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Pathetically, 16 years old Dorian Anxhaku from Tirana writes about his first trip abroad

While standing in the road on the shadow of the world famous banks, listening to the falling of the snow, to the noise of the snow avalanches in some tourist resorts, along the quiet and marvelous Lake of Geneva, I instinctively press the Albanian passport I am holding.

I feel a little bit confused and I am sincere a drop of tear slips on my cheek. May be this is the reason why a Swiss woman very impressed asks me: »What is wrong, sir?«

I might have been lost in my thoughts, because she touches my hand and tries to recover my consciousness from that momentary shock. My whole body asks my lonely and forsaken being: »Why are we so poor while being so close to such a rich world? Why are we so unlucky while living so close to a world that blossoms in its happiness? Why are we dipped in a monotonous idea of the pain while being so close to a world that moves its feet impetuously in a strange dance?« »What is wrong, sir?«, the unknown woman asks. »Why, why?«, my whole being asks.

I stayed some days at this magic place, Switzerland, in this place, where Albanian guests are welcomed. The reason of my visit was a contest organised from UNDP (United Nations Development Project) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the universal Charter of Human Rights. This competition was organized between the high schools' students, and I happened to be the winner. I took one of the Swissair planes and found myself in Zurich and then in Geneva just as in a day of a thousand and one nights' dream.

I met with famous personalities of the European Politics at the High Commissariat of the United Nations. I have been to the home country of Wilhelm Tell, the Swiss highlander that shot the apple placed on his son's head. A lot of famous Albanians have come here and had a common dream: »We wish Albania becomes a second Switzerland.« This is an emblematic dream, a second Jerusalem. »To become a second Switzerland« - these words were the honorued words that came out of the charming princess Elena Gjika, the one that impressed the European Courts - these words came out of the European theatre star Alexander Moisiu at his last evening - these were the words fixed in the notebook of Mithat Frasheri on his return trip from Switzerland.

I couldn't sleep, and being lonely while wandering in the beautiful streets of Geneva, I had a feeling that I was going to meet with the pieces of conservation, with the dialogues, with the words and dreamed images of these outstanding compatriots. And above all, their common emblem: »To become a second Switzerland.«

We almost have the same climate and landscape. We have strong human characters that seem to be hardened at the same anvil. But yet we are so far from each other as if we were two planets traveling in other universes, in other galaxies. »What is wrong, sir?«

The repetition of this question made my star fall down onto the ground and I see a woman of the same age as my mother standing in front of me. She looked worried and anxious.

Mothers... They are the only persons that do not change in this world. They are always there with the same compassion of the spallow bird, with their rainbow longing that brightens their eyes, with their quietness that knows how to wait, with that look that knows how to talk, with that smile that lifts you up to the heavens.

»What is wrong, sir? Are you sick?«

Yes madam, I am sick. My poor mother and I are sick. We want to be healed, but sometimes the medicines are out of date, we want to hear a good word, but cheat is hidden behind them, we want to hear a good morning for a golden morning. »We want to have our rights.«

She takes my arm and brings me to a house. The tea is boiling, and later I have a coffee with milk. I know only some words in German and French, and we try to bring together our universes.

»We want our rights, those rights that we denied to ourselves, those rights that others denied to us. We want to live.«

When a human being, when a family, when a town, when a people give a SOS signal, like a ship in the heavy sea, then other people, other towns, other nations have to answer with the great law of the sea of human history: they have to help, they have to come quick, they have to talk, to smile... I am still holding the Albanian passport, as those pages are keeping the connections with my planet, with my special life.

Here in Switzerland, more than anywhere else, you can take some useful truths with you, given from the gigantic arrow and bow of Willhelm Tell with the blade that flies towards the Sun, as if the Sun was a gigantic apple. Fight for your rights. Do not plead. Do not get discouraged. Work. Search. Stand. Be triumphant... Keep your head straight up like the mountains and let the clock knock on your chest as an immortal clock.

The airplane leaves behind the airports of Geneva and Zurich and takes with it those precious truths. Those truths taken from the treasure of Simbad sailor in the ship-holds of Switzerland filled up with property, liberty, dignity and equality.

Thank you Switzerland. Greetings to you Switzerland - I great your heart and your soul...

Dorian Anxhaku

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