Volunteer Field Day!

Once again, it has been too long since I have written in this blog. Yesterday (10/19/13), Peace Corps Macedonia had our annual "Field Day," where all the volunteers gather and mingle with one another. This is a great opportunity for the new volunteers to meet the ones currently serving. Last year, field day was held at the NOVA school in Skopje. This year, our event was in "Gradski Park" (Macedonian for "City Park") in Skopje. We had great food, great wine, games (including American football!), and drinks at the local Irish pub when we were done at the park. It seems as if any event with Peace Corps ends at the Irish pub...a lot of expats can be found there as well.

We found out where all the new volunteers will be placed! After a month of training, Peace Corps volunteers find out where their final placement for the next two years will be. Unfortunately, we will not be getting anymore volunteers in my city of Gevgelija, but we are getting some great volunteers in the cities of Strumica and Negotino...about an hour away from Gevgelija. I am excited for the adventures that await them.

These events remind me of the great people that I am fortunate enough to work with, and I am thankful for the few times a year that we can all get together. Due to heavy workloads and the placement of volunteers throughout the country, it is rare for everyone to be together in one place. Field Day was a great opportunity to "recharge" with my friends and find out about the great work that is going on in each of their communities. The MAK16s (the group who arrived a year before us) will begin their departure from Macedonia in the next two months, so it was a bittersweet moment as I said my good-byes. I know they are off to do great things in America (like eat Mexican food.....Mexican food, I miss you so much!), but I will miss them. I hope I make meaningful connections with the new volunteers (MAK18s) as well.

Above: Last year's Field Day Group photo (only MAK17s...my group)

Above: Group photo of some of the MAK16s, MAK17s, and NEW MAK18s in downtown Skopje. Currently, there are about 90 volunteers serving in Macedonia. By the end of December, there will be about 65-70. Many MAK16s have decided to "extend," meaning that they have signed a contract to stay in the country longer and finish some of their volunteer work.

This is Harry and I! Harry is one of my favorite volunteers! We trained together in Kratovo. Here we are at the Irish Pub.

Stay tuned for more adventures!