Feeling like the End

YMLP Camp 2015 Staff

As cliché as it sounds, no better word could describe the end of the Young Men’s Leadership Project camp 2015 as “bittersweet”.  I honestly expected last year’s camp to be an overall better experience for me, but while my experience as the Finance and Logistics coordinator this year was predictably different, it was also the most rewarding experience I have had this summer.

Before arriving at camp, I expected to be stuck in an office in front of a spreadsheet and with minimal interaction with the campers.  Last year’s Finance and Logistics coordinator seemed to always be tied to that room.  Yet I soon discovered that I could easily work anywhere around the camp, with or without a computer in hand.  With ample support from other staff, I was even able to break away for an hour to play Ultimate Frisbee, and during downtime I made an effort to speak with the campers and encourage morale across all teams.

Overall, the camp was excellent and received good feedback from both campers and staff.  The general consensus was that the camp was far more organized and that communication was clear and consistent.  This feedback was probably a reflection of our team dynamic- the YMLP coordinators and YMCA Bitola succeeded in working well together throughout the year.  Our group could take credit for many new successes for the camp this year, since we were able to secure funding from multiple companies, received funding through a US Embassy grant, recruited a diverse group campers, welcomed the new US ambassador to Macedonia, and realized the camp without any major issues.  By the end of the camp, one of the coordinators recognized our successful work as a team, and with tears in her eyes we congratulated ourselves and finished the camp strongly.

With the termination of this project, I have been relieved of a major duty and source of responsibility.  However, while I am happy to have succeeded in finishing this responsibility, I feel a sort of post-partum sadness for the project’s end.  Working together with the coordinators and YMCA was an amazing experience that allowed me more independence in running a project than I have ever possessed before.  I will also miss working with our wonderful team, and I know that we will never work together again on a project of such scale.  Furthermore, with the end of YMLP, I am beginning to recognize that their service is coming to an end, while I will remain here for an additional 6 months with my own responsibilities.

As YMLP ends, I feel as if my Peace Corps experience is ending too, despite my extension. It is clear that many of the friends I made within my group will be leaving in 3-4 months.  I am sure that within a few weeks, I will be so busy again that I will barely mourn our separation from each other, but as with sunsets, the impending darkness is more emotionally impactful than night itself. 

Also, many readers who have read through this blog may have noticed a shift in the themes of each post.  No longer am I writing about cultural discoveries or interesting events, but rather my past few posts have been more of an emotional evaluation of the projects on which I have worked.  All of these long-term projects are finally finishing, which like receiving a return on an investment is a major event, but one that may not deem for “writing home” (which I am literally doing right now). But after months of work, I can finally reap the rewards of my efforts and report about Peace Corps Goal #3, “To help the people of in interested countries in meeting their needs.”  Development is a goal of Peace Corps, and after years of living in Macedonia, I hope that I am reflecting well on my efforts to inspire some readers who are interested in joining the Peace Corps and making an impact.

So, with YMLP over, I am now in a lull before I begin my work with AIESEC Tetovo.  August will pass quickly, hopefully this heat wave will pass, and after a short vacation and finishing my work with AIESEC Prilep, I will move on to my final adventure before my Peace Corps journey ends.

(All photos courtesy of D. Strouse, MAK19)

Around the campfire

Unloading the supplies

Coordinators at work 

Democracy class 

Off to rough camp

YMCA, Peace Corps, and the US Ambassador