Introduction
Rezarta Mataj had already achieved a great deal in her career at a young age — a federal judge by the age of 24, a lovely family soon after, and the accolades to be an adjunct professor at public and private law schools all across Albania. There was one caveat, however; she couldn’t rid herself of the thought that she’d be able to build a better life for herself and her family in the U.S. Rezarta took a leap of faith, and the future she envisioned has started to take shape. Arizona State University gave her a chance, and she’s well on her way to reclaiming everything she once had and more.
Episode Summary
- 02:56 - Rezarta speaks on the beauty of Albania, what it means to be Albanian and her recent trip back to her home country.
- 05:25 - Rezarta explains her decision to move to the U.S. for a better life and mentions a little-known program called the “DV Lottery.”
- 10:41 - How did Rezarta handle going from a successful law career to once again being a student in the U.S.?
- 15:09 - Fundamentally, how does law differ between the U.S. and Albania?
- 17:25 - What drew Rezarta to the intellectual property sector of law?
- 20:16 - Rezarta speaks on a memorable case pertaining to the French dictionary.
- 22:52 - With court cases demanding keen attention to detail, Rezarta explains the importance of making every word count — and the challenge of doing so in a new language.
- 24:48 - What are the tips Rezarta would give friends, family, or students looking to come to the U.S.?
- 28:26 - Rezarta reflects on her past where you had to bribe your way to where you wanted to be.
- 29:21 - What’s Rezarta’s secret dream? (Hint: she’s already done it.)
- 30:22 - What has Arizona State University meant to Rezarta, and how did they help her on her journey?
- 34:04 - What are Rezarta’s favorite slang words in American and in Albanian?
- 36:52 - Rezarta shares her husband's dream to be a soccer referee and how you can support their future endeavors.
Links
Arizona State University Global Launch
Guest Information
Resources
Networking 101: Making Connections in College
American Slang Words You Need to Know
Connect With Us
Find our Podcasts here
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Death, Sex & Money
Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.