Brendan O’Boyle
Staff Writer
While things are already not looking good for the country due to COVID-19, the world’s largest hornet, the “Murder Hornet” has now made an appearance in the Pacific Northwest.
The Asian giant hornet, also known as the Vespa Mandarinia, are a fairly common species in parts of Asia and are known for their size and painful sting. These Hornets were recently discovered to be in North America as headlines about “murder hornets” began to surface across the web. They were discovered in Washington state near the Canadian border and are said to have somehow traveled from Asia.
While the name sounds sinister, some researchers say that most of the headlines about these hornets are misleading. Like the average honey bee, the murder hornets sting can put someone in the hospital if they have an existing allergy. In very rare cases though these stings can be fatal if they are not treated correctly. Officials recommend that if you have a bee allergy you try your best to avoid the nests of these hornets because also like honey bees, they will disturb you if you disturb them. Even if the hornets don’t have a high chance of killing you, the sting is extremely painful.
Sven-Erik Spichiger, the managing entomologist at the Washington state Agriculture Department, released a statement about the hornets:“What we’re told from the literature is that most people can survive one or two stings,” he told Reuters. “But if you sustain multiple stings, the necrosis and the venom will actually start getting into your bloodstream and will start working on your organs. And multiple stings could literally be fatal.”
The majority of experts are surprised that these hornets have arrived in the United States. Back in 2019, a hornet colony was discovered in Canada after they were accidentally shipped in a container to the country. It is very unlikely officials say, for hornets to travel like this though. Right now it is best to just keep a safe distance and stay informed.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Students remain optimistic about summer despite COVID-19
Devon Beacham and Kyle Sullivan
Staff Writers
With the year slowly coming to an end, in the least traditional way possible, students are holding onto hopes they will have at least a sliver of a normal summer given the circumstances. Regardless of grade, all students would give anything to have summer, especially seniors where it might be their last “normal” one.
We asked students from each grade what their anticipated plans are for the warm season if all goes well in regards to the current pandemic.
Freshman, Kiersten Marcello has set some positive and hopefully achievable goals for herself. Kiersten says: “If all goes well, and all of this coronavirus stuff goes away, I plan to make up for all the hours of doing nothing in my house. The first thing I would probably do is get my first job so I can start making my own money. Some of my friends won’t be staying in New Hope next year, so I will definitely be spending a lot of time with them. We will make the most of our summer by going out and biking every day and baking a bunch of brownies.”
Unfortunately, sophomore Kennedy Fisher’s plans are going to need some alteration. “My plan was to go to Greece and Italy this summer, but that’s not possible anymore,” Kennedy said. With the coronavirus affecting the entire world, international travel is banned for the time being. Kennedy plans to make up for her overseas trip as soon as she can.
Junior Samantha Finch seems to be somewhat sticking to her typical summer plans: “If everything that is going on continues, my plan is to head to my beach house in Stone Harbor. It is so peaceful there and I feel it will be a great place to pass the time in quarantine.”
Finally, with seniors upset about the abrupt end to the best year of their high school career, Will Kelley shares wise words: “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are stacked against you.”
Staff Writers
With the year slowly coming to an end, in the least traditional way possible, students are holding onto hopes they will have at least a sliver of a normal summer given the circumstances. Regardless of grade, all students would give anything to have summer, especially seniors where it might be their last “normal” one.
We asked students from each grade what their anticipated plans are for the warm season if all goes well in regards to the current pandemic.
Freshman, Kiersten Marcello has set some positive and hopefully achievable goals for herself. Kiersten says: “If all goes well, and all of this coronavirus stuff goes away, I plan to make up for all the hours of doing nothing in my house. The first thing I would probably do is get my first job so I can start making my own money. Some of my friends won’t be staying in New Hope next year, so I will definitely be spending a lot of time with them. We will make the most of our summer by going out and biking every day and baking a bunch of brownies.”
Unfortunately, sophomore Kennedy Fisher’s plans are going to need some alteration. “My plan was to go to Greece and Italy this summer, but that’s not possible anymore,” Kennedy said. With the coronavirus affecting the entire world, international travel is banned for the time being. Kennedy plans to make up for her overseas trip as soon as she can.
Junior Samantha Finch seems to be somewhat sticking to her typical summer plans: “If everything that is going on continues, my plan is to head to my beach house in Stone Harbor. It is so peaceful there and I feel it will be a great place to pass the time in quarantine.”
