September is here, this American summer is over, and my journey to Macedonia and the Peace Corps is just over the horizon. Excitement, curiosity, and imaginations of what my experience may be like has changed into a dull checklist of items I need to buy and tasks I need to accomplish before I depart.
Over the past weeks, as I exchanged my last goodbyes with friends and loved ones, many questions were asked of me that I frankly did not have the answers to:
Q- "What exactly will you be doing?"
A- "No idea. I was nominated for Economic Community Development, invited for NGO Development. I will find out my assignment once I arrive."
Q- "Where will you live?"
A- "Not in the capital, most likely a city. Macedonia is a country of just over 2 million, so the city will be small by Chicago's/ American standards."
Q- "How many other volunteers will live in the city you will be in?"
A- ???
Q- "What is the weather like?"
A- "Cold winters, hot summers. Depends if I am in a valley or higher up in the mountains."
Q- "What language will you speak?"
A- Macedonian for certain. Quite possibly Albanian, if I am assigned to a city with a larger Albanian community."
Q- "Will you be able to come back to the US anytime during your service?"
A- "Yes, but I do not intend to unless an emergency occurs."
Q- "Are you nervous?"
A- "No."
Overall, I could only provide generic answers to the questions asked of me. Peace Corps volunteers serve in a vast number of countries, and even within a small country like Macedonia, volunteer experiences can differ by sector, location, time of service, etc. Despite all of these unknowns, I can confidently respond that I am not worried about the looming experience because there are so many "knowns" that give me a good expectation of things to come. I have scoured the internet and Wikipedia for non-fiction articles on the history of Macedonia, the Balkans, and the culture of its people. I have seen the movie "After the Rain", read the book "The Bridge on the Drina", and I have thoroughly read through current and returned PCV blogs. I have started learning the Macedonian language. Finally, I have met via Facebook many of volunteers who are currently serving or will be serving with me in Macedonia.
I feel that most of the other PCVs preparing to embark on their service in the coming months feel as confident going into their service, mainly because the Peace Corps prepares all invitees through their 10 Core Expectations. We are interviewed on these expectations early during the process, and training along these expectations is provided throughout PST. The Core Expectations demand upon each volunteer personal flexibility and integration into one's community. If anybody reading this blog is considering joining the Peace Corps, I am providing the Corps Expectations to this post for review (the picture below cannot be magnified enough, so a link is also provided in the title). Reading through it, one gets the sense that no matter where a volunteer is placed, success is built on working with one's community to address the needs of its people. Relationship-building is key.
But, am I nervous? At first that question was so simple, but has become much more ambiguous the more I pondered about it. Am I nervous about my 27 months in Macedonia?- "No." Am I nervous about what awaits me upon my return?- "Possibly." It was great to see my friends and loved ones before I left, but when I return in 27 months, what will change? Every last "farewell" was ideally a "let's pause for now, and pick up again in 27 months." But while that may be easier for me, I am sure many factors will change my friends' lives and make that impossible for them. 27 months can seem so short and yet so long. I do not doubt that re-integrating into the USA upon my return will demand just as much flexibility and relationship-building as during my service in the Peace Corps.
So in 27+ months, where will I live? What will the weather be like? What will I be doing? Will I know anybody in the city in which I live? Will my friends and I be able to pick up where we left off?
This set of unknowns makes me a bit nervous. But luckily, I do not need to think about them for 27 months.
Q- "What exactly will you be doing?"
A- "No idea. I was nominated for Economic Community Development, invited for NGO Development. I will find out my assignment once I arrive."
Q- "Where will you live?"
A- "Not in the capital, most likely a city. Macedonia is a country of just over 2 million, so the city will be small by Chicago's/ American standards."
Q- "How many other volunteers will live in the city you will be in?"
A- ???
Q- "What is the weather like?"
A- "Cold winters, hot summers. Depends if I am in a valley or higher up in the mountains."
Q- "What language will you speak?"
A- Macedonian for certain. Quite possibly Albanian, if I am assigned to a city with a larger Albanian community."
Q- "Will you be able to come back to the US anytime during your service?"
A- "Yes, but I do not intend to unless an emergency occurs."
Q- "Are you nervous?"
A- "No."
Overall, I could only provide generic answers to the questions asked of me. Peace Corps volunteers serve in a vast number of countries, and even within a small country like Macedonia, volunteer experiences can differ by sector, location, time of service, etc. Despite all of these unknowns, I can confidently respond that I am not worried about the looming experience because there are so many "knowns" that give me a good expectation of things to come. I have scoured the internet and Wikipedia for non-fiction articles on the history of Macedonia, the Balkans, and the culture of its people. I have seen the movie "After the Rain", read the book "The Bridge on the Drina", and I have thoroughly read through current and returned PCV blogs. I have started learning the Macedonian language. Finally, I have met via Facebook many of volunteers who are currently serving or will be serving with me in Macedonia.
I feel that most of the other PCVs preparing to embark on their service in the coming months feel as confident going into their service, mainly because the Peace Corps prepares all invitees through their 10 Core Expectations. We are interviewed on these expectations early during the process, and training along these expectations is provided throughout PST. The Core Expectations demand upon each volunteer personal flexibility and integration into one's community. If anybody reading this blog is considering joining the Peace Corps, I am providing the Corps Expectations to this post for review (the picture below cannot be magnified enough, so a link is also provided in the title). Reading through it, one gets the sense that no matter where a volunteer is placed, success is built on working with one's community to address the needs of its people. Relationship-building is key.
But, am I nervous? At first that question was so simple, but has become much more ambiguous the more I pondered about it. Am I nervous about my 27 months in Macedonia?- "No." Am I nervous about what awaits me upon my return?- "Possibly." It was great to see my friends and loved ones before I left, but when I return in 27 months, what will change? Every last "farewell" was ideally a "let's pause for now, and pick up again in 27 months." But while that may be easier for me, I am sure many factors will change my friends' lives and make that impossible for them. 27 months can seem so short and yet so long. I do not doubt that re-integrating into the USA upon my return will demand just as much flexibility and relationship-building as during my service in the Peace Corps.
So in 27+ months, where will I live? What will the weather be like? What will I be doing? Will I know anybody in the city in which I live? Will my friends and I be able to pick up where we left off?
This set of unknowns makes me a bit nervous. But luckily, I do not need to think about them for 27 months.
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