Let us travel back in time and forget everything we know

Every time I visit a museum, each item displayed evokes emotions in me. It helps me escape the reality of my time and sends me somewhere unknown. And I love it.

This time I decided to go with my friends, so that the experience would be ten times better. Feeling as excited as ever, we decided to go through our options. In a rush, one of my friends suggested going to the National Museum of Kosovo, because she had been to the place when she was younger and she thought it was very captivating. That had left her wanting to go back. Well, that made all of us now that we had seen it, too.

Out of curiosity, I did a little digging. I learned that this museum is the largest one in Kosovo. It was founded in 1949 and what makes it special is its location at the old nucleus of the city center.

The moment I stepped inside and had a glimpse of what made the room so special, I was overwhelmed by a lot of feelings that I could not quite pinpoint. Was I feeling happy? Impressed? Dreadful? Aching to have lived different lives in different eras so that I could know more about each item I saw on display? Thinking back now, maybe all of them.

The room was filled with unique relics making me even more curious about the history of my nation. I was soon jumping from one position to another, eager to see all of the objects behind the glass.

Firstly, I observed the antique vases, dishes and pots that all seemed to have different shapes, uses and colors. I was fascinated to see the beautiful designs painted on them. It made me appreciate our ancestors' hard-work and creativity.

Continuing my exploring, I then stopped to admire some of the jewelry displayed at one of the sections. I did not know whether I loved the necklaces, bracelets, the rings or the earrings more. They were all so beautiful and unique in their own way. The similarities between them and the jewelry of our time were uncanny, which led me to believe that those of earlier times were used as an inspiration. It was amazing to see that after so many centuries we had found a way to bring their beloved accessories back to life. 

Something that sparked interest in me were the tear shaped jars which I had never heard of that had a very special use. I learned that when a dear one died, people cried tears inside these jars to show that they would miss the departed one. However, they did it out of respect, too. Now, how amazing is that? 

Lastly, what really helped me feel content with my visit there, was the discovery of a stone which had imprinted Albanian women's names on it. It was of a time between the third and the fourth century. To my absolute surprise, as if to make me feel special, I was able to locate the letters that made my surname. On part of that stone, it said “ABAZI.” This may be an indicator that I have a wild imagination, but for a moment I felt like another version of me existed at that time and was lucky enough to see, feel, touch and experience things that I did not. I won. 

Visiting a museum and observing objects that were all significant at some point in time and still continue to be, is what I will always long for. And that is something I will know for as long as I live. Because if this is as close as it gets to having a time machine, I will take what I can get.