Finally, with seniors upset about the abrupt end to the best year of their high school career, Will Kelley shares wise words: “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are stacked against you.”
Demolition of Albania’s national theater causes widespread unrest
Olivia Harrison
Staff Writer
As Americans, the main focus in the news is mostly the spread of the Coronavirus and its devastating effects on everybody in the community, whether that be locally, nationally or internationally. Because of this, other news tends to be put on the back burner. However, one story that has recently been unearthed has caught some attention in the media anad is being reported worldwide.
In Tirana, Albania, last Sunday, police intervened against opposition supporters who were protesting the demolition of the country’s National Theatre. Although it seems as if these protests are stemming from the loss of cultural resources, a main contributing factor is Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama. In Albania, the prime minister is head of government and the most powerful and influential person in Albanian politics. Many people oppose Rama, as he is a part of the Socialist political party in Albania. Clashes of protestors against Rama and the socialist party have been going on for a couple months now, but have been on halt because of the Coronavirus. Although Albania has been on full lockdown, it did not stop oppositionists and theatre employees from coming out in mass numbers to protest the demolition of the National Theatre.
Located in Tirana, Albania’s Capital, the National Theatre has been around since World War ll, when it was built by Italy when they occupied what is now modern-day Albania. Workers started building the theatre in 1938, and finished it the following year. In 1940, it opened as a cultural center. Over the decades, the theater has had many names. When it first opened the Italians named it Savoia, and then when the Germans occupied Albanian territory, they called it The Theater of Kosovo. Finally, in 1945, after World War ll, when Albania was a communist country, it was called the People’s Theatre. Most cultural institutions in post-war Albania would be established here and it played a huge role in Albania’s cultural and national identity. Nowadays, it is known worldwide as the National Theatre.
Since it has been around for ages, the building was very old, dilapidated and had begun to fall apart. However, that did not stop artists and actors from utilizing the theatre. In its place, a new 30 million euro ($32.4 USD), will be built in its place with a stark, new modern design. When artists, actors and activists heard about this plan, they decided to take a stand. They believe that the theatre is a symbol of Albanian culture and heritage. Albania’s current government has been talking about taking down the theatre for two years now but held off. But, on Sunday, May 17, they decided to finally go through the process and tear down the National Theatre. Hundreds of oppositionists stood outside the area that the now demolished theatre once was and chanted “Down with the dictatorship!” Later that day, a group of students had to be moved away from the site and other demonstrators were detained by police, and even pepper sprayed. The police tried blocking local television crews from reporting the protests.
I spoke to my friend Ergi Hysa, who lives in Tirana about what he thought of the loss of the theatre and the current political tensions in his country and he had a lot to say. Ergi says, “You see, Albania is a small country and things get done very fast. We usually know what the government is doing and what’s going on. However, if they’re doing something we think is wrong, it’s impossible to call them out about it. Before the theater was built, Albania had hardly any industry other than farming. The theatre represented advancement as a country. There were also many different regimes, such as the communist jurisdiction. There was art from that time period and so much more. The theatre symbolizes so much and it was also the birth of Albanian theatre. Furthermore, the costumes and video footage from 1945 were destroyed as well.
Ergi explained: “We have lost hope in this system and I feel as if they broke the law by destroying the theatre and have this attitude of ‘well now it’s done, forget about the theatre.’” Because of the protests being aggressive and brutal, Ergi did not go to the protests. Instead, he is protesting online under the Instagram user @jemi.bashke which translates in English to “we are together”. On this account Ergi has made his own art about what he thinks of the situation and his posts have even gotten noticed by the Albanian news company, JOQ Albania.
Besides tracking attention from everyday citizens, the demolition of the theatre has tracked attention from the European Union itself, opposition democratic party leader Lulzim Basha, Europa Nostra, and even the President Ilir Meta and his wife Monika Kryemadhi. Lulzim Basha said: “Authorities were crossing the red line between democracy and dictatorship in this country.” Europa Nostra, a Europe-wide organization engaged in the protection of cultural heritage, protested against the decision on Twitter, calling it illegal.
The European Union office in Tirana itself even released a statement saying that it deplored, or highly disliked the destruction of the National Theatre and wanted to negotiate things civilly, without major political parties escalating the situation.
