Joe Dodson

Hi! Thanks for checking out my blog! I wanted to give a brief introduction about myself and how I came to join the Peace Corps. I am originally from Alabama, where I grew up in Birmingham until I departed for college in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2018, I enrolled in college at Colorado State University and graduated in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education. I had always been drawn to teaching and was very interested in serving with the Peace Corps, but I did not know where I would fit in best. 

In September of 2021, I applied as an English Teacher for the Peace Corps. Having little foreign language background, I decided to be placed in the “serve where needed most” category. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there were no volunteers serving in other countries in 2021, and I knew these circumstances would extend the application process. In March of 2022, I was interviewed to be a co-teacher in North Macedonia. I was offered the position just a few days before my graduation, and I immediately accepted it. Over the next few months, I began the medical and legal clearance process. I expect to depart for North Macedonia on September 25, 2022. I will serve in North Macedonia for 27 months and will complete the placement in December 2024. I am very excited to begin training and can not wait to meet my resource family, co-teacher, and new students.  

In addition, I am excited to learn more about the culture, people, and history of North Macedonia during my service as a volunteer. As a history nerd, I have already begun to dive into the history of Macedonia from the Roman Republic to Yugoslavia, and am interested to see many of these historical sites. Moreover, I love all activities relating to the outdoors and am excited to travel throughout the country by hiking, camping, and exploring new cities/towns; so, be on the lookout for pictures in my photos tab! If you have any questions about my blog posts, photos, or anything related to the Peace Corps you can send me a message through my contact tab. Furthermore, I will have my address on that page if you want to write me any letters or send any packages.