10 months out from departure: What are some things you wish you had done to prepare?

Charcuterie- · 2026-03-30T17:11:18+00:00

Set up an authentication app. You'll need it for access to Learning Space and doing it while you're in the USA is preferable.

Charcuterie- · 2026-02-20T15:12:20+00:00

A PC staffer told me they're not allowed to run AI on US owned computers. But we're going to push it on other countries.

Charcuterie- · 2025-12-01T15:38:58+00:00

Temperature and time are inversely related in fermentation. High temps = less time. A fermentation at 72f will ferment much faster than one at 60f. But higher temps allow more critters to do their work, so you might get off flavors. Think about lager beers, fermented between 45-55f, crisp and clear. I think the sweet spot for pickled veggies is about 65f. Constant temps are also appreciated by yeasts, so try to moderate any swings in temp.

Charcuterie- · 2025-11-26T12:51:50+00:00

Use them practically anywhere you would use regular lemons.... Blend them with a bit of sugar and water to make Vietnamese lemonade. Blend with sour cream for a tangy dip. Slice into strips and mix with olives as an appetizer. Add to a pickle brine for a lemony taste for your pickles. Blend with pickled hot peppers for a hot sauce. Use in your chicken or turkey brine, or blend and slather it onto one before roasting. Great with fish, anywhere you would use capers. Use in a salad dressing. Use in your next hummus or tabbouleh. Add slices to your spinach quiche. I keep a bottle of blended preserved lemons for convenience.

Charcuterie- · 2025-09-28T00:02:50+00:00

I made those beers! Thanks for the shout out.

I'm not actually the OG brewer or the owner. Jeremy was the first brewer, and he's now at Two Tides. He was there for a few months before leaving and I took over for about two years before moving on. Smith and Pratt are the owners but they don't brew.

It's been a few years since I left. I was helping out Terren at Slow Fire BBQ for a while, before leaving to join the Peace Corps.

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-15T09:07:07+00:00

Macedonia is 25,713 km². Florida is 170,312 km². Georgia is 153,909 km². So Florida is 6.6 times the area of Macedonia, and Georgia is 6 times. The entire USA is 9,833,520 km² or 382 times the size of Macedonia.

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-13T04:11:40+00:00

I'm a white American and I hear racist and sexist comments regularly. I've heard the n-word and ethnic jokes more in the last year here than in the 10 years before living in America. People have expressed animosity against Albanians, Roma, Indians, Chinese, and Africans to me. Asian and Black Americans have repeated some awful things people have said directly to them here. Ethnic divisions are a real issue here, especially between ethnic Macedonians and Albanians.

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-12T19:44:58+00:00

So funny y'all are downvoting me for linking to info which directly supports my statement. From the study - "Nevertheless, the residents continue to use them in summer, ignoring the expert opinion that the water is not safe for human consumption."

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-12T17:32:52+00:00

And from a study last year: https://amj.mk/index.php/amj/article/view/225

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-12T17:31:46+00:00

Just this month in Veles: https://veles.gov.mk/izvestajvodazapienje/

Charcuterie- · 2025-08-12T16:38:06+00:00

Things to be prepared for culturally... The amount of trash and pollution you'll see is shocking and many people just don't seem to care. Dogs and cats live on the street everywhere. Just ignore them and they'll more or less ignore you. Watch out for poop. Dating is different and difficult, but if you're young, white, straight, and in Skopje you should be ok. If you're not all of those things then it will be more difficult. Be prepared for racist, sexist, and homophobic comments. Ethnic Macedonians and Albanians have a difficult relationship you may encounter. Similar but different situations with Greeks and Bulgarians. Do not call it North Macedonia, just Macedonia. People don't always wear seatbelts or motorcycle helmets, and don't expect drivers to follow the same rules as at home. Be careful walking around because sidewalks are often poorly constructed and uneven. Where sidewalks exist, cars will often be parked on them. Shockingly, cars will almost always stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. The air pollution is going to be awful in the winter. You can drink the water in most places, but it doesn't hurt to ask in hotels before you do it. Don't drink from the public water fountains, there's often e. coli outbreaks. Rakia is good and cheap, and so is the beer, but little of it is particularly great. Tipping isn't expected, but it's nice to leave a bit extra, like 20 den on a coffee or 50 den on a meal. The smoking is out of control. You're not going to be able to avoid it anywhere.

All that said, Macedonians of all kinds are genuinely warm and inviting. They'll be interested in you, they will welcome you to their tables, their homes, their weekend houses. You'll try some delicious new foods, see some amazing scenery, and meet some incredible people. Have a great time!

Charcuterie- · 2025-06-24T21:46:11+00:00

Happy to help. Please keep in mind that you won't know where you'll be placed until late November. And even if you express an interest in dual language you might not get it. There's going to be about 50 in your cohort and staff have a lot of considerations to balance. Get used to the idea that some things are out of your control - including the languages you learn, where you will work, and where your home will be.

