Albanian Culture vs English Culture

Cultural Aspects in ELT

ALBANIAN CULTURE versus GREAT BRITAIN CULTURE
Even if the both countries are in Europe they have had different history, consequently they have had different cultural development. While Great Britain was a country with great economic and political power, Kosova was always occupied and exploited by their occupiers, for example, first from Roman Empire, from Ottoman Empire and later from Serbia. People in Great Britain have developed authentic cultural characteristics while Kosovars due the various populations living in the relatively small area adopted many cultural characteristics from each other.
Usually, due the high unemployment rate in Kosova many family members live together even in adult age. They help each other raising children so that most of their children do not go to a kindergarten, resulting that many children have first contact with strangers when they begin going to school. It means that from the very early age to 6-7 years the children are acquiring only the habits, cultural values and language from their family members and relatives. In contrary, in Great Britain, there are many pre-school facilities where small children can play and stay during a day while their parents are busy with fulfilling their everyday assignments. Children acquire habits, cultural values and language not only from their family members but from their wider environment, too.
During the school period there is a great difference in the way how is the trip to the school organized. While in Great Britain, going to school implies advanced safety actions, in Kosova children even in the first grade go alone to school or in groups of children of the same age, but without being escorted by adults, and in this way they are risking injuries from the traffic accidents. Furthermore, due limited space at schools children have to carry their heavy school bags to school and back home, while in Great Britain students have lockers at schools where they can put in books which they don't need at the moment.
Even if somebody finishes the high school with great success, in Kosova, due the economic crises there is a really small chance to get a decent job. So that young people are forced to continue studding at different universities. On this way Kosova produces a great number of high educated people that cannot contribute in Kosova development just because they don't have opportunity to do it. On the other way, despite global economic crises, in Great Britain most of the students after finishing the high school incorporate themselves in economic life finding a job that can ensure them a decent life. So, only high skilled students continue studding at universities, and this raises a quality of leadership of companies and government.
Like in all modern societies, in Great Britain creating of family is free choice of every single person. In contrary, in Kosova, there is still traditional way present. Every individual should fulfill acceptance of his/her family and create his/her own family. Having children is the main aim of marriage and still is present patriarchal relation between family members so that women are placed under men in family hierarchy. In Great Britain women are equal with men at work, by children raising, education and in any other aspect of life.
When people get old, in Kosova society they still live with at least one of their children who looks after them. Even if there is a need for special care family members take care after them, but with guide of professional personnel. They, especially women, stay at home and do not go out without being escorted by a family member. It is not common for them to go on vacations; usually they visit other family members. In contrary, in Great Britain retired people use their free time to visit places and events they were not able to do while they were at work. They stay at their homes, if their health allowed it, and if they cannot take care of themselves they go to live in specialized institutions where qualified personnel look after them.
Currently the culture and social life of Kosova is changing rapidly. The traditional way of living has become inadequate for many families, so that at the moment, Kosova society is going through transition from traditional to modern society. This causes some issues in everyday life but it can be adjusted with some effort of involved people.
I have made this comparison of majority of the population in both countries. There are some people or groups of people, in both countries, that cannot be covered with this writing.





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