President Ilir Meta released a statement calling out Rama, calling the destruction of the theatre “a constitutional, legal and moral crime.” Rama fired back on Facebook stating: “They [oppositionists and protestors] cannot stop Tirana!!” Later that day, the president’s wife Monika Kryemadhi was seen being detained and put in a police van. She was later freed. The EU commissioner for culture Mariya Gabriel still urges both sides to talk things out before totally tearing down the theatre. She stated on Twitter: “Dialogue with civil society and experts of cultural heritage is necessary before taking an irreversible decision on #NationalTheatre #Tirana. We strongly encourage all relevant national institutions to engage now in a constructive dialogue with heritage stakeholders.”
Although Albania has banned public gatherings because of Covid-19, Lulzim Basha still urges residents to speak out against the government’s plans. Basha urges all citizens to start nationwide protests “to get rid of this bandit and this great evil,” adding that demonstrations would be held “respecting hygienic conditions.”
Staff Writer
As Americans, the main focus in the news is mostly the spread of the Coronavirus and its devastating effects on everybody in the community, whether that be locally, nationally or internationally. Because of this, other news tends to be put on the back burner. However, one story that has recently been unearthed has caught some attention in the media anad is being reported worldwide.
In Tirana, Albania, last Sunday, police intervened against opposition supporters who were protesting the demolition of the country’s National Theatre. Although it seems as if these protests are stemming from the loss of cultural resources, a main contributing factor is Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama. In Albania, the prime minister is head of government and the most powerful and influential person in Albanian politics. Many people oppose Rama, as he is a part of the Socialist political party in Albania. Clashes of protestors against Rama and the socialist party have been going on for a couple months now, but have been on halt because of the Coronavirus. Although Albania has been on full lockdown, it did not stop oppositionists and theatre employees from coming out in mass numbers to protest the demolition of the National Theatre.
Located in Tirana, Albania’s Capital, the National Theatre has been around since World War ll, when it was built by Italy when they occupied what is now modern-day Albania. Workers started building the theatre in 1938, and finished it the following year. In 1940, it opened as a cultural center. Over the decades, the theater has had many names. When it first opened the Italians named it Savoia, and then when the Germans occupied Albanian territory, they called it The Theater of Kosovo. Finally, in 1945, after World War ll, when Albania was a communist country, it was called the People’s Theatre. Most cultural institutions in post-war Albania would be established here and it played a huge role in Albania’s cultural and national identity. Nowadays, it is known worldwide as the National Theatre.
Since it has been around for ages, the building was very old, dilapidated and had begun to fall apart. However, that did not stop artists and actors from utilizing the theatre. In its place, a new 30 million euro ($32.4 USD), will be built in its place with a stark, new modern design. When artists, actors and activists heard about this plan, they decided to take a stand. They believe that the theatre is a symbol of Albanian culture and heritage. Albania’s current government has been talking about taking down the theatre for two years now but held off. But, on Sunday, May 17, they decided to finally go through the process and tear down the National Theatre. Hundreds of oppositionists stood outside the area that the now demolished theatre once was and chanted “Down with the dictatorship!” Later that day, a group of students had to be moved away from the site and other demonstrators were detained by police, and even pepper sprayed. The police tried blocking local television crews from reporting the protests.
I spoke to my friend Ergi Hysa, who lives in Tirana about what he thought of the loss of the theatre and the current political tensions in his country and he had a lot to say. Ergi says, “You see, Albania is a small country and things get done very fast. We usually know what the government is doing and what’s going on. However, if they’re doing something we think is wrong, it’s impossible to call them out about it. Before the theater was built, Albania had hardly any industry other than farming. The theatre represented advancement as a country. There were also many different regimes, such as the communist jurisdiction. There was art from that time period and so much more. The theatre symbolizes so much and it was also the birth of Albanian theatre. Furthermore, the costumes and video footage from 1945 were destroyed as well.
Ergi explained: “We have lost hope in this system and I feel as if they broke the law by destroying the theatre and have this attitude of ‘well now it’s done, forget about the theatre.’” Because of the protests being aggressive and brutal, Ergi did not go to the protests. Instead, he is protesting online under the Instagram user @jemi.bashke which translates in English to “we are together”. On this account Ergi has made his own art about what he thinks of the situation and his posts have even gotten noticed by the Albanian news company, JOQ Albania.
