who came to the church were Muslim. The respect for religion here is incredible! When we left the church, people were setting off fireworks outside (which is a huge winter/holiday tradition here- fireworks are seen at all times of the day and night, and you can just be walking down the street and hear a giant crack, which is inevitably a child setting off a firework).
Skender and Haki. Haki runs an organization called Marimangat, which is a youth program that helps kids learn how to rock climb and enjoy the outdoors. Their organization is the first in all of Kosovo that teaches kids to rock climbing. They even have a small rock wall in Peja, and I went to go visit the kids there.
My new friend Ana, who has shown me around town and given me all the advice about everything Kosovo...in Kosovo, Ana is the "modern woman." Her style of haircut and dress represent an unknown fashion n Kosovo, and Ana really turns heads in town. In general, the women in Kosovo still reside under the patriarchal traditions. For example, many 20 year old women only dream of having husbands who can provide them with a nice house and car, and to get married as soon as possible so they can begin to have kids. These patriarchal issues are not necessarily seen on the surface, but I have been lucky enough to befriend strong women who live in Kosovo who unveil these hidden issues to me. Whereas, Ana dreams of going to university in America, becoming a famous singer, and coming back to Kosovo as Kosovo's first business woman. It is so interesting to see this kind of change in progress. You go, Ana! Due to the large number of American missionaries living in Peja, many youth are given the opportunity to study in America, given the condition that they convert from Islam to Christianity and pass the TOEFL test. 
Last Saturday, I went with ERA to take the kids on a field trip to Rugova, the mountains surrounding Peja. Ellen, Haki and Syzana ran the program, and I got to go along as a volunteer. We had to step through some major mud to continue our hike, but many of the students did not want to get their only pair of shoes wet, so some turned back and didn't continue the hike. For those of us who muscled through, we got to take a pretty walk through the mountains and nearby waterfalls.
Some of the local youth that accompanied us on our trip.
I had to visit the doctor last week because I thought I was getting an ear infection. He was really kind and told me I had nothing to worry about. He agreed to pose with me in a picture.
I celebrated New Year's Eve with Skender's family at his house. We watched the fireworks from the balcony, and tried to stay away from the chaos that was occurring in the middle of town. As I left Skender's house, his brother turned to me and said, "Thank you for coming. Thank you, America, for all of your help." He was referring to America's intervention that led to the end of Serbian oppression. Wowm, that was a hearty thanks.
