Saturday, May 20, 2006

Kosovo, A Mix of Yesterday & Today

Kosovo is a strange mixture of yesterday and today.  It is not uncommon to see the latest model of Mercedes or BMW passing a horse-drawn cart or tractor on the highway.  I recall a couple years ago, KPS Traffic had an initiative to stop tractors traveling on the roads after dark without taillights but it seems that people just don't care about the danger they present to themselves or others and the practice of running around without taillights at night is still prevalent.
The old traditions aren't just limited to horse-drawn carts on the highway though.  I recently had a conversation with a young girl just finishing high school at one of the local businesses I frequent.  She wants to get her bellybutton pierced but according to her "now I have to ask my parents for permission and then I will have to ask my husband".  For the girl, this is just the way life is and her attitude seems to be one of who-am-I-to-question-it.