Besides tracking attention from everyday citizens, the demolition of the theatre has tracked attention from the European Union itself, opposition democratic party leader Lulzim Basha, Europa Nostra, and even the President Ilir Meta and his wife Monika Kryemadhi. Lulzim Basha said: “Authorities were crossing the red line between democracy and dictatorship in this country.” Europa Nostra, a Europe-wide organization engaged in the protection of cultural heritage, protested against the decision on Twitter, calling it illegal.
The European Union office in Tirana itself even released a statement saying that it deplored, or highly disliked the destruction of the National Theatre and wanted to negotiate things civilly, without major political parties escalating the situation.
President Ilir Meta released a statement calling out Rama, calling the destruction of the theatre “a constitutional, legal and moral crime.” Rama fired back on Facebook stating: “They [oppositionists and protestors] cannot stop Tirana!!” Later that day, the president’s wife Monika Kryemadhi was seen being detained and put in a police van. She was later freed. The EU commissioner for culture Mariya Gabriel still urges both sides to talk things out before totally tearing down the theatre. She stated on Twitter: “Dialogue with civil society and experts of cultural heritage is necessary before taking an irreversible decision on #NationalTheatre #Tirana. We strongly encourage all relevant national institutions to engage now in a constructive dialogue with heritage stakeholders.”
Although Albania has banned public gatherings because of Covid-19, Lulzim Basha still urges residents to speak out against the government’s plans. Basha urges all citizens to start nationwide protests “to get rid of this bandit and this great evil,” adding that demonstrations would be held “respecting hygienic conditions.”
Mountain scores new deadlift world record
John Devaney and Ted Devaney
Staff Writers
On May 2, the heaviest weight lifted from the ground ever belonged to a new person. Thor Bjornsson of Iceland, nicknamed The Mountain on the show Game of Thrones, pulled 501kg (1,104 pounds) from the ground to his waist.
The event was broadcasted live on ESPN in Thor’s personal gym. The crew was sure to maintain social distancing guidelines and had the maximum number of people in the room, including Thor, his wife Kelsey Henson, his coach, his friends, and an ESPN crew.
The previous world record was set by Eddie Hall in 2016 at 500kg. Only a handful of people have ever deadlifted over 1,000 pounds and only two in history have deadlifted at least 1,100 pounds, Eddie and Thor.
The day Thor pulled 501kg, the bar went up much faster than when Eddie Hall pulled 500kg. Many lifters thought he had much more left in him, but Thor opted out of a second lift because he felt content and did not want to risk injury.
After the lift, Thor called out Eddie Hall for a boxing match. Both were offered a big contract by Core Sports and Thor made sure Eddie knew he had signed it.
“Eddie Hall has been running his mouth for two weeks now and I know that he got the same deal. So Eddie, I just knocked out your record, and now I’m ready to knock you out in the ring. Time to put your fists where your big mouth is and sign the Core Sports contract. I’m ready. Are you ready, Eddie?”
The fight is planned to take place in September of 2021. Both have signed the contract and it will be interesting to see the two strongest men in the world step into the ring.
Staff Writers
On May 2, the heaviest weight lifted from the ground ever belonged to a new person. Thor Bjornsson of Iceland, nicknamed The Mountain on the show Game of Thrones, pulled 501kg (1,104 pounds) from the ground to his waist.
The event was broadcasted live on ESPN in Thor’s personal gym. The crew was sure to maintain social distancing guidelines and had the maximum number of people in the room, including Thor, his wife Kelsey Henson, his coach, his friends, and an ESPN crew.
The previous world record was set by Eddie Hall in 2016 at 500kg. Only a handful of people have ever deadlifted over 1,000 pounds and only two in history have deadlifted at least 1,100 pounds, Eddie and Thor.
The day Thor pulled 501kg, the bar went up much faster than when Eddie Hall pulled 500kg. Many lifters thought he had much more left in him, but Thor opted out of a second lift because he felt content and did not want to risk injury.
After the lift, Thor called out Eddie Hall for a boxing match. Both were offered a big contract by Core Sports and Thor made sure Eddie knew he had signed it.
“Eddie Hall has been running his mouth for two weeks now and I know that he got the same deal. So Eddie, I just knocked out your record, and now I’m ready to knock you out in the ring. Time to put your fists where your big mouth is and sign the Core Sports contract. I’m ready. Are you ready, Eddie?”
