"Your colleagues may expect that you will know exactly what needs to be done and how it needs to be accomplished. At the same time, you are simply trying to understand how things are done, why they are done in particular ways, and why things take a lot longer to be completed. Given all this, open-mindedness, flexibility and patience are perhaps the most essential tools to a successful experience."
from Your Assignment, Peace Corps
This I think may sum up the majority of my "efforts" while serving in the Peace Corps.
History of the Program
The Peace Corps program in Macedonia began in 1996 with the first group of English teachers in secondary school. Today the program has grown to include business, environment, local government, and NGO development. Due to political unrest, Peace Corps service was suspended in 1999 and again in 2001. The Ohrid Framework Agreement peace agreement ended ethnic fighting in 2001 and international assessments have concluded that Macedonia now has capable security forces that can handle the country's issues.
I will be part of the sixteenth group of volunteers to serve in Macedonia that will work in English Education and the Community Development.
Macedonia has begun the process of decentralizing their 84 municipalities. Local government will be responsible for education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and other services. One of the many challenges of the country is its name dispute with Greece and it remains unresolved, holding up its entry into NATO. The country is advancing making partnerships with neighboring countries and now citizens have visa free travel to EU countries which marks a significant step in the EU integration process.
My Primary Duties
As the government moves to a more decentralized structure, I will be helping local organizations learn organizational development, networking, grant proposal development and grant management skills, and financial sustainability. I could be doing anything from developing mission statements and strategic plans, introducing the effective use of information technology, promoting teambuilding, and identifying community assets. I may, also, have a major responsibility in assisting with the financial stability of the organization, through grants or other means of fundraising. The Peace Corps repeatedly mentions environmental improvement organizations, which excites me and could be promising. I could very well be helping Macedonians recycle or help to organize clean-ups.
Camden in the snow earlier this year
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