Introducing Mystery Class #1-- Pristina, Kosovo, SCG
( 42.650 N, 21.167 E)

We're the upper elementary class from the International Learning Group (ILG) in Pristina, Kosovo, SCG. We’re an international, multicultural class. In fact, none of us are from Kosovo. We come from Pakistan, Canada, Zambia, Croatia, and Liberia.

Our English language arts and social studies teacher, Ms. Elswick, is from Reno, Nevada. While living in Kosovo is different from living in our home countries, there are some similarities. We attend school, play with our friends, go to the movies, and even watch TV.

The Country
We are located in the country known as Serbia and Montenegro. Before the 1990s, Serbia and Montenegro were two of the six republics or states that made up the country of Yugoslavia. By 1992, Yugoslavia's republics began to separate, and four of those republics broke off to become their own independent nations. After that, Serbia and Montenegro were the only two republics left of Yugoslavia, and they took on the new name of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 2003 when the country took on the new name of Serbia and Montenegro.

Over the last ten years, there has been much ethnic unrest and war in and around Serbia and Montenegro, and much of that has taken place in Kosovo. Thankfully, in 1999, the United Nations stepped in and set up UNMIK (the United Nations Mission in Kosovo) to govern Kosovo and keep peace. Since Kosovo is run by the UN, it is almost like a separate country itself now.

Kosovo
Kosovo is physically located inside of Serbia and Montenegro, in the south central part of country. Kosovo has a natural beauty, with rolling green hills, fields covered with wild flowers, and rugged mountains. In Kosovo, the road signs are written in two alphabets, Cyrillic and Latin. The foods here are very tasty, as the pies here are savory not sweet, and peppers are a big crop in the fields and on everyone's tables too.

As part of the peacekeeping UN Mission, the US has stationed troops at a large base in Kosovo called Camp Bondsteel.

Pristina
Our city of Pristina is the capital city of Kosovo, and the largest city in Kosovo too with around 500,000 estimated population. Pristina has the headquarters of the UN Mission located here, and there have always been many government, educational and cultural buildings here, and an international airport too.

In 2003, former President Clinton visited Pristina.

Although this is a major city, some of the modern conveniences of electricity and internet connections are not always reliable each day. For instance, water and electricity are not always available 24 hours per day. A few times during the Mystery Class season, we had to wait awhile to have internet connections, sometimes due to no electricity, sometimes due to satellite/internet problems.

The citizens of Pristina try to improve our environment. Starting back in 2002, Earth Day clean up activities were held, with clean ups and tree plantings by the local and US officials.

The citizens of Pristina try to improve our environment.

Farewell and Thanks!
We have enjoyed taking part in this year’s Mystery Classes. It was fun finding the other classes and being one too.

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