The fight is planned to take place in September of 2021. Both have signed the contract and it will be interesting to see the two strongest men in the world step into the ring.
Murder Hornets try to share a piece of the stage with COVID-19 threatening more disaster
Samantha Curtis and Gabriella Vitelli
Staff Writers
As if the corona virus weren’t enough, now the US has discovered a new species of hornets infiltrating Washington state. These hornets are known as the murder hornets because they decapitate bees. Several stings from them can also kill a human.
These hornets are native to east Asia and kill approximately 50 people each year in Japan. The hornet is around two inches long, about two times the size of a normal hornet. It possesses a set of jaws perfectly designed to snip the head off a honeybee. They have large orange-yellow heads, big prominent eyes, and their bodies have black and yellow stripes. They apparently made their way over to the United States in December, and there are four reported sightings.
The hornets do not tend to go after humans, but if they do, a traditional beekeeping suit will not protect against their stings, which contain seven times the venom as honey bees. The USDA has ordered special reinforced suits from China. The effect on humans is minimal after hearing what they do to bees. When they find a honey bee hive they invade the hive using their large jaws to kill the bees at a very fast speed. The hornets can kill 30,000 bees within hours and then have the hive as their own. As bad as their hornets are, they are even hard to kill, in the United States beekeepers are doing many trials with hornet traps, but if the queen is alive the population will continue. If you see one, first report it and stay away!
Staff Writers
As if the corona virus weren’t enough, now the US has discovered a new species of hornets infiltrating Washington state. These hornets are known as the murder hornets because they decapitate bees. Several stings from them can also kill a human.
These hornets are native to east Asia and kill approximately 50 people each year in Japan. The hornet is around two inches long, about two times the size of a normal hornet. It possesses a set of jaws perfectly designed to snip the head off a honeybee. They have large orange-yellow heads, big prominent eyes, and their bodies have black and yellow stripes. They apparently made their way over to the United States in December, and there are four reported sightings.
The hornets do not tend to go after humans, but if they do, a traditional beekeeping suit will not protect against their stings, which contain seven times the venom as honey bees. The USDA has ordered special reinforced suits from China. The effect on humans is minimal after hearing what they do to bees. When they find a honey bee hive they invade the hive using their large jaws to kill the bees at a very fast speed. The hornets can kill 30,000 bees within hours and then have the hive as their own. As bad as their hornets are, they are even hard to kill, in the United States beekeepers are doing many trials with hornet traps, but if the queen is alive the population will continue. If you see one, first report it and stay away!
Thursday, May 7, 2020
How the other half studies: An interview with an Albanian teen, Ergi Hysa
Olivia Harrison
Staff Writer
As American teenagers, we do not really focus on what is going on in the world. We are very consumed with what is going on in our community, social media, classes, getting into college, and fitting in. But, we never really focus on what it would be like to not grow up in America. We rarely think about our European counterparts. To find out what it’s like to grow up in another country and the similarities they have with us, I interviewed my good friend Ergi Hysa from Tirana, Albania. Albania was established in 1912 and located in the Balkan’s of Europe.
It has many cultural traditions, and a lot of people are still trying to keep those traditions alive. Ergi is fifteen years old and is in high school. His life is very similar to ours with some important differences. While we might be worrying about how many views we get on a Tik Tok or what someone has said about how we look, they might be more focused on studying abroad and the future for their country. They are also focused on preventing the earlier influences of communism from coming back in Albania. I had a few questions to ask my friend about his life in Albania and I was amazed to hear the answers.
Ergi is growing up in the Albanian capital city, Tirana. He’s in tenth grade (or to us, a sophmore), which is his first year of high school. In Albania, the education system is very different and they use different terminology than Americans. As Ergi explained, school starts off as something called vjeçare or the “nine years”. The first five years of his schooling are elementary level education or fillore, and the other four years are what Americans call middle school. Then, you move onto high school. However, in Albania, what Americans call high school is actually considered college or university in Albania, and middle school to Albanians is considered high school. Unlike the American education system, elementary school and middle school are combined together. I was very confused on how this all worked and especially the names of things, but eventually I figured out how it works after some indepth research.
