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Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

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Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

The Word from Inside Yugoslavia

Last week TFK received a powerful letter from reader Simon Zekic, 10, of Shohola, Pennsylvania. The fourth-grader was born in the U.S., but his father is Serbian. Simon has relatives in Yugoslavia, where NATO bombs are falling.

"Even though I am American," Simon writes, "I care for Yugoslavia because I have family there. Bojana Kovacevic is my cousin. She is 14 and lives in Futog, a suburb of Novi Sad. I interviewed her by phone."

Simon: How has your life changed since the bombing began?

Bojana: The schools are closed, and we have to go into the basement when sirens go on. (Air-raid sirens sound before an attack starts.) We are stuck here. Buses and trains don't work, few people have cars, and it is difficult to get gas.

Simon: Are you scared?

Bojana: Yes, I am scared, especially at night. But I'm also mad at Mr. Milosevic and Mr. Clinton.

Simon: Can you still buy food?

Bojana: Yes, but the prices have almost doubled. Also the stores don't accept U.S. dollars. That is bad for us, because we can't use the money your father gave us.

Simon: When the sirens go on at night, where do you sleep?

Bojana: We sleep in the basement, even though it's freezing there. The first night we didn't sleep at all!

Simon: How do you feel about Kosovo?

Bojana: We don't want to give up Kosovo because it is a historical place in Yugoslavia.

Simon: Do you respect Mr. Milosevic as your leader?

Bojana: Not at all! I have wanted him out for a long time because our country is suffering, but bombing us will not help get him out.

Simon: If you could get a message to President Clinton, what would it be?

Bojana: I would tell him to use his money to send food, medicine and clothing to us and all the refugees instead of using it to bomb us.

Simon: Thank you, Bojana. Good luck, and be careful!

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