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Sunday, 13 June 2010 05:00

Frida Ghitis' Forum article on the people of Kosovo loving America ("Where Muslims Love America," June 6) revived precious memories. I witnessed firsthand the gratitude of Kosovar Albanians toward Americans. I have excerpted part of a letter that I sent to family and friends on March 24, 2006, from Pristina, Kosovo:

"It was the end of my second week of teaching at the American University in Kosovo. Another faculty member and I decided to have dinner out at a restaurant called Pishat in downtown Pristina. After dinner, we walked to the Times Bar across from UNMIK (United Nation Mission in Kosovo) headquarters to have a raki rushi (local grape brandy). We were getting ready to leave and the waiter said that he was going to deliver another round, compliments of the three gentlemen sitting at a nearby table. They had overheard our conversing in English and wanted to toast us two lone Americans in the bar. We were surprised and a little embarrassed that we hadn't realized the importance of the date to Kosovar Albanians. It was the seventh anniversary of the beginning of their being freed from Serb oppression.

"This wasn't the first time something like this has happened to me. I have received numerous accolades for being an American and especially so when I say I am teaching young Kosovars. I am asked how are they doing? Are they being good students? It is so gratifying and humbling.

"Those three gentlemen and other Albanians were witness to and unwilling participants in the ethnic cleansing campaign of the Milosevic Serbs. The U.N. estimates that 850,000 Kosovar Albanians were forced to flee their homes, another 10,000 were killed and 3,000 remain missing."

TED M. POPOVICH

Ben Avon

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