Much like his American counterparts, Ergi says that school is very important to him and he plans to go to college after high school. He either plans to study technology and computers, diplomacy, or sociology. He knows for certain that if he goes into technology, he will study abroad at a university in Vienna, Austria. Since Ergi is getting ready to go to college, he explained how different the college process is from the U.S. He says, “It works like this: To get into college, you need both good grades and social credits. They count 60% of the requirements as grades and state tests. 40%of the requirements are social credits (joining activities etc). Having good grades is really important but a B student with great social credits and extracurriculars can win over an A student with no social credits. So even though having good extra curriculars is great, studying and getting good grades is important. Some branches (majors) and universities require lower scores but others require higher scores. There’s a lot of debate about this system, a lot of us don’t like it.” In conclusion, the college process in Albania is just as hard as the college process in the United States!
When Ergi isn’t in school, he is involved in extracurriculars that most American teens would find familiar. Ergi is involved in an organization called Theatre Beyond Borders, in which actors from the countries Albania, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro perform plays together. Back in the day, there were a lot of border disputes in the Balkans, and this led to war between Albania, Kosovo and Serbia. Because of this, there is a lot of tension between Serbians and Albanians. “When people do theatre, they have to work together. This project and organization will help bring us more together after all the conflicts in the region,” Ergi said. Ergi also runs a popular history account on instagram called @Aint.Doing.History and a Youtube channel of the same name. He quotes, “The Instagram account has been growing quite fast and it’s active and healthy. The Youtube channel is quite passive although I really want to make it more active. I have two videos coming up about Iran and the twentieth century US.”
When asked about his thoughts of America, Ergi had a lot to say, “We here [in Albania] hold an image of ‘great America’, like that everything is easier. For example those from Albania who have the opportunity to come to America we call “shpetoi” or “i’a hodhi, which means he or she has a better life. Shepetoi literally means “got saved”. You all don’t know how much we idolize you. When I was little, I wanted to become President of the United States. My mom crushed my dreams by saying you had to be born there. But recently, my family and I are coming to our senses because having relatives in the U.S. tell us that it isn’t a fairy tale and it’s hard over there too.”
Ergi and his family are planning to get visas to come to the US and eventually become citizens. It is a complex and very long process. “Right now, we are currently through the process of “family union”. If I go that way, it will take 4-6 years. There is another option which is through school. I’d stay with my uncle in Long Island and attend university before my parents and my brother Rajan arrive. My dad wanted me to go to high school in America, but my mom disapproved of that. She feared we were going to disconnect.”
For now, Ergi is living life in Albania and hoping the best for the future of his country. I asked him if he saw himself and his generation as the future of Albania, but he had some concerns.
“I don’t think so, but I do hope that maybe we can make a difference. Lots of the younger generation in Albania are starting to lose some of the traditions that we once held. After the fall of communism in Albania, we took all the modernization and western influence we could get. However, it hasn’t gone well and we have lost some traditions because of that. In My hometown, Tirana, the youth mainly follows these trends just to look cool. I’m not saying that trends are bad, it’s just that we are losing traditions and the culture we once had. And, I feel as people start following trends, they won’t be leaders and individuals. Being a follower instead of a leader is not good for a nation. At this time I feel as if some of our traditions may fade because of globalization and assimilation and because everyone is just following trends and such.”
Ergi hopes to make a difference and keep the traditions and culture of Albania alive while keeping up with the rest of the world. Although we may come from different countries, we are all still teenagers and we are the future of our countries and the world. Together, we can put the differences aside and maybe make an impact on our world and shape it for the next generation to come.
Staff Writer
As American teenagers, we do not really focus on what is going on in the world. We are very consumed with what is going on in our community, social media, classes, getting into college, and fitting in. But, we never really focus on what it would be like to not grow up in America. We rarely think about our European counterparts. To find out what it’s like to grow up in another country and the similarities they have with us, I interviewed my good friend Ergi Hysa from Tirana, Albania. Albania was established in 1912 and located in the Balkan’s of Europe.
It has many cultural traditions, and a lot of people are still trying to keep those traditions alive. Ergi is fifteen years old and is in high school. His life is very similar to ours with some important differences. While we might be worrying about how many views we get on a Tik Tok or what someone has said about how we look, they might be more focused on studying abroad and the future for their country. They are also focused on preventing the earlier influences of communism from coming back in Albania. I had a few questions to ask my friend about his life in Albania and I was amazed to hear the answers.
