English Class

Ceramic cups clattered against saucers, as small spoons scraped the edge of the mug, mixing sugar into macchiatos. Loud slurps echoed as the last drop of brightly colored soda concoctions were inhaled. The crack of splitting metal followed by the carbon fizz of sugary energy drinks rang out… the sounds of a coffee house symphony.
These sounds weren’t breaking the silence; they were accentuating the chatter of Kosovar high school students enhancing their English skills with American Soldiers from Multi-National Task Force (East) during a weekly English class in Kaçanik/Kačanik.
As part of a Civil Affairs-led program, MNTF(E) Soldiers travel to schools throughout their area of operation to promote safety and security every week through positive interactions with Kosovo’s youth.
“I can’t give the students much,” says Staff Sgt. Manuel Torres-Cortes, an English class volunteer with MNTF(E), “but I can give them some of the knowledge I do have to maybe help them help themselves.”
The students have dreams of higher education and international travel, and a working knowledge of English can be a great tool to help them achieve those goals.
“Later in life, when the students travel,” says Spc. Matthew Shaver, another volunteer, “they will be able to easily communicate with people around the world.”
According to the National Virtual Translation Center’s website, www.NVTC.gov, “English has a wider dispersion than any other language in the world. It is also required in many fields and occupations, especially technology and culture.”
“It is important to learn English because it is spoken all over the world,” says Anber Zherhbu, a student at the school. “As an example, if I am traveling and meet a girl from England, I will know what to say to her!”
While girls are an important factor in anything a teenage boy does, the students also have career aspirations.
“After high school,” says Fitore Harku, a student at the school, “I want to study at the university in Pristina… I want to study to be an architect.”
Another student, Arife Bushee says, “It is my dream to study other languages, especially in America and at Oxford.”
The students of the Kačanik / Kaçanik school are native Albanian speakers, but most are already proficient in two to three other languages, including German, Spanish and, obviously, English.
“Most of the kids speak English very well already,” says Spc. Matthew Moeller, another volunteer. “What we’re trying to do is take it to the next level, actually have a conversation with a native English-speaking person.”
“They can learn proper English from a book, but we’re trying to give them a different perspective on the language,” Torres-Cortes adds. “We’re trying to make the class less structured, and more practical… we’re not trying to just teach them vocabulary words, but help them with conversational skills so they can get their point across when they communicate with English-speaking people.”
While the class will help the students better integrate themselves into the world outside of Kosovo, it has potentially greater implications in strengthening communication within the territory.
According to Staff Sgt. Rebecca Beverly, who is in charge of the afternoon class in Kačanik / Kaçanik, the majority of schools involved in the program are Albanian, but there is at least one Serbian school.
By helping the students learn one common, neutral language, “the program can help break boundaries between Albanian and Serbian Kosovars,” Beverly says.
But, the students are not the only ones who benefit from these classes. The Soldiers are learning more about the area where they live and the people they’re here to protect.
Many Soldiers spend their days in offices on Camp Bondsteel, and have little time to interact with the people of Kosovo. Even when they do, the language barrier hinders the conversation. This class, however, provides the Soldiers with a unique opportunity for one-on-one interaction with the people of Kosovo.
“When I sit down with the students, I get to have a real conversation,” says Moeller. “It’s a more personal level. I get better information about where I’m at, and who the Kosovars really are. On a personal level it makes the mission easier for me. It gives me a purpose for being here.”
“On a personal level it makes the mission easier for me. It gives me a purpose for being here.”
“I’m learning more from the students than they’re learning from me,” Torres-Cortes adds. “I’m learning about their needs and what we can do for them and their country.”
For the Soldiers and students in this class, the learning has become a two-way street. Whether they spend their weekly time together in a classroom reading through English books and explaining specific words and phrases, or spend the time crowded into a coffee shop teaching each other about their backgrounds by sharing photos and stories, both the Soldiers and the students are soaking up as much knowledge as they can from their time together.