Happiness is MINE! Mwah hah hah!

You’re reading the words of a new person. Yesterday, during a run along a lakeside path in my new hometown of Struga, I was overcome by elation. Runner’s high, you ask? Maybe, but I think it’s something else.

For the past year, I have been battling with my time here. Overall, life has been fine. Gostivar was an interesting (albeit conservative) town, my apartment was fantastic, and I had the good fortune of being site-mates with two awesome PCVs, Beth and Shaun. However, my major motivation for coming here—to do something environmental—went unfulfilled, for reasons that I won’t delve into here. Also, when I arrived in Gostivar, I was rather timid; most of the people I encountered weren’t speaking Macedonian, and I feared offending people by speaking the “wrong” language. Even as my language skills improved, I held onto my taciturn ways. Regarding language in general, my coworkers in Gostivar all spoke English fluently, so I didn’t get much practice with Macedonian and Albanian. I felt as though my language acquisition was stagnating, thus frustrating my inner student and my desire for competence. I came to accept my life in Gostivar and thought that my Peace Corps service would just be an elaborate waiting game.

Then a couple months ago, in response to an update from me, my parents knocked some sense into me. They said in plain terms that I need to change my situation. I had briefly considered “a change” in the past, but PC administration in Macedonia seemed determined to keep volunteers at their assigned sites (unless there were safety and security concerns, of course). Anytime I expressed frustration with my work assignment, I was told to pursue “side projects.” However, in September, the administration in Macedonia changed and was amenable to site changes. Suddenly, all the people who had been lobbying for site changes were granted them (provided they had legitimate reasons). I had another option. But I also had a huge fear: was my dissatisfaction with my Peace Corps experience MY fault? Will I move somewhere new and have the same problems? Am I sabotaging my own efforts?

After three days in Struga, my new site, I can answer those questions in one word: NO. And I can breathe a huge sigh of relief.

My coworkers are fantastic. They speak to me in clear Macedonian, but know enough English to translate a few words if I need it. They have lots of ideas for projects and activities and are eager to hear my ideas. One of my coworkers is a retired teacher, and we have a lot in common, considering our superficial differences: veganism (she’s "fasting" for Advent), knitting and composting, to name a few.

My apartment, although not as modern, clean, large, and well-stocked as my first, is growing on me. It's on the seventh floor, which offers a great view of the snow-capped mountains in addition to a makeshift Stairmaster (y'know, real stairs, like in the olden days). I don't have a television, which is forcing me to do things that won't make my brain rot, such as cleaning, cooking, reading, exercising, and orienting myself with the town.

Struga is a great town. It has a cute pedestrian center, a huge produce market every day, gorgeous views, two beaches (with pebbles, not sand), a clean river, a jogging trail, lots of young people, and about a 50-50 split between Albanians and Macedonians so I have ample opportunities to practice. I've seen posters for a yoga club, which I will investigate further.

There are also two great volunteers in Struga: Ian, a member of my group who works at the municipality, and Patty, a member of the new group who works with the scout troup. Ian is the seasoned Struga veteran and lives in my apartment building, whereas Patty is still fairly new and a good wandering-around buddy.

Perhaps more important than any of these things is my attitude; I'm making a concerted effort to do things "right" this time. I'm chatting up store owners, making it somewhat obvious that I'm not from around here so we have something to talk about. (I've gotten really good at my introductory spiel, so usually compliments about my language skills follow, which encourages me to speak more. It's a great cycle.)

So, in short, I'm doing great. Thank you to everyone who supported me through my tough first year. Happy New Year!