Enrique O.

1. What inspired you to apply for this Peace Corps position?

In high school, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) visited our class. We were learning about different cultures of the world, and I remember being so impressed by the idea of going to live abroad in a different country with different language, religion, music, and food. That experience stuck with me. After college, I didn’t feel ready yet for the Peace Corps, so I joined AmeriCorps in my hometown. That helped to fuel a desire to try to lead a life of service.

Before joining the Peace Corps, I was working in under-resourced areas in urban and rural communities, including time deep in the Bolivian Amazon. I was developing a strong interest in how we can balance environmental conservation with improving the lives of people. Around that time, I had a gap between jobs, and I began to think back to the Peace Corps. Ultimately, I applied because I couldn’t think of a better path to allow me to work closely with a community, learn from them, and contribute to their projects.

2. Tell us about a moment that sticks with you from the first week at your site.

Before my first week at site, I studied languages intensively so that I could greet everyone properly. This was especially challenging because I was going to be working with Macedonians and Albanians in a mixed ethnicity community. Nevertheless, I studied and rehearsed both languages, ready for my introductions.

You can imagine my surprise when I met my host sister, and she greeted me in flawless Spanish! She learned Spanish by watching telenovelas growing up, the same ones my mom used to watch when I was a kid. She had been looking forward to practicing with me as much as I had been preparing to practice Macedonian with her. In that moment, I thought the world wasn’t so big after all.

3. What projects are you working on?

As a Community Development Volunteer, I am partnered with a local organization and work with them to improve their organizational and management skills. It’s a rural organization that helped lead the campaign to declare the nearby mountains a national park.

I assist on a few projects targeting rural communities within the national park to promote sustainable agriculture and natural tourism as a strategy to strengthen the local economy. In 2026, we helped to establish the first food market owned by an agricultural cooperative.

I also partner with a local hiking club to promote the park’s hiking areas at an international level. How many people can say that their day job is going on hikes every week?

4. What strategies have you used to integrate into your community?

Always say “yes”! Anytime someone invites me to have coffee or get lunch, I always try to accept. As an introvert, it was challenging at first to always have something social going on. However, being open to these experiences helped unlock some unexpected friendships.

The most important tool is also my language skills. I was one of the Volunteers to learn both Macedonian and Albanian. Language is the key to unlocking relationships!

5. What’s a typical day like for you?

There is no typical day! Some days are spent in the office, writing a report, planning activities, or preparing blog posts. Other days are spent in the field, visiting the mountain villages to talk with shepherds, organize trainings, or plan future hikes. I feel very lucky to be placed at an organization where the work is so dynamic and fluid.

However, every day ends the same way: going cafe-hopping with friends after work and sitting on patios for endless hours, talking about nothing and everything. It’s something I’ll miss a lot when I return to the U.S.

6. What is a highlight of your time in service so far?

Last year (2025), I organized an American-style summer camp. Each day we had different activities, from building water bottle rockets to yoga and mindfulness exercises. We also played ultimate frisbee and flag football. For most of the kids, it was their first time doing any of these activities. We had so many more participants than expected because each day, kids would tell more of their friends or cousins to come join in.

I organized the camp with some other Volunteers, but almost all workshops were led by members of the community. For me, that was much more important because I knew some of the activities would be more meaningful coming from a peer or a leader in the community that they could look up to. Overall, it was a huge success. As early as January of this year, kids were asking if we’d hold a camp again!

7. What have you enjoyed most about the community where you are serving?

My counterpart likes to say that our community is like a mini-Macedonia. All the ethnicities found in Macedonia live here in a small area. That diversity makes it a really beautiful place to live because there are always different cultural events happening in town. I feel like I get the best of everything. I get to enjoy the Turkish restaurants, the Albanian parties, and the Macedonian “kafanas” (cafés). Each culture is distinct, and I love getting to learn the different music and dances while out with friends.

8. What will you do differently when you return to the U.S.?

Be more generous and open. I was really blown away by how giving everyone is here. I don’t think I’ve ever traveled anywhere where people are so generous. In the U.S., we tend to be a bit colder or distant when meeting new people and take more time to warm up to someone. That’s not the case here. From the moment you meet someone, you’re invited to their home, birthday party, engagement, or Ramazan dinner.

There’s a saying here that the house belongs to the guest and God. That attitude is apparent in how warmly guests are treated here. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed with open arms, and that feeling never went away. Even after two years, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to pay for a single coffee!

In the end, I want to take that same attitude back with me and to be more generous with my friends and family, especially if I have the means. And to be warmer and kinder with everyone I meet, especially if they’re new to my community.

9. What would you say to someone thinking about joining the Peace Corps?

There’s nothing else like it in the world. During Peace Corps and in my career, I have met volunteers from different organizations from various countries, and not a single one invests in their volunteers and connects with local communities the way that the Peace Corps does. The investment in learning the language, the culture, and adapting to your local community is unmatched. And the dedication to stay somewhere for two years is immense. One year is just a visit; two years is what turns a place into home. I feel like I have found my home in North Macedonia.

Learn more about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in North Macedonia.