Week One- Tetovo- First Training Madness (9/20)

I am finally with my family for pre-service training.  Only one afternoon and night and I already feel so connected to my host parents. They are hospitable, welcoming, and in just a few hours have taught me a great deal of language with patience and diligence. It  makes me hopeful for future relationships.  Only one afternoon and night and it seems the last week is a lifetime away.

My journey started in Philadelphia. I arrived to the airport after a fulfilling evening of dancing with friends and an early morning at the Des Moines airport. Saying goodbye to someone for months at a time was a farewell I was accustomed to when I could envision the lifestyle I was returning to; while living in Thailand, I said goodbye to friends and family on a regular basis. This parting, an unknown life ahead of me and an established life in Des Moines behind, mirrored when I left for Thailand, the impending unknown, luckily with a less chaos. 

On the way to the Phili baggage claim, I spotted a young woman in a suit, pulling a carry-on, and then lugging two large suitcases off of the conveyor belt- I knew we were fellow trainees.  Bonnie, my first friend in the adventure, in addition to sharing snacks, reflections, and dance moves with me, made me smile with quirky, humble, exuberant, and selfless acts throughout training.

Training involved interactive activities introducing us to the history and current statistics of, three goals of, and ten core values of the Peace Corps.  One day of intensive overview, one evening meal, and we were off the next morning on our pan-Atlantic flights.  I was able to get a great run in through west Phili Saturday morning, stumbling upon some historic houses with big trees and rolling hills.  A lot of the travel was a blur, though I do remember the Vienna airport's reclining sofa seats. Finally, Sunday morning, we were welcomed with sunshine and the spirited Pre-service training staff at the Alexander the Great airport. Boarding buses, carrying loads of luggage, and taking transport to the Woodrow Wilson school just outside of Tetovo, we entered the next stage of our journey.  Here, at the Woodrow Wilson School and compound, our introduction to life in Macedonia and the Peace Corps took flight. 

 In Tetovo, the site for our first in- country greetings and trainings, I found my second Peace Corps connection grew.  Sarah, my roommate in both Philadelphia and Tetovo- an ultimate frisbee athlete with a mean strum on her baby guitar and a passion for clever, out- of- mainstream rap- became my first confidant. We also shared laughter, morning and evening thoughtful check- ins, and dance moves! Waking at 6:00, running loops upon 200 m loops around school's paved compound road, eating breakfast with the crew at 8:00, and starting sessions at 9:00, I plowed through informative introductions with the PCT's (Peace Corps Trainees).

Our first week included two evening trips to Tetovo, a city on the Western side of Macedonia with a predominant Albanian and Muslim population. We visited a rare, painted Mosque and learned in our first few days a lot about the Islamic influence on Western Macedonia, as many of the current volunteers who came to share about their experiences were from the area surrounding our initial training site.

It has been some time since I felt my curiosity so ignited, my sense of purpose so peacefully matched.  I can’t help but smile, as I sit with my Macedonian parents, typing, snacking, reflecting, and anticipating the growth to come!