A small country, 5,600 miles away from Lodi, was once the home of Sophmore, Enedja Zeqollari. Even though Enedja was born in the United States, she has spent most of her life in the tiny city of Pogradec, Albania. Before Enjeda was born, her mother had already lived in the United States for ten years. When Enjeda was only at the age of five,  her parents decided to move back to their home country. Enjeda quickly adjusted to her new home. Ten years later and Enjeda has moved back to Lodi to have a better chance for her education. Moving back to the United States was more than a challenge for her. From the schools to the environment, everything was a major difference from what she was used to. She had to adjust to the schools of New Jersey. She had no problem with this adjustment. In fact, she likes the schools better here.

“The schools are better here than they are in Albania. The teachers are more understanding,” she says.

Not only does she like the teachers better, but she also likes the education. The subjects are less difficult, which help her easily understand them. Here, they also have specific teachers for each subject. This was another big difference. In Albania, there was one teacher who would teach every subject.  The students would stay in one classroom the entire school day.

Other dissimilarities from Albania and Lodi is the environment. In Pogradec, there were much bigger houses. Enedja house was very close to a soccer field in which she played on every day. However, what makes Pogradec a special place to her is a lake that surrounds it.  It is a lake that holds many memories in Enjeda’s heart. When Enjeda moved here her father, unfortunately, could not come with her. That lake was where her and her father would spend time with each other.

Another city that she loved other than Pogradec was Pojska. “There was a hotel there where all my family and cousins would go to every summer. There we went to the lake. That was one of my best memories that I wish I could have again,” Enjeda said.

Not only does she miss Pogradec but she misses the people who walk on the streets of it. Nonetheless, Enjeda does love her home in Albania but she is glad that she has come to America. As pretty as Albania is, there are not many laws and there is limited protection. She likes the fact that Albania is a beautiful place to take a nice, long vacation but for a nice and long life she is grateful for her residence in Lodi.