The city of Prishtina ages back to the legends of Bardyllis - kingly in all aspects of life, unmoved, and proud, yet only human in the end. The community that he forged 2,400 years ago lives on, so much so, that the land that once inhabited the folksongs of old Ulpiana and Prizren, the walls that stood tall as Bulgaria came and went, and the winds that carried the great Muslim conquerers to and from the city still reside there, waiting for another to fall before its glory.
Flutura has spent her whole life in this city. She’s struggled, waited, and succeeded within the bounds of Prishtina - now the capital of Kosovo.
“My mother was still in college when she had me,” she told me. “My dad was working and so I lived most of my childhood in the care of my grandparents.”
I have had the honor of acquainting myself with her before this interview. I found her to be hardworking, passionate, ambitious, and proud - some characteristics she shares with many of her friends, some of whom are very close to my heart.
It turns out, everyone out of Prishtina is molded the same way.
“Prishtina is quite youthful and progressively developing artistically. People live dynamic lifestyles and there is an interesting routine the people have developed over recent times. It involves working and then going clubbing or barhopping.
“People are very hospitable, friendly, and warm. The community, in general, is so interconnected that sometimes I feel like I lack privacy, but then again, I guess that’s how the societal structure is in an environment that has so few people.”
Flutura is a Physics major in her last year. She believes she made the right decision coming to Jacobs University, but feels like the university - considering its social structure, methods, and age in particular - has a long way to go.
“I decided to come to Jacobs University for many reasons. Initially, the family members I have in Germany were a big push so that I am not so far away from home emotionally. I think coming here was the best decision I made as it was educationally and economically the most suitable.
“I chose to study Physics simply because I am in love with it. And although the Physics program at Jacobs University is not very focused on Planetary Science, which I was initially interested in, it gives a general knowledge of many different fields of the subject. Additionally, when I came to Jacobs University, I got the opportunity to realize the passion I have for film, cinematography, media, and creative arts. I started working at the SMP Media Center and immediately found myself falling for the art of Science Communication through Media.”
Flutura hopes to take her studies to a higher level once she graduates from Jacobs University. She wants to attain a Ph.D. in Physics and develop her career as a Physicist/Geophysicist. She plans on investing in the education system back home once she’s settled.
“I believe that alongside health and economy, education is the main factor that determines the wellbeing of a country. Plus, it’s very important to me to see the youth of my country get the best education possible.”
When asked if Germany has contributed to her growth personally and professionally in a positive way, she answered in the affirmative.
“I believe coming to Germany has had a massive impact in my life - mainly through character development. I think living away from your support system and the community you were raised in, adds a different type of maturity to you as a person. You learn to face the consequences of your actions and make better decisions for yourself. It has also been a smooth ride so far, but not a perfect one, of course. And although the people here are very rational and nice, not everyone is willing to treat you the same way.“
Flutura has been fortunate enough to find many dear friends at Jacobs University. Of course, she misses her childhood ones sometimes, but she knows she’s in good company.
“My friends here come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures - which I value a lot. I am constantly amazed to discover how different people are raised, the different rituals they perform, and how different the points of view and lists of priorities in their respective homes are. I would say I generally learn more from my friends here than through anything else because they attain such diverse collections of knowledge. However, my friends at home still feel like family: they are the people I grew up with and went through a lot of personality changes with. It is very interesting to me to see how much they have changed whenever I go back, but I guess that’s the beauty of growing up.”
Flutura has always felt a special connection to her family - something I fail to see in many faraway communities. She acknowledges the sacrifices her family and loved ones have made for her and realizes the burden - rather the responsibility - she has to shoulder to come close to everything she has been provided within her life.
“I think for me it is worth doing everything for education, especially if it results in making my loved ones happy and proud. My family has sacrificed everything to give me a chance to really getting ahead in life and I am sure - I rather believe - that I have what it takes to achieve what I am set out to achieve. Nevertheless, human interactions are of equal importance - if not more important - and sometimes not seeing them gets the better of me. At such moments of weakness, however, I always try to reflect on why I am doing what I am doing and how, in the long run, it will justify being away from the people I love the most.”
To end, Flutura talked about her experience at Jacobs University and how her time she has spent here has orchestrated a pathway to becoming a better version of herself.
“I think what I can say about my experience at Jacobs is that it went by very quickly. I learned a lot about how to properly appreciate other humans and cultures. I learned a lot about political correctness and what different people in the world go through. I learned to feel empathetic towards topics that back home are completely irrelevant, but may hold immense importance in other parts of the world. I also learned to cope with disappointment, to understand other people’s struggles, and that never to compare my accomplishments/failures to anyone else’s.
“My advice to my younger colleague is to stay on top of their work and not procrastinate. I think Jacobs University has a very fast pace of teaching and learning, so as long as you are up to date with your studies and ask as many questions as you need to, everything should turn out to be just fine. When I came here in my first year, a friend of mine Aiman told me to never be afraid of looking stupid and - in all honesty - I would give the same advice to everyone. Obtaining knowledge is way more important than seeming like you have it.”
Kingly, indeed, unmoved, and proud are the people who come from the city of Bardyllis, I would say - mountainous in all aspects of life and yet human - bound by their stories made in heaven. We are, as people, indulged in hearing and telling stories for how else can we identify ourselves? Like drops in the ocean, cities too are made out of something equally and individually insignificant – people. And everyone has a story to tell.
Flutura’s story - intertwined with that of Prishtina - is that of internal struggles, shows of strength, and far from being complete. So, what’s next?
BY Muhammad Shahzaib Tahir awan (Pakistan) | CLASS OF 2022
