Intro
On March 19, 2023, I was completing my clinical externship in Chicago, 2 months away from graduating with my master’s degree from the University of Iowa. I had been applying for speech-language pathology jobs and browsing apartment listings. That afternoon, after seeing my last client of the day, I received an email. I had been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Fulbright Program—specifically, for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. In September, I would be moving to Kosovo to teach English at the University of Pristina.
Getting selected for Fulbright was shocking, exciting, and scary. I’d never lived abroad before. As was the case for many people who went to college during the pandemic, study-abroad programs weren’t an option for me. But, regardless, I jumped in with both feet. I decided that I would try my best to positively impact the profession of speech-language pathology in Kosovo.
Over the course of 8 months, I built relationships with Kosovan speech-language therapists; gave educational talks; gathered data for a research study with local stakeholders; raised $3,900 for a speech-language pathology nonprofit; and was on national television!
In the sections below, I’ll first give you some background on the linguistic environment in Kosovo, explain to you how I created an impact in the work that I did while I was there, and share some strategies for securing meaningful work abroad.
For any students attempting to work in the profession of speech-language pathology abroad, I hope that this blog post helps you decide to take the leap—and gives you some tips that you can use along the way.
Background on the Kosovo Linguistic Environment
In Kosovo, the profession of speech-language pathology is still growing. There isn’t much research on how Albanian speech and language develop, and the country is recovering from the Kosovo War in 1999. Kosovo’s language situation is unique and different from that of the United States because of Kosovo’s history, past language policy, and the need for people to speak more than one language.
The main language spoken in Kosovo is a type of Gheg Albanian. This dialect is different from the standard Tosk dialect, but Tosk became the standard due to political reasons in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, people speak Gheg in everyday life, but they use Tosk in schools, newspapers, and formal settings.
Kosovo’s language situation is also influenced by conflicts over the past 50 years. In 1989, Kosovo lost its autonomy in Yugoslavia, leading to the suppression of the Albanian language and culture. Schools were segregated, and Albanian students had to attend poorly funded schools or be taught in secret, underground home schools. Serbian military forces destroyed Albanian books, and printed materials were available only in Serbian. Many girls didn’t go to school for safety reasons. As a result, by 2001, 40% of women aged 16–35 were illiterate, and 80% didn’t finish basic education. This lack of education affected the language development of their children, impacting Kosovo’s language environment today.
The suppression of the Albanian language forced people in Kosovo to become multilingual. Before 1989, students learned Serbian in schools. Now, due to the political tension between Serbs and Albanians, the two groups often use English to communicate. Kosovo also uses English to communicate with the rest of the world as the country recovers and globalizes. Today, children in Kosovo often speak Albanian and English, whereas their parents speak Albanian, English, and Serbian.
Even if there were old resources for speech and language development, they wouldn’t be useful for the new generation of Kosovans. The speech and language needs of kids in Kosovo have been constantly evolving for the past 50 years.
Availability of Speech-Language Pathology Services
To make matters more complicated, speech-language therapy and other special education services are not publicly available to all children in Kosovo. Many groups are lobbying to get these services for everyone, but right now, schools mostly depend on volunteers to help as many children as they can. This means that many children still don’t get the help they need. Private services are available, but many families can’t afford the cost.
Creating an Impact
I didn’t know that much upon landing in Kosovo. There weren’t many resources on speech-language pathology in the region when I looked online. And, having not worked or studied internationally before, I found it difficult to know what exactly I should research. Instead, I looked into Kosovo-based speech-language pathology nonprofits with whom I could work.
When I first arrived in Pristina in September 2023, I met with staff members from Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi, a nonprofit that provides free speech and language services in Pristina public schools. They were the most lovely people—driven, dedicated, and caring! We talked about what things are like and where they might need help. We identified a few areas in which I might be able to assist.
Their main issues were as follows:
- The need for more evidence-based practice
- No access to standardized diagnostic tools
- A lack of funding
I thought about how I could make a difference in these areas. My peers at the nonprofit provided some specific topics, and I presented educational events for the speech-language pathology community about goal writing, treatment of fluency disorders, and language sampling to build their evidence base. I also observed and directly mentored volunteers at Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi, most of whom were students completing their practicums.
I started a research project that was a partnership between Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi and Dr. Philip Combiths from The University of Iowa. We used a school-age language test adapted into Albanian and administered it—with parental consent—to children in three schools. These community norms are in the process of being scored, and the results that we will report on can serve as a basic diagnostic tool for their specific community until more tools are developed.
To address the lack of funding, we started a crowdfunding campaign. We partnered with local NSSLHA chapters at The University of Iowa, University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, and Illinois State University to get the word out. Ultimately, we raised $3,900 for Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi in just 40 days.
Getting Involved
Here are a few tips on how you can get involved abroad.
1. It doesn’t need to be a speech-language pathology–focused program.
When I applied for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, I didn’t know exactly how it would relate to my career as a speech-language pathologist. I took a bit of a risk but kept my focus on finding a connection to the speech-language pathology community in Kosovo. When I reached out to Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi, they said I was the first American speech therapist with whom they had ever connected. It was challenging but rewarding to be the first person to connect them with the U.S. speech-language pathology community!
If no SLP-specific program feels like a fit for you, look outside the box for one. You might not directly be doing therapy—perhaps instead you’re mentoring, educating, and advocating, like I did. You might find that a more general work- or study-abroad program is actually the right fit for you.
2. Just apply!
During the entire application process, I didn’t really think I’d get accepted. Don’t let self-doubt stop you from trying. Maybe the program will see something in you that you didn’t even see in yourself!
3. Don’t start from zero.
Often, making a big impact means supporting existing organizations. This is especially true if you’re only planning to work or study abroad for a year or so (I was abroad for 8 months). Reach out to national or international organizations who are working in the area of speech-language pathology in that country. They may also be able to provide interpretation services for you if there’s a language barrier.
Don’t feel limited when working with an organization. Pitch new ideas and projects that you want to take on—and find an organization that supports your ideas!
4. Tap into your network.
I couldn’t have done these projects in Kosovo without support from my community. In September, I set up a call with my professors from graduate school, asking for guidance on potential projects. It all felt very overwhelming until I received encouragement and advice from Dr. Anu Subramanian and Dr. Philip Combiths, both from The University of Iowa. Dr. Combiths and Dr. Enkeledia Kapia from the University of München (also known as Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) were also vital to our research project.
I received immense support from my community when fundraising for Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi. Friends, family, and former professors shared and supported our cause. I was even able to build new community. During our fundraising, I reached out to an SLP influencer (Sam of Speaking of Samantics) whom I admired, asking her to share about our fundraiser on her platforms. She not only shared about it but even generously donated funds herself!
So many people supported my work. Your network is so important!
5. Think about sustainability.
Trying to make an impact in the speech-language pathology community abroad should be sustainable. It’s better to make a small impact that leaves a lasting difference than to make a big intervention that disappears when you do.
I made sure that Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi could continue to partner with The University of Iowa to build evidence-based practice and diagnostic tools in the coming years. Even though I left Kosovo in May, it’s my sincere hope that the changes I helped bring about at Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi will be felt for many years.