One of my favorite parts about the trip to Priština was the stop at Devil’s Town. I grew up in the middle of the woods and I always go hiking, so it still really nice to be outside and see the rock formations. I didn’t look up what Devil’s Town was beforehand, so I had no clue what to expect. I loved hearing the myths about Devil’s Town. I especially liked stopping at the church on the way down and hearing about how you can rub a cloth on your body wherever it’s bothering you and tie it to the church and that evil will be left behind.
Regarding the speakers in Priština, I think that the first set covered the most topics. Aside from Dragisca Mijacic, they were our first real introduction to Kosovo. Before coming here, I was really confused about the internal and external dynamics. While it is never not going to be confusing, I felt like I had a more solid foundation after discussing Kosovo’s relationships with Serbia, its economy, and many other topics that came up in questions. Hearing their perspectives about territorial exchange and then hearing the other perspectives was especially interesting as we finally got the opportunity to hear about it from Kosovars.
Overall, I really enjoyed Priština, but I feel as though I wasn’t able to get to know the city at all. I only went out of the hotel for meals and for the short walking tour. While I did see a good portion of the city, I would have much preferred to have had the time to explore the pedestrian walking area as well as all the monuments and religious sites. Also, I think that one of the most enriching experiences is to talk with locals, and I felt like I did not have enough time to do so here. I think that staying even just one more day would be very beneficial.
Kaitlyn Cavallaro: Balkans DoC 