let’ face it; life hasn’ been hard on our bodies. We been fortunate to have the kind of excellent
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t
’ve
medical and dental care to which more than 95% of the people on the planet do not have access.
We’ e also old enough to appreciate and admire our Macedonian hosts for their ability to fix
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anything and everything, and their ability to grow and make a vast variety of foods, drinks(!), and
crafts. They exhibit unparalleled hospitality, genuine warmth towards others, and a generosity of
spirit despite a history of adversity. By our fifties we’ve experienced enough adversity in our own
lives to appreciate at least some common struggles.
We are realizing a life-long dream that has had to wait and we appreciate it differently than
younger volunteers. Every day we are reminded of how lucky we are. Who has the best of all
worlds? PCVs in their fifties!
…
60s, by Michael Erhartic
Let’ face it: at home we see advancing age held against us when we’ e as young as 45.
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But when youre in your sixties and in the Peace Corps in Macedonia, you are The Man (or
’
The Woman). Here age and experience are valued. Y gray hair will open many doors that would
our
remain either closed or difficult to open to an eager but fresh-faced youth. Y re an “I’ve done it” not
ou’
,
a “hope to do it someday. Y have many years of job-related and life-related experiences to share
” ou
and nothing to sneer at from a Macedonian’ perspective.
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As a TEFL, all your students will love to greet you with the English they have learned, from
the youngest (Hello Michael, what’ your name?) to the older high school students (Hey Michael,
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what’ up?). They are willing to practice their English speaking skills on someone who might be
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someone’ grandfather, more so than in the classroom where their peers or teacher might judge them.
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eachers you work with are more likely to take your advice because they know you’ve done a lot of
living and seen what works and what doesn’ , whether in a classroom or simply in dealing with
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people throughout a lifetime.
T
eachers aren’ the only ones willing to listen to suggestions from an “ lder” The soldiers in
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e
.
town like to hear about any soldiering you might have done, the pensioners about your working days
and retirement, and the ladies about married life in “
America.
”
If you’ e willing to knock, you will find the door opening to the Mayor’ office, the Police
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Commander’ office, the School Superintendent’ office, because they are interested in hearing your
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observations of their community based on your years of experiences in the USA.
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ou, in turn, come to Macedonia with a reserve of confidence, willing to introduce new ideas,
spotting that teachable moment, knowing that not all of them will be accepted and not feeling
rejected when they aren’ .
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The inevitable frustrations and disappointments won’ get you down the way they may a
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younger person—you’ve lived long enough to know that life has its ups and downs, that you can’ win
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them all, that tomorrow is another day, that there are many roads to the same destination. Y
ou’ve
learned through experience that those expressions are trite because they are so true.
By the time you reached your sixties, you've passed the ‘know-it-all’ stage and realize
’