About Kosovo

I won’t claim to be a historian on the topic of Kosovo history, but below are some of the basics. This landlocked country is new to the world as it is only about seven years independent. Still though, Kosovo is not recognized by many nations across the world because of the ethnic tensions that have existed there for years. Albanians and Serbs have argued and fought over the land for centuries because they both believe Kosovo is their “Jerusalem.” Both countries claim to have cultural and spiritual backgrounds pivotal to their history located in Kosovo, so rising emotions are not surprising. Finding the true story has proved to be impossible.

For now, the fighting is over, which is a comforting thought for both me and my parents considering Kosovo was a war zone not long ago. Now, the democratic country is working to prove itself as a well-oiled machine in order to earn worldwide recognition of independence. While the country is recovering, it is growing in parallel. Not only will I live in this young-in-age population to watch the recovery and growth, but to contribute to it. My contributions, though small, will forever be a part of this growing nation.

Aside from the history, the number one question I receive when I tell someone I am studying in Kosovo is where it is. As a new nation, the question isn’t uncommon. Kosovo is a small landlocked country in eastern Europe. More specifically, Kosovo is a part of the Balkan Peninsula which is an area of eastern Europe surrounded by the Black, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas. This 4,000 square mile hunk of land (smaller than the state of Connecticut) is mostly mountainous, but also consists of plains. The bordering countries are Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia.

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