A fresh pair of eyes

By Mathilde Paquet

Hi there,
I’m writing my final blog in my small single apartement in Amsterdam, a week after the end of Kosovo, and a few days after we officially said our goodbyes to Peace Lab. What an adventure! From all the studying in the first week to finishing our projects on the last Friday of June, and without forgetting the beauty that came from this wonderful trip, this month has taken me to new horizons that have profoundly impacted both my academic and personal journeys. 

Throughout the trip in Kosovo, I took part in the project which was focusing on idols and role models. At the start of the trip, our group really did not know what we would be focusing on, but as we interviewed more and more people, we gained insight into the impact that women, from the extraordinary ones to those in our daily life, have on people around them.  Thus, we started looking at women empowerment and the role models that help pull women to the top! I was really interested by the many academic women we saw, who talked of emancipation and following their dreams, but also focused their lives on very grounded projects, such as education or making food. In this sense, these women were not only the pillars for society but also for the people in their daily life. I think that this makes these role models so important to others, as other people see the effort that they put in reflected around them. 

Then, something that has really stuck with me after this trip has been the memory of the people we met on the ground in Kosovo, who were so welcoming and well-spoken. People introduced us to the culture, from the food to the music scene. On our third night in Pristina, I remember we headed to the city’s Beer & Wine festival, where Dafina Zeqiri, a pop star phenomenon, was singing. There, we met with some friendly girls who were fans of her and told us all about her. Moreover, we also met this girl who was the daughter of the local Buzuku bookstore owner, whom I met while scouring the store. The second time I saw her, she hugged me and instantly asked me if I wanted to go on a walk to enjoy the sun and talk, which felt like such a warm welcome. These are only examples of the countless thrilling interactions we had in this city!  

All in all, I have learned a lot of things from taking part in Peace Lab. Firstly, I have learned more about my career prospects and how I want to make myself useful in the world. Indeed, I found it hard to visualize my future while being at AUC, since the theory can sometimes feel detached from practical work. Nevertheless, seeing so many young people like me involved in the organizations working on the field, I can really see the impact that one can have by taking part in local field work and community building. 

I have also really become interested in education as a pathway to peacebuilding, or at least solidarity building. I would love to explore more of this side of me in the future, which feels close to my truest self. 

On a personal level, I have gained new insights into my sense of peace and what values I want to abide by in my future life. Finally, the friends I have made on this trip have been truly special to me, as they have seen me up close and vulnerable throughout this whole journey, and I truly feel that I have come to know them as a small family. I hope to make good use of these lessons in the future, but for now, I would like to wish all those reading a fresh pair of eyes when looking at their own life and the choices they make.