She lives between the motive for the realization of dreams and the absence and longing for family members. The girl from Peja, Valëza Kastrati, in 2017 took the road to America for the first time, to continue her stay there even today.
First, she won a scholarship for Master’s level studies from the US State Department, for democratic governance and the rule of law. And then she won another scholarship, where during her studies she managed to receive honors and rewards as the best student.
Today, she lives in New York where she is engaged as a mediator for mainly property, contractual and damage compensation conflicts.
Her next goal is to take the bar exam in the country where she lives.
But did Valeza Kastrati think from the beginning to develop her career away from Kosovo?
In an interview for Atlaniku, Kastrati says that she was engaged for a period of 2 years as an assistant professor at the public university “Haxhi Zeka” in Peja.
Kastrati says that she had tried to bring innovative methods to Kosovo, through what he had learned in America. But her efforts were not rewarded.
“What sets the USA apart is the opportunity to prove yourself, either with academic preparation or even with a professional school. Here, the capable does not remain anywhere, let alone be despised,” she says for Atlaniku.
Besides opportunities, her goal was to return to Kosovo.
“I came back as the best student among Kosovars, graduated with honors and looked for work for 3 years in a row. I was rejected in a dignified way, they equated the preparation with many other unqualified ones, they rejected my applications on the grounds that I did not meet the conditions, and some emphasized that I was beyond qualified,” she says.
She even won the engagement as an assistant only after several appeal procedures.
A young student who has dedicated herself to education does not find it easy to despise her achievements, even less when I earned everything with honor and sweat. After two years of work as an Assistant, my contract was not extended even though I was hoping to be employed as a regular”, says Kastrati.
After that, Valeza decided to continue her life in the USA, in a country that offered opportunities that she could not find in Kosovo.
In addition, the Kosovar girl says that she will continue her commitment to Kosovo in other forms.
“The opportunity to study in America has been proven with many Kosovar graduates. There are also many Valëzas who today reap success all over the world, and it would be an honor and pride to see them contributing to one of the youngest countries in the world. What I suggest is that the youth is constantly engaged because no experience is a waste”.