Ergi is growing up in the Albanian capital city, Tirana. He’s in tenth grade (or to us, a sophmore), which is his first year of high school. In Albania, the education system is very different and they use different terminology than Americans. As Ergi explained, school starts off as something called vjeçare or the “nine years”. The first five years of his schooling are elementary level education or fillore, and the other four years are what Americans call middle school. Then, you move onto high school. However, in Albania, what Americans call high school is actually considered college or university in Albania, and middle school to Albanians is considered high school. Unlike the American education system, elementary school and middle school are combined together. I was very confused on how this all worked and especially the names of things, but eventually I figured out how it works after some indepth research.
Much like his American counterparts, Ergi says that school is very important to him and he plans to go to college after high school. He either plans to study technology and computers, diplomacy, or sociology. He knows for certain that if he goes into technology, he will study abroad at a university in Vienna, Austria. Since Ergi is getting ready to go to college, he explained how different the college process is from the U.S. He says, “It works like this: To get into college, you need both good grades and social credits. They count 60% of the requirements as grades and state tests. 40%of the requirements are social credits (joining activities etc). Having good grades is really important but a B student with great social credits and extracurriculars can win over an A student with no social credits. So even though having good extra curriculars is great, studying and getting good grades is important. Some branches (majors) and universities require lower scores but others require higher scores. There’s a lot of debate about this system, a lot of us don’t like it.” In conclusion, the college process in Albania is just as hard as the college process in the United States!
When Ergi isn’t in school, he is involved in extracurriculars that most American teens would find familiar. Ergi is involved in an organization called Theatre Beyond Borders, in which actors from the countries Albania, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro perform plays together. Back in the day, there were a lot of border disputes in the Balkans, and this led to war between Albania, Kosovo and Serbia. Because of this, there is a lot of tension between Serbians and Albanians. “When people do theatre, they have to work together. This project and organization will help bring us more together after all the conflicts in the region,” Ergi said. Ergi also runs a popular history account on instagram called @Aint.Doing.History and a Youtube channel of the same name. He quotes, “The Instagram account has been growing quite fast and it’s active and healthy. The Youtube channel is quite passive although I really want to make it more active. I have two videos coming up about Iran and the twentieth century US.”
When asked about his thoughts of America, Ergi had a lot to say, “We here [in Albania] hold an image of ‘great America’, like that everything is easier. For example those from Albania who have the opportunity to come to America we call “shpetoi” or “i’a hodhi, which means he or she has a better life. Shepetoi literally means “got saved”. You all don’t know how much we idolize you. When I was little, I wanted to become President of the United States. My mom crushed my dreams by saying you had to be born there. But recently, my family and I are coming to our senses because having relatives in the U.S. tell us that it isn’t a fairy tale and it’s hard over there too.”
Ergi and his family are planning to get visas to come to the US and eventually become citizens. It is a complex and very long process. “Right now, we are currently through the process of “family union”. If I go that way, it will take 4-6 years. There is another option which is through school. I’d stay with my uncle in Long Island and attend university before my parents and my brother Rajan arrive. My dad wanted me to go to high school in America, but my mom disapproved of that. She feared we were going to disconnect.”
For now, Ergi is living life in Albania and hoping the best for the future of his country. I asked him if he saw himself and his generation as the future of Albania, but he had some concerns.
“I don’t think so, but I do hope that maybe we can make a difference. Lots of the younger generation in Albania are starting to lose some of the traditions that we once held. After the fall of communism in Albania, we took all the modernization and western influence we could get. However, it hasn’t gone well and we have lost some traditions because of that. In My hometown, Tirana, the youth mainly follows these trends just to look cool. I’m not saying that trends are bad, it’s just that we are losing traditions and the culture we once had. And, I feel as people start following trends, they won’t be leaders and individuals. Being a follower instead of a leader is not good for a nation. At this time I feel as if some of our traditions may fade because of globalization and assimilation and because everyone is just following trends and such.”
Ergi hopes to make a difference and keep the traditions and culture of Albania alive while keeping up with the rest of the world. Although we may come from different countries, we are all still teenagers and we are the future of our countries and the world. Together, we can put the differences aside and maybe make an impact on our world and shape it for the next generation to come.
