By Jackson Nichols, Undergraduate student in the UT Government Department and Sociology Department
Zdravo! Ever since I found out about the UT Embedded Scholars program from one of my favorite professors, shoutout to Dr. Kiril Avramov, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. As someone who had never been out of the country, I could not say no to the opportunity to experience a new culture, a new hemisphere, and, of course, a new political system. Little did I know that North Macedonia, this small country—roughly the size of Vermont with the population of the greater Austin area—would surpass any expectations I could have had, both in work and lived experience.
I arrived three days before my start date with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and thank goodness I did. I have never experienced jet lag the way I did here. I could not sleep past 5 AM for at least a week; it also doesn’t help that that’s when the sun rises. Even so, I did not wait to start immersing myself in the culture. Along with my peers, who quickly became my friends, we walked around the city center and the old bazaar, taking note of the newly constructed, controversial baroque architecture and an almost excessive number of statues. We explored a market unlike any other, one best compared to a jungle: green awnings draped over wooden stands overflowing with the freshest produce and people filling every corner. In all honesty, it was quite overwhelming, but we gathered what we needed and made the trek back to our apartment to prepare our first meal together—a fitting way to close the weekend and ready ourselves for the internships ahead.
Our first week was, as our supervisor put it, like Swiss cheese. Unbeknownst to us, two holidays fell within that week, affording us more time to explore the city and its surrounding areas. Even so, after many conversations with our supervisors and new office mates — decided by a draw out of a hat — we began working. Because I was assigned to the Parliamentary Support Program, the first order of business was familiarizing myself in greater depth with the current state of affairs, the parliamentary system, and what the program had accomplished thus far.
In addition, Ellie (another Embedded Scholar) and I were told we would attend a meeting with Members of Parliament (MPs), legislative drafters, and lawyers to review the proposed Guidelines for the Code of Ethics. In other words, we were going to be in the room where it happens. The experience of observing and comprehending the government’s thought process—which I am here to support—was invaluable. The debates were thorough, incisive, and to the point.
This would not be the first time we ventured beyond the office. That same week, not two days later, all of us attended the last caravan of the season—events organized by NDI and the Assembly of North Macedonia in collaboration with other groups to bring MPs directly to youth in their communities to facilitate conversation and focus on students and their political concerns.
It got heated. You could feel the passion radiating from students as they voiced