Logan C.

1. What is your main job?

My main job is working as an English Teacher at the two schools in my village. At this time I work with two Kosovar counterparts teaching first through ninth grade. The way the schedule currently works, I teach each grade at both schools one to two times a week.

Outside of school I have a small sports club with my students and some other people in my village. We often play soccer (football) in the evenings, or in the afternoons during the summer.

2. What’s a typical day like for you?

As a teacher, a usual day for me is waking up and heading to school. My village has two schools, so I usually teach with my counterpart Mondays and Tuesdays at one and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the other. After school I usually stop by the market to pick up groceries before returning home. In the afternoons I like to go for a run before making dinner. In the evenings usually some guys and I will get together to play soccer at the school, which is always a fun and tiring way to end the day.

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

I really love playing soccer with my students and other members of my community. It is a great way to connect with others, make friends, and also practice the language. Activities like this also help students who are perhaps less social in school break out of their shell and grow in confidence. It’s an activity that I did back in the U.S. but didn’t have a lot of time for, so it is fun to be able to play so frequently.

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

I think the most enjoyable part of the community that I live in is the interactions that I have each day. Even though my village is pretty small, I feel as though every time I go on a run or walk I meet somebody new. Not to mention that everyone is always so excited and interested to hear that I am an American. Kosovo is definitely known for its love of the U.S., and people are always so welcoming and hospitable wherever I go.

5. Tell us your favorite phrase in the local language.

In our first week in Kosovo, our Peace Corps language facilitators taught us, “ça me bo,” which literally means “what can I do?” I like to think of it as “it is what it is,” which is a very important mindset and phrase when it comes to Peace Corps life. There are a lot of things at site and at work which are out of your control and it is always important to have this kind of go with the flow mindset. I think that’s probably why they taught it to us early on.

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

I always joke with my family that I’m gonna have a hard time returning to the U.S. because of the higher prices and faster pace of life. In all seriousness though, I think doing the Peace Corps and living in Kosovo has changed me a lot. I think it has taught me to be a lot more intentional with my conversations and interactions. It's easy to rush through certain interactions or just avoid them altogether in the U.S. but in a small village, it has become important to me to be present and active in every interaction I have through the day.

Another perspective that I have gained is the amount of joy that can be had in the simplest things. We get pretty caught up in the idea that new things will make us feel better, but in reality it is the people we meet and experiences we have that are important.

Learn more about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kosovo.