My name is Brendan and I am spending my senior year of high school in Macedonia on a Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad scholarship. Before going any further, I would like to thank my friends, parents, extended family, teachers, and mentors, who have helped me get to the position I am in today. I am incredibly excited to have this opportunity to integrate myself into another culture, establish intercultural connections, and work toward a more peaceful world. This blog will chronicle my adventure into the country of Macedonia and will be updated periodically.

The two most common questions I am asked about studying abroad have been “Why did you choose Macedonia” and “Why would you give up (insert something I would have if I stayed in the United States) to spend a year in (insert a negative stereotype about Southeast European countries).” To answer the first question, I did not choose Macedonia, Macedonia choose me. One year ago, I did not know that Macedonia existed. When applying to YES Abroad, all applicants rank their country preferences from least to greatest. Macedonia was originally fifth on my preference list and then I changed the country to third after becoming a semi-finalist. My only rationale behind my ranking was that I wanted to live in a city and attend a school where the language of instruction was English, and Macedonia was one of the only countries where I was guaranteed to have both of these elements. When I read the email stating I was selected as a finalist for Macedonia I was surprised, as I was expecting to be rejected (I was rejected from three other less-competitive exchange scholarships earlier in the year) and I knew nothing about the country. After hours of Google searching, I discovered that Macedonia was by far the best fit for me. Many people ask me if I would prefer to go to a more conventional country for exchange, and the answer is no. Few people have the opportunity to explore and immerse themselves in Macedonia, and I am truly grateful that I have been given the opportunity.

To answer the later question, “why would you give up (insert something I would have if I stayed in the United States) to spend a year in (insert a negative stereotype about southeast European countries)”, I will cite my experiences while in the United States. Living in America, I have had many amazing experiences. Serving as junior class president, pole vaulting on the track team, and volunteering on multiple political campaigns have all been very exciting and fun activities, which I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate. However, I have already experienced these things. What I have not experienced is being an exchange student, or anything related to Macedonia. Participating in YES Abroad and going to Macedonia is pushing me out of my comfort zone and unleashing a vast array of possibilities and experiences that I would not be exposed to in the U.S.

I have been in Macedonia since August thirteenth and am enjoying my time here immensely. The next post on my first impressions of the country should be up in a few days.