The One-Two Punch
by Marlys Shelby
When the opportunity to be in the dual language program presented itself in PST, I hesitated. Heck, I
was apprehensive about learning one language, let alone two. Macedonian, with its Cyrillic
alphabet, was daunting; but then to even consider adding Albanian with a third alphabet.... let’s just
say, I looked around at the other new Mak 15 volunteers to try to get a sense of who might be
foolish enough to put their names on the show-of-interest chart. I thought many of the younger
volunteers whose learning experiences were much fresher than mine would jump at the chance, and
some did, but there were still a few open slots for interviews. That’s when my self-talk kicked in
with things like “Hey, you joined the Peace Corps for a challenge” and “If other people can do it, no
reason you can’t.”
So, I did it. At 62 years of age, recently retired, in a strange country, as nervous as all of the other 37
new recruits about what I had agreed to do, I interviewed and was selected for the dual language
program. Candy Wiggum, a Mak 14 who’s my age, had done it the year before and I was inspired.
How hard could it be?
Well, simply put...it was (and is) hard. The learning curve is steep and I?? ?fR?B??B?b7F'G2?@?7F?2?'WB?F?B?B??v?BF?&?Vv?F?R???F??G&????r?B?6??F??VRF?W6RF?RGWF?&??r&?w&?F?G'??F?vWB&WGFW"B&?F???wVvW2???B??W2??Bv2v?'F??B??v?BF??fR????&???f???vRGW&??r5B?BG&??v?F?f?W"FW'&?f?2f??V?FVW'3?F??6&??6??&R?BF????W"V??VRW?W&?V?6R7&VFVB&??B?v????v?26?W&?6??F?V??v276?v?VBF????6?Wf???:?,:v?l:????&?????V?WBF?v???vW7FW&??6VF???v?F?&?WBS?S7V?GW&??7?B???F?R66????v?W&R?FV6??vR?fR?6VF??????&????GW&??6??B&??7GVFV?G2?B??v?&???V?v?6?6?76W2W6??r&?F??6VF?????B?&????v?B?F?F?( ?B&V??R?2??r6W&FP?F?R7V?GW&W2&R??F??&6?2??fR?W&R?2?v?2??FW&W7F??r( 2?N( ?2??RF???rWfW'?F???r???GW?6FR?V6?w&?W?2?G2?v????F?2??b6?W'6R?'WBF?W&R?2??&???FV6?W.( ?2F??B??6VF????FV6?W.( ?2F???&???6?ffVR6??2?B?6VF????6?ffVR6??2??6VF?????&?Ff??G?2?B?&???6??F?&W2?BWfV?F?ffW&V?BF?f?"66??????F?2f?"V6?w&?W???V?R??v?BF?v?F?Gv?V?v?F?w&FRw&GVF???'F?W2( 2??Rf?"F?R?&?????G2?B??Rf?"F?P??6VF???????b6?W'6R?F?W&R&RG&v&6?2???W7BF?B??6??WF??W2G&???F???V6?6?ffVR?BVBF???V6??&??fG'???rF??VWWv?F?&?F?6?6??w&?W2??BF?W&R&R???F??W2v?V??F??( ?B???p?v?WF?W"F?RW'6??&?6???r?R?2?&????"?6VF?????6??7G'Vvv?Rv?F?v??6???wVvP?F?W6R??F??( ?Bv?BF??ffV?B????R?6??G'?&V???&BF?vWB?B&?v?B??W7V??F??( ?B'WBF?Rv??@??Ww2?2F?BWfW'???R?2vV?6???r?Bf?&v?f??r?b?6??'F6???w2&Vv&F?W72?bF?V?"7V?GW&??F?ffW&V?6W2??vWB???G2f?"G'???r?BWfV???&R???G2v?V??7V66VVB?v?V?B?F??Bv????'6??WFV?v?V?B?&V6???V?B?BF?F?R?Wr5g3?????b??Rv?BF?wV&?FVR??W'6V?bF?P???7B6???V?v??rV6R6?'2W?W&?V?6R??R6??fR???6VF????????