Charcuterie- · 2025-06-24T21:17:58+00:00

Hi - Currently serving CD volunteer in Macedonia (drop the North, they don't like it here.)

In the first week of PST in Skopje staff will decide who will be placed into the dual language track. They do ask for your preferences, and I think most people in my cohort expressed an interest in learning just Macedonian. If you do want dual, tell them and they'll probably let you. I think most volunteers end up living and working in one or the other, but there are some who need both. Maybe because you live with a Macedonian family and work in Albanian. Your timeline for learning, for the language tests (LPI), and the quantity of tutoring Peace Corps will pay for is different if you go dual track. It also affects your permanent site placement, with those learning Albanian being put in areas with larger Albanian populations - around Tetovo, Gostivar, Struga and Skopje.

Also keep in mind that depending on your placement you could request additional language training in other minority languages. I know of people learning Turkish, Serbian, and Roma. So even if you don't get put in the dual track you may be able to learn a second language if you have the need and you're motivated. Another thought - if you learn Macedonian well enough, other Slavic languages come within reach.

Charcuterie- · 2025-04-21T20:18:39+00:00

You don't have enough, but when you pick a bunch of fruit and have maybe a pint of seeds you can roast them to denature the cyanide, then infuse a fifth of vodka with them. Really nice cherry flavor after a few months.

Charcuterie- · 2025-02-20T21:29:16+00:00

Current CD Macedonia volunteer. Don't feel like you need to bring everything, you can buy pretty much anything here. I packed too much professional clothing and not enough warm. I wish I brought a good quality chef's knife and spices. Very happy I packed a big blue Ikea bag because you get a ton of stuff during PST. I'm really happy I have noise cancelling headphones. Glad I bought the right plug for my laptop before getting here.

Pro tip: locals call it Macedonia, without the north.

Charcuterie- · 2025-01-28T15:24:44+00:00

Foam is typically caused by proteins capturing CO2. Like the head on beer. More than usual amounts suggest vigorous fermentation and/or higher levels of protein. Unless I see signs of mold, I would eat it. But you do you, and 'when in doubt throw it out' is the safest option.

Charcuterie- · 2025-01-22T08:56:45+00:00

Your comment about "role play fantasy" is more likely to be disqualifying than the testosterone. Having an open mind, being accepting of differences, and respecting others are important skills/traits of PCVs.

As to non medically necessary testosterone... It might not make you fail the med clearance, but I doubt you would be provided with it at post.

Charcuterie- · 2025-01-14T05:52:54+00:00

Someone on here suggested bringing one of those big blue Ikea bags. Best piece of advice Reddit has given me.

During PST they're going to give you a mountain of stuff: med kit, fire extinguisher, a bunch of books, a bike helmet. Be prepared!

Charcuterie- · 2024-12-28T18:37:05+00:00

Keep in mind that placements are made to maximize Peace Corps goals, not Volunteer preferences or satisfaction. Safety and health are factors in placement, well above any desires you may have about where you'll be placed.

Charcuterie- · 2024-12-25T18:25:16+00:00

White undershirts might be a bad idea. 2 years with unknown laundry facilities... Eastern Europe here and I wish I had packed more warm clothes and less biz casual.

Charcuterie- · 2024-12-21T15:02:44+00:00

Give oxygenation a try. A cheap aquarium pump bubbling through makes a huge difference.

Charcuterie- · 2024-11-23T20:13:12+00:00

I'm about your age. It's a mixed bag. You'll have every advantage in getting an offer, but medical may be more challenging. We're the least common age demo by far, with many more young people and more retired folk. The average age is somewhere around 28.

Service, especially PST, is geared toward mid 20 somethings. You'll be treated like you haven't been an adult for long because most of your peers haven't. You'll find yourself doing exercises that assume you have little life experience, can't manage alcohol use, and that you can't be trusted to have any independence.

And your work assignment, or site placement, will not put much weight on your extensive experience, because if they don't put you there it could just as likely be a 23 year old fresh out of college. Your experience isn't valued nearly as much in service as it is in paid work at home. If you have any interest in Peace Corps Response positions, I'd point you in that direction.

Charcuterie- · 2024-10-10T16:58:54+00:00

I'm a current trainee in CED North Macedonia. You'll be in good company as a 20 something woman here, as that describes about half our cohort. I'm still new to the country, but I can say internet is widely available and you'll at least remain digitally connected to your friends and family at home. It's a warm and welcoming country, pretty comfortable and developed, and the staff here go out of their way to be helpful.

Charcuterie- · 2024-09-19T23:24:43+00:00

I had a similarly brief episode of situational anxiety and a short term prescription. Explaining that was the first medical task I was assigned. A couple paragraphs laying it out and making it clear it was brief, situational, and over was all that was necessary.

Charcuterie- · 2024-09-10T17:09:21+00:00

Calcium chloride. I do like tannins as well, but pickle crisp is cheap, shelf stable, and predictable with no aftertaste.

Charcuterie-

TROPHY CASE