Medvedja – Emina Lalic, an interpreter for the Albanian language at the Faculty of Economics’ Department in Medvedja, believes that women are more demanding, rigorous, subtle and fair than men and that men perceive women as powerful rivals in the business world.

Emina Lalic, who is Albanian, was born in Medvedja, while she attended classes, those from  kindergarten through secondary school, in the Serbian language, although schools in the municipality of Medvedja are bilingual. She studied in Pristina, from where she returned four years ago due to lack of work in the big city. She is married to a Montenegrin, her colleague.

She says that the job of an interpreter at the university is not easy and simple, but that it is demanding and responsible, and that she needed some time to establish authority with the students. She has the hardest time during the exams, when, for instance, an Albanian student is on one side, and a professor who can’t speak Albanian on the other.  

“I used to ask students to give me the concepts of their responses, which I interpreted into Serbian, but the problem would arise when the professors asked them more questions, because they suspected that I helped them.  I can, now, interpret almost simultaneously. Sometimes I have the impression that someone's exam and mark depend on how I interpret, since it is sufficient to interpret one single word incorrectly, and everything is messed up. What I keep telling the students is to learn Serbian, as well as other languages, because having language skills enriches you, "says Emina.

Emina's parents and her husband’s family members are proud of what she does.

”And why would not they be, it is a privilege to have a job in Medvedja. I would personally like to work as an economist for some company. For the time being, this is impossible, because there are not any companies here. We can only hope that there will be some in the future, "Emina says.

The Albanian-Serbian marriages are rare in Medvedja, especially after the conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija. However, there were no obstacles for Emina and her husband.  The couple is accepted by both communities.

Source: Jugmedia and Coordination Body