In this interview, you’ll hear from Neila Horton, a Peace Corps (CED) Community Economic Development volunteer in North Macedonia. Neila shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Social Identity
- Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Development volunteer in North Macedonia?
My first year and second year differ drastically, which is something my site programming team told us. Your experience as a volunteer is genuinely what you make it. My first year was a mixture of random excursions and free time. My primary organization is a coalition that doesn’t have funding, but some of its member organizations do, which allowed for more frequent programming. My day-to-day during my first year was a mix of researching different opportunities (grants and fielding potential partnerships), event support (mainly photography), and waiting.
My second year has felt like someone has hit the fast-forward button on a remote. This past year has been a mix of project writing, event support, and maintaining relationships I made last year. I have gone to events and workshops hosted by partner organizations, spoken on a panel, helped with logistics for a study visit in Germany, and given creative direction for project proposals.
In short, being a Community Economic Development volunteer means that you are flexible. You find your way around your community during periods of stillness. When you have found community partners, don’t let go. Help them with their events, even if it is just sitting in the back and helping with cleaning up. The small actions add up, and you will help create relationships for your organization that will continue after you leave.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in North Macedonia?
The summer going into my senior year of college was a turning point for me. I knew college was coming to a close, and I didn’t feel like going to work in the for-profit sector despite having a business degree. My mom suggested the Peace Corps as a possibility, and I spent the year researching. A school administrator connected me to his mentee who worked in the HQ communications department, which led to me attending a few events. The more I surrounded myself with different RPCVs, the more certain I was about serving as a volunteer.
I originally applied to Timor-Leste since my concentration in school was East Asian Studies, but due to health concerns, my conditional acceptance was revoked. I was then given three options that were scheduled to leave the following year, and North Macedonia was on the list. My mother did a rotation in Ukraine during the 90s, and I was born in Germany. While neither of those countries is in the same region, it sparked my interest in this country. I researched the cuisine, different cities, and decided this was the best option on the list I was given. I guess you can say it was meant to be.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in North Macedonia?
At my site, I live independently in a major city in North Macedonia. I live in a small house that was renovated the year I moved in. It is a one-bedroom that also functions as the living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. It is a cozy home with a brand-new air-conditioning unit. It is a squeeze when guests come to visit, but it’s less space to heat up during the winter.
Unlike other housing arrangements, I pay my utilities based on the bill, not the set amount listed on my allowance. I grew up learning how to budget and know how to cook, so I have only run out of my allowance once, and I have about 4 months left of service.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
There have been many moments that have been great for character development, and some that will provide great material if I ever decide to become a stand-up comic. That is part of the Peace Corps: you are living life outside of a bubble, and anything can happen. You can always tell staff, and if there are any safety concerns, staff is responsive. So while I have had quite the interesting service, anytime I needed medical attention or just someone to talk to, there was a resource for me.
Medical Emergencies
So, one of the moments that sums up how interesting my life is was one of the few medical emergencies I had. This was during the first three months of service post PST (Pre-Service Training) in March. It was a bit warmer, so I wasn’t wearing a coat (this is important). I was heading to one of the coalition’s member organizations I was assigned to one morning. I rushed out of the house, so I only ate a banana so I could take my medication. I was running a bit late, so I forced my way onto a crowded bus and had to stand for almost the full 30- to 40-minute bus ride. Once a seat opened, I sat down and could feel my body heating up.
Once I got to my stop, I rushed off the bus and looked for a place where I could sit or lie down. I started to feel myself slowly slipping out of consciousness, so I decided to lie down and prop my feet up on a chair in front of a grocery store and café. I only had my backpack and a light jacket to put on the floor. There was a group of older men who saw this and had no reaction, but an older woman saw me and asked if I needed help.
She helped me text my supervisor, who was only a 10-minute walk away. I didn’t fully lose consciousness, but I knew my body was reacting to not having enough food. My coworker came and brought something for me to eat, and we walked to her office together.
Medical’s favorite
I told medical about this, and they were able to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist, and I can say that everything is fine now. I have nicknamed myself medical’s favorite because this was not the first or last time they received a phone call from me about this kind of experience. While it’s not something every volunteer will experience, it is great knowing that the medical team is quick with their responses and will try to use as many resources as possible to keep you at site.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in North Macedonia?
There is a mindset in North Macedonia that nothing will improve. This is a wonderful country with great potential, but progress is slow. That is an issue you will find anywhere, but it is a deciding factor for some youth to leave. When you live in a country close to the EU, that can be an easy decision for some, and that is what surprised me. I learned about the resilience of this country during training, and hearing that some people were choosing to leave versus stay was confusing.
Depending on your organization’s area of focus, there may not be a legal framework to support your organization’s actions. This was my case, as there is a general recommendation for inter-ethnic inclusion, but my primary organization needed more support to make sustainable changes in the community that they wrote reports about. This can impact the Community Development sector because volunteers and Peace Corps themselves can’t change the legal/political situation in host countries.
For some organizations, the lack of legal infrastructure isn’t a simple excuse for their inactivity; it’s a major roadblock that allows the pessimistic mindset to manifest itself. So, while many organizations apply for a volunteer, we can’t change many components that would help with sustainable change. Sometimes the greatest thing a Community Development volunteer can do is listen as locals bounce their feelings off you and try to come up with a game plan.
6. What challenges have you faced in your Development work, and how did you respond?
One of the major challenges of being a community development volunteer in N. Macedonia is that this is a country that is relatively developed compared to other Peace Corps countries. There isn’t an express need for agricultural help or building infrastructure. There is more emphasis on creating equitable solutions across the country.
This is tricky considering there isn’t as much legal framework to support the actions proposed by my assigned organization. Again, there is not much I can do as a Peace Corps volunteer as far as policy adoption, but I can be a support system for my colleagues.
I would suggest ideas for community engagement that would help educate the public about the country’s current situation. I helped plan the panel events that came about from those brainstorming sessions, and I stored my notes of other ideas on a shared drive for later. Being a Peace Corps volunteer is like being a mirror. You aren’t here to write your name across activities; you are here to help the locals see things from different perspectives and create a clearer picture of their country.
7. What secondary projects have you worked on during your service?
During my first year of service, I planned a health/social comparison event that took place in my second year. I attempted to start a club my first year, but after conducting research interviews and consulting my organization, I realized there wouldn’t be a support system. I planned and executed a Halloween movie and craft night in partnership with the local American Corner location and the European Volunteer Solidarity Corps.
My second year has been busier in general since I was assigned to a secondary organization at the end of my first year. Besides the health/social comparison event, I also hosted a nutrition awareness picnic and am currently planning a breastfeeding support event at a Roma youth center (HERA) which focuses on sexual and reproductive health. In February, I co-hosted a Black History Month exhibition at the same American Corner from the previous year. I have a back-to-school workshop planned at another volunteer’s organization later this month (August) and a second location pending for the breastfeeding support event that will take place in September.
Advice and Support
8. What advice would you give to future Development volunteers in North Macedonia?
Ask questions and take the language seriously. You can’t effectively serve if you don’t know what you can and are expected to do. There are counterparts and community members who are not going to want to answer questions, and some who will only speak to you in English. You just have to roll with the punches and persevere during the slow periods.
Look around your community for other organizations, schools, or community spaces where you can hang out. Being a volunteer is about gaining experience. Yes, you want to do your “work” as a volunteer, but sometimes being a new face is what is needed.
9. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
It helped me understand the metrics and expectations the Peace Corps has when it comes to reporting activities. There was some guidance to help with slow periods during PST (Pre-Service Training).
IST (In-Service Training) was great for trying to see what our counterparts thought/expected out of their volunteer. This training has been modified now, so there won’t be a counterpart day in the future.
MST (Mid-Service Training) was a great refresher on grant writing, as there was a guest speaker who works on grants for larger EU agencies.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
Most things you think you will need, you can buy here. There are multiple malls in the capital city, and orientation week is hosted at a hotel right next to a mall. These malls are nice, with luxury stores and LUSH. There are also discount stores that provide clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc. HOWEVER, if you wear makeup and are darker than the average European skin tone range, bring enough makeup to last you until you can travel to get a refill.
The pharmacies have many over-the-counter products, and medical will provide you with free refills of your prescriptions (just bring a 90-day supply of any prescriptions to get you through PST). If you have a medical device, bring enough refills to get you through PST, but also prepare to receive a different version if refills for your brand aren’t available in-country. I had to get a new glucometer because my brand isn’t available in the country.
Bring a few sentimental pieces with you to remember home, but try to travel light. Many volunteers will accumulate so much stuff over the course of service and have trouble getting rid of it at the end of their service. If you want to bring a gift for your host family (think 2 sets even if you live independently; your landlord may like something), think object versus food. My mom made magnets in the shape of my home state that I gave as gifts.
11. How has language learning been for you in North Macedonia?
I studied Macedonian and didn’t start till I arrived in the country. I completed the introduction section in Learning Space (a Peace Corps online site), but that only takes you so far. I did lose steam during PST, which resulted in a lower language ranking than I wanted, but this is preventable.
In my city, many people speak English, and some tell me to just speak English when I try to speak in Macedonian. I have not had the greatest luck with tutors; between having one tutor quit due to an increased workload and two others stopping communication, I lost interest in receiving tutoring.
I still try to speak with my coworkers. I’ll read articles and listen to Macedonian music every now and then. It has worked because I moved up language levels, not as much as I want, but it also matches my level of effort.
While my experience motivated me to pursue a different language learning route, I have fellow cohort mates and volunteers from other cohorts who have great relationships with their tutors. No two experiences are the same; you just have to know what works for you.
The world isn’t a cushy place, so you must decide if you are willing to be uncomfortable, because Peace Corps wasn’t built for personal comfort.
Social Identity
12. How has your personal identity shaped your service experience?
As a Black woman in a country with limited racial diversity, it has been quite the experience. I am the first Black person many people have engaged with, and they have let me know. It is not something I wanted to be the central focus of my service because my culture isn’t what people want to know about. If anything, I have either been an afterthought in group settings or some oddity people want to touch and shout things at to get a reaction.
So it has made my service quite unique, considering there have been fewer than 10 Black volunteers who have served in this country since COVID, and that includes the cohort that came after me (a group of almost 50).
13. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
I dealt with a few instances of people shouting random African countries at me, people touching my hair, calling me chocolate, and other comments I don’t care to repeat. I did not handle it in a way I wanted to. I hid my first year; I missed out on many experiences because I thought too much about what could happen. I didn’t feel like I could talk to staff or my cohort mates about the comments and stares because my cohort mates minimized it, and staff can’t control the local community.
When my second year at site started, I decided not to let what-ifs dictate how I lived my life. I had a new organization and treated that as a fresh start. I started hanging out with people after work; I used my leave days this year and even visited other volunteers at their sites. So yes, the comments still happen, and other actions, but you can’t control people. I just smile, keep my headphones on in public, and breathe.
14. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
You have to decide what your why is, and whether what is happening around you is worth leaving for. I could go to a small town in the US and have a similar experience, so why would I return to the US for the sake of comfort? Growth happens when you are uncomfortable, but you must decide if the cost is worth the prize. Do what you feel like you can handle, because at the end of the day, these are experiences that you will have to live with. These are moments you will see when you close your eyes at night. The world isn’t a cushy place, so you must decide if you are willing to be uncomfortable, because Peace Corps wasn’t built for personal comfort.
Final Thoughts
15. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
Peace Corps is what you make of it. Do not expect your cohort mates to make your life better or worse; you may only talk to them at conferences. Don’t tell your family every little detail; some things you have to experience and process on your own. If you feel like a jumble of emotions, reach out to the Peace Corps resources. It is a strange job, but it is one that molds you into a person you didn’t know you could be at the end of it.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Neila, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or North Macedonia Government.
