To MAK and Back

Nearly seven months ago, in January, I started preparing for a trip back to the United States. Luckily, I was able to plan the trip to visit both Alabama (where I grew up) and Colorado (where I spent four years in college). At this point in my Peace Corps journey, I had been gone for 11 months and could not wait to see family and friends. After months of planning, I was to spend July 5-13 in Alabama and July13-19 in Colorado. Besides visiting with everyone, I also had a list of favorite foods I had missed the past year. Those who know me won’t be surprised to hear that chocolate-glazed Krispy Kreme donuts were at the top of my list. A close second was Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ cheese biscuits!

On July 5th, I started the journey with nearly thirty hours of constant travel. My trip started in Skopje, and then I flew to Frankfurt, Newark, and Atlanta. After arriving in Atlanta, I had a 2-hour drive to Birmingham. When I got in the car with my Mom, I felt like I was hallucinating from the need for sleep. She brought along a welcome box of fresh chocolate-glazed donuts, which definitely helped my disposition! During the week in Alabama, I got my sleep schedule back to normal. Seeing my family, dog Roux, and my high school friends was nice and very needed. On my way back for the visit, I got some treats from North Macedonia’s Duty-Free store. The first was a bottle of Stobi Wine (my favorite winery in this country) and none other than Losovo Rakija (legally distilled Rakija still rocking a solid 50%). Quickly, the wine won first place; however, it was very entertaining to have my family try the Rakija I have been dealing with since my placement. At a family dinner one night, everyone could barely take a sip of the Rakija, so it made me feel a little better about my inability to tolerate the brew. 

Looking back at my adventures back home, it almost felt like I was on the “Joe Dodson Tour.” My family brought me to all my favorite places and cooked all my favorite meals. I visited my grandfather’s lake house, where I enjoyed seeing my friend Max, my brother and his girlfriend, and of course, Roux! The day was perfect! Below is a picture of my childhood friend Max and me at the front of the boat. I also visited my grandmother’s house in Huntsville, Alabama, where she hosted a delicious lunch for me, inviting many family members from the area.

During my stateside visit, I gave three presentations on the mission of the Peace Corps, my experiences so far in my service, and the culture of North Macedonia. I gave the first to a neighborhood group of friends and family, the second to Boy Scout Troop 53, and the third to my grandmother’s friends and church group. Before it began, I was a little worried about how each presentation would work; however, by the end, I was proud of all the presentations and enjoyed meeting so many new people. I loved it so much that I have been telling other volunteers about it, and I may even do some more presentations when my service is finished. Thanks again to all those who came — it meant the world to see all of you. If you want to see one of the presentations, there is a link to my YouTube channel under the photos tab.

After a week in Alabama, many memories made, and many more people seen, it was finally time to leave for Colorado. In Colorado, I met with my friends from college in Denver to see three concerts! The first concert was The John Fogerty Incident which consisted of three parts: John Fogerty (the lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival or “CCR”), Shane Fogerty (John’s son), and The String Cheese Incident (a famous jam band). As an avid listener to CCR, this was a dream come true and the BEST concert I have ever attended. Even though John Fogerty is 78, his voice and skills are as good as ever. Also, the concert was at Red Rocks, an outdoor amphitheater nestled between two massive jutting rocks. It is truly a magnificent setting in the mountains, all the while enjoying the view above the Denver skyline. The next day, I went to two EDM concerts (Electronic Dance Music), and they were entertaining, although nothing beats some CCR! It was great spending several days with college friends, and it is even better to see everyone doing so well after graduating last year. A few days later, I left again for North Macedonia.

On my flight home, I wrote in my journal, “Even with these two weeks going by so fast, I have found a newfound appreciation for my job as a volunteer. Even though I have another sixteen months, my relationships back home won’t falter but will grow stronger no matter the distance. Also, I look forward to continuing to grow the relationships with my friends and co-workers in North Macedonia and to continue teaching and working on future projects in my community…Мир Надвор (Peace Out).”