⭐Lea: Life in Skopje is so different. It is unpredictable. It is surprising. Sometimes taking all my willpower and strength. Still, so beautiful. The people, the cultures, the different ways of living. All the new things I get to do and see. It is changing me in ways I never expected, and I enjoy this…
While some celebrate New Year or Christmas a silent, eldritch species is threatening the world, the Woodcrawlers. They are not animals. They are tall, silent, and move wrong. They mimic voices and hide in plain sight, becoming part of the trees. The forest falls unnaturally quiet when they are near. When you go to the…
Hello and welcome to the November edition of VOICES, This month, we sadly say goodbye to two long-term volunteers at VCS. I’m Cassandre, also a long-termer, and watching volunteers leave is always bittersweet, especially Terry and Chloe, the last ones from when I first arrived. In this editorial, they share their final thoughts and reflections,…
Since I arrived in Macedonia, I have felt a small shift inside me. It might be the way people open me their doors without hesitation, or how a shared drink can turn strangers into something closer. The welcome I’ve received here has been more than politeness, it feels like a real invitation to belong, to…
I was certainly aware that the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), held in Skopje from July 20-26, would teach me something as an Olympic volunteer, but it went beyond my expectations. I spent the entire week at the venue with competitions in taekwondo, which allowed me to see a world I hadn't previously been aware…
In April, I was sitting on campus in Ankara, just thinking about summer internship plans. I had no idea that in just a few weeks, everything in my life would change. While browsing through the university’s programs, I came across a three-month volunteering opportunity in Skopje, Macedonia. At that moment, I realized that something important…
Dawid: As my time in Skopje slowly nears the end, I find myself naturally becoming more reflective about my volunteering journey. Stumbling upon the opportunity, struggling to write an application, accidentally missing the interview (thanks to my poor judgement of time zones) and arriving at the airport, all of this seems like it happened a…
Dear reader, birds chirping on the trees, water rippling down the mountain, the wind is brushing through the trees and you feel the warmness of the sun shining on your face. Spring is starting and with it a new Voices edition full of inspiration and ideas. Spring for me is a time to reconnect with…
One year ago, in February 2024, I was at the Montpellier Caribbean Carnival, celebrating the start of Lent. Totally immersed in a Caribbean environment. Who could have predicted a year later that I wouldn't be able to go to the carnival because I'd literally be in ANOTHER COUNTRY? A country that is completely unknown to…
Even though the weather lately doesn't really seem like it, we're in the middle of winter! These days, the thermometer shows up to 13 degrees but the nights are still long, dark and cold. So what would be better during this season than enjoying the warmth of some nice company. Maybe some good friend(s)? The…
Even though the weather lately doesn't really seem like it, we're in the middle of winter! These days, the thermometer shows up to 13 degrees but the nights are still long, dark and cold. So what would be better during this season than enjoying the warmth of some nice company. Maybe some good friend(s)? The…
The end is the new beginning. With every new year coming people are still not done with new hopes, plans, fantasies, dreams, ideas... VOICES team is joining this global enthusiasm and we can promise you that we are not slowing down with fantasizing! But first, let us take you to ancient times of Sámi people.…