Fun Pastimes to Enjoy While At Home
Kaylee Lynch & Lucie MacGillvray
Staff Writers
During times like these, it is really important to look around and think about what is important to you. For most of us, not being in a school was a shock and somewhat of a surprise, but there are definitely positives to this way of life and we just have to look at them. Here are some ideas and activities you can do to keep occupied and enjoy during this time away from being in school.
Number one is to get cleaning! It is true that activities after school take time away from house chores. So now that we have the time, it is important to help our parents out! Try doing the dishes for a change or folding laundry. It will truly help you in the future when you have to do these things on your own. Also cleaning the windows with windex, or cleaning out your room will be a way to use your time productively and it really makes a difference! So get to it!
Another great idea is to play games. Try playing real life games instead of the ones on the computer and phones. Maybe break out Monopoly or the boardgame Life. It is also fun to play trivia or do something you used to when you were younger like hide and seek. Time is ticking away, so get moving!
If you’d rather devote your time into something creative, try picking up a new hobby, such as drawing, learning card tricks or maybe even cooking! Different activities are always a blast to do. So ask your family to join in on the fun!
Those who have homework during this time, listen up! Now is the perfect time to get caught up on homework and other make-up work. Make sure to attend your online classes and zoom sessions!
If you’re looking for a relaxing activity to do, consider starting to watch a new show or reading a new book while staying inside! If you’re looking for a funny show, try the Impractical Jokers or Brooklyn Nine-Nine! There are a boat load of choices to rewatch or begin watching. Ever hear of The Office? The main character Michael Scott is a riot and you are sure to have a good time!
Even though we aren’t supposed to go outside and travel it is always nice to go for a bike ride or play frisbee. There are nearby parks that offer activities like these, for instance Peace Valley Park, Tyler Park, and Tinicum. If those places are not an option for you, you always have sidewalks and roadways to go walking or biking! Or even in your own backyard! So go fly a kite or take a walk while this warm weather is taking place!
Most importantly, during this time, make sure you’re staying safe! Try to stay away from large groups and practice healthy habits. Also, wash your hands! Spend some time having fun and getting organized. We hope to see everyone back in school as soon as possible. In the meantime, enjoy your time at home with your family!
Staff Writers
During times like these, it is really important to look around and think about what is important to you. For most of us, not being in a school was a shock and somewhat of a surprise, but there are definitely positives to this way of life and we just have to look at them. Here are some ideas and activities you can do to keep occupied and enjoy during this time away from being in school.
Number one is to get cleaning! It is true that activities after school take time away from house chores. So now that we have the time, it is important to help our parents out! Try doing the dishes for a change or folding laundry. It will truly help you in the future when you have to do these things on your own. Also cleaning the windows with windex, or cleaning out your room will be a way to use your time productively and it really makes a difference! So get to it!
Another great idea is to play games. Try playing real life games instead of the ones on the computer and phones. Maybe break out Monopoly or the boardgame Life. It is also fun to play trivia or do something you used to when you were younger like hide and seek. Time is ticking away, so get moving!
If you’d rather devote your time into something creative, try picking up a new hobby, such as drawing, learning card tricks or maybe even cooking! Different activities are always a blast to do. So ask your family to join in on the fun!
Those who have homework during this time, listen up! Now is the perfect time to get caught up on homework and other make-up work. Make sure to attend your online classes and zoom sessions!
If you’re looking for a relaxing activity to do, consider starting to watch a new show or reading a new book while staying inside! If you’re looking for a funny show, try the Impractical Jokers or Brooklyn Nine-Nine! There are a boat load of choices to rewatch or begin watching. Ever hear of The Office? The main character Michael Scott is a riot and you are sure to have a good time!
Even though we aren’t supposed to go outside and travel it is always nice to go for a bike ride or play frisbee. There are nearby parks that offer activities like these, for instance Peace Valley Park, Tyler Park, and Tinicum. If those places are not an option for you, you always have sidewalks and roadways to go walking or biking! Or even in your own backyard! So go fly a kite or take a walk while this warm weather is taking place!
Most importantly, during this time, make sure you’re staying safe! Try to stay away from large groups and practice healthy habits. Also, wash your hands! Spend some time having fun and getting organized. We hope to see everyone back in school as soon as possible. In the meantime, enjoy your time at home with your family!
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