To make up for my own sore lack of blogging in recent times, I came across this piece by another blogger based in Pristina today and thought it was a great little analysis of 10 things to love about this funny little place. Perhaps it's fair to say that some of this top ten are equally things that might drive you completely bonkers (I don't find the wind-up plastic dogs on Mother Teresa Street particularly endearing) but this is a great little round-up of many of the quirky little things that I haven't gotten around to writing yet about Kosovo. Also some great pictures which make Kosovo (and especially it's food) look great.
Kudos to the talented Ms Claire C, whom I met my first week here and later discovered to be a blogger extraordinaire. She recently relocated, Kosovo's loss clearly being Ireland's gain.
If that whets your appetite, I also recommend having a look at the lovely One Hundred Days of Honey. It's a shorter and more recent blog intending to only give you a brief glimpse of Kosovo, but it's a great read for anyone interested in a quirkier and less development-and-politics, meat-and-potatoes view of the Balkans. And I'd insist that everyone should be interested in it's writing about food - there are some recipes here which make me want to stop everything and run home and start cooking. I recently had the privilege of meeting its author at the launch of her lovely book about Kosovo, Travels in Blood and Honey, where she was kind enough to sign my copy while plying us with homemade baklava. I've lately adopted a habit of spending some time on my balcony in the last hour of the day's sunlight, reading about her adventures becoming a beekeeper in Kosovo and learning local recipes.
Finally, if you do want the more traditional political round-up on Kosovo, you can't do worse than MTCowgirl.
Thanks for the book tips! I'll be moving to Kosovo soon and need to do some reading up to prepare! Are you still in the area?
ReplyDeleteHey Allison. No worries, I'm a big fan myself of blogs as a good way of getting a view on a new place. You should definitely look into MTCowgirl's blog, she has a section specially dedicated to "tips for living in Kosovo" as well as a good photo album giving you an idea of what kind of place this is.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read it yet, but a book called "Kosov: War and Revenge" by Tim Judah was recommended to me for background swatting up.
Also this might sound like a silly tip but when you're buying the obligatory guidebook I'd recommend Bradt's rather than Lonely Planet. LP is good for travelling around the region but its sections on each country are extremely short, and it has next to no information about Kosovo. Bradt's is much more detailed and useful.
As for me, I've been living in Pristina only for about six weeks now. I don't really know how long I'll be staying but I'll be here for the summer at least. I'm more than happy to help out with any queries but in general don't worry too much about planning before you arrive, its very easy to settle in and find accommodation etc. once you get here.
I'm currently purchasing the book online right now! (Literally!) I do have another question and perhaps you could point me in the right direction. I've been hired by the American School of Kosovo, but my boyfriend would also like to head over with me. He's currently looking for some part time employment and a place to live/stay. Do you know of specific organizations or places that he could contact for either? Any nudges for either would be extremely helpful!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hey Allison, that's great about your teaching job, sounds good. I'm not too sure where to send you in terms of jobs and housing. Its very easy to find apartments quickly through an agent but for something more budget friendly flat-sharing is a better option. Plenty of interns and volunteers are coming and going here so it shouldn't be too difficult to find somewhere. I would recommend waiting until you get here though so you can check out the place and location, compare prices etc.
ReplyDeleteRegarding jobs, I'm really not sure, other than just starting to contact NGOs, schools, the university, even local bars directly (this would also probably be easier to do after he gets here though). There's a group on Facebook called Network Pristina, where people advertise car sharing, apartments, events etc, which is a good place to put out a call looking for roommates or work. I think its a private group though, so if you can't find it let me know and I'll work out a way to add you. Good luck!