ERA*

Era doesn’t have any links with the word for the wind in Albanian. She herself doesn’t know why her parents chose the name. Era possesses a great amount of luck, and good opportunities always head her way. While this doesn't prevent her from undergoing hardships, she always comes out of bad situations far better off than any other person would. Of Albanian descent, Era was born and raised in Suhareka, Kosovo by Mediu and Atime. She had a fairly happy childhood, and was a precocious, cheerful child. The family wasn't well off, but oddly enough, they never went hungry, or lacked any necessities. Era was always able to find food or supplies in very strange, coincidental ways – finding groceries on the corner of the street, money in books, and jackets on sidewalks. Although her parents found this a bit odd, they accepted their good fortune as the Lord providing for them, and considered their daughter to be a great blessing.
When she was nine, things began spiralling downwards not only for them, but all of the Albanians in Kosovo. A Serbian Communist Party official, Slobodan Milošević, and his government gained power. He used his authority to make constitutional changes in order to 'protect' the Serbian minority from the Albanian majority. Finally, in 1990, he took away Kosovo's right to autonomy. This change heavily impacted the entire country. Many companies began to require workers to sign loyalty pledges to Milošević and his government's pro-Serbian policies, which Era's father refused to do. Around 115,000 Albanians lost their jobs, and were replaced by Serbs.
Unemployed, her father began working odd jobs to make ends meet. In spite of Era's uncanny ability to provide, stress was rising for Atime and Mediu, 'How long can our luck last?' they wondered. Nevertheless, they stayed in Kosovo, while many of their neighbours began moving to Germany, Greece, and Italy in search of better prospects. Conditions continued to worsen for Era and her family, and violence began to escalate in 1996. Living in Suhareka made things worse, as that area tended to show very strong resistance against Serbian rule. Mediu eventually became involved with the Kosovo Liberation Army as well, joining his peers in the fight for freedom. As the fighting intensified, Serbian police began responding to rebels' attacks. In a skirmish between the police and the KLA, Mediu was shot and killed in the crossfire.
Devastated, Atime and Era began making plans to leave right away. They gathered what little belongings they had, and got ready to leave the country. But their plans to run away were ruined because NATO had started bombarding the Serbian military bases. So they ended up in Stankofci, a refugee camp in Macedonia. They were again lucky. The British Government took them by aeroplane towards South Yorkshire. While travelling, her mother was in poor condition – Mediu's death had left her extremely unstable. She would sporadically dissolve into tears and refuse to eat. One day away from South Yorkshire, she became frightfully ill and passed away that night.
Now completely alone at the age of fifteen, Era arrived in South Yorkshire knowing no English, with nothing but a small valise and nowhere to go. She wandered around a bit, looking miserable and attracting the stares of pitying strangers. It was one of these pitying strangers who offered her a place to stay.
Three years have gone by, and it is the year 1999. She currently lives in the home of the woman who took her in, and works as a maid.
Once loud and jubilant, Era has now matured into a soft-spoken, mild-mannered young lady. While she's a very warm and compassionate person, she prefers to keep people at a distance. She gives off a maternal aura, which draws people to confide in her and ask for advice. However, she doesn't seek the company of others when she's feeling sad. Era is a private person, and prefers not to be pitied by others. This is probably why she refuses to tell anyone what she had endured, and merely smiles and says, 'It is not important,' when asked about her past. She seems a bit too grown-up for a nineteen-year-old, and is a bit slow to realize when people are joking. However, she has her moments. She's rather easily amused, and is somewhat clumsy, which often results in many a broken dish and burnt meal.
Era isn't a stunning beauty, although she is rather pretty in an understated way. With long, dark hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, she usually blends right in with the crowd. She likes to wear simple clothing, and often wears long dresses. Her clothes are all of muted or pastel colours, and this makes her stand out even less. People usually don't notice her unless they're looking for her, and she likes this, as she isn't fond of being the centre of attention.
The people who do notice her usually label her as a motherly type. Her voice is soothing and pleasant to listen to, though her English isn't always perfect. Her countenance is usually peaceful, and she's rarely seen looking distressed. Era prefers to keep her anger, sorrow, and other negative emotions to herself, and has grown accustomed to smiling nearly all the time.


*Era: Wind