There are days in the Peace Corps timeline that feel purely logistical, and then there are days that quietly change you. Yesterday was the latter.
Our cohort gathered for site placement announcements- something we’ve all talked about in passing, half-joking, half-nervous, but never fully grasping what it would feel like. One by one, staff read each name and town, and photos appeared on a map of North Macedonia. Slowly, deliberately, that map filled with faces I’ve grown to admire. People from all corners of the U.S., now scattered across this small, vibrant country. It was like watching the next two years take shape in real time.
When my name was called, I felt something I didn’t expect: not shock, not fear- but clarity. A quiet, steady sense of alignment.
I’ll be serving in the central region, placed with a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with special needs. The work feels deeply human. It mirrors so much of what has shaped me- my years in development, the families I’ve walked alongside, the communities I’ve helped uplift, the belief I’ve always held that dignity and opportunity should never be optional. This placement doesn’t feel like a random assignment. It feels like a continuation of who I’ve been becoming for years.
And the city itself… Veles: it carries a kind of grounded warmth that’s hard to articulate. It’s a place where life doesn’t rush; it moves with intention. Hills circling the valley and neighbors who wave before they know your name. It’s a city shaped by industry and history, but softened by community-the kind of place where people show up for one another quietly, consistently, without needing applause. I have a feeling I’ll learn a lot from that rhythm.
I move there in just a few weeks, after Swearing-In on December 5. The timeline feels both fast and perfectly timed. There’s a readiness in me I didn’t have a few months ago- a steadiness that comes from knowing I am exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The only part that catches in my throat is leaving my current host family. They have been my anchor in a season of constant transition. What began as simple hospitality has become real family- the kind where you start reading one another’s moods, finish each other’s sentences, and fall into routines that feel like they’ve always existed. Leaving that isn’t easy, and I don’t want it to be. Some goodbyes are heavy because the love was real.
But love also travels. We’ve already made plans for weekend visits, and I know our connection will stretch across whatever distance comes next.
I’m stepping forward with a full heart- grateful for where I’ve been placed, grateful for the people who have held me so well so far, and grateful for the unfolding of a chapter that feels meaningful before it’s even begun.
This is the moment everything turns toward the next two years. And I’m ready.
With heart,
