Arriving in Kosovo

It seems a little strange walking through Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. With streets names like Bill Clinton, Robert Dole, and George Bush, they obviously feel indebted to an American foreign policy which stifled Serbian forces trying to crush this breakaway region into submission back in 1999.

Not only a statue, but he has a boulevard named in his honor. (I hope the message on the side of building isn't election related.)

Serbia doesn't recognize its independence, though the rest of the world does. In fact, Kosovo was just admitted as a member to FIFA (the international organization governing soccer) earlier this year and is now participating in 2018 World Cup qualification for the first time.

There are many pockets of ethnic Serb communities in Kosovo, but they are not really on speaking terms with the Kosovars (ethnic Albanians) who make up the majority of the population. You could feel the tension at the border crossing into Kosovo from Serbia. The bus I took to Pristina, which was ultimately bound for a predominantly Serb city was filled with mostly Serb passengers. Many passengers showed their indignation at having to submit to Kosovar border authorities, and likewise, the Kosovar border guard seemed rather gruff and aggressive when boarding the bus to inspect documents and the random shopping bag. Speaking with others at the hostel I'm staying at, my experience was rather tame compared with others who were on buses where confrontations were much more animated.

Needless to say, there is still a UN peacekeeping mission here; presently a contingent from Portugal is in Pristina.

It seems that there must be a great deal of investment here, as, unlike the other places I've been in the former Yugoslavia, construction is booming: roads, businesses, and residential alike; and much more heavy equipment is visible. I also noticed that most of the cars on the street are newer than their Serbian counterparts.

The foul weather that has been following me across Eastern Europe has now produced quite a bit of mud here, and that along with the noisy, overcrowded hostel I'm staying at is not making me a happy camper. (I think the ratio of residents to bathrooms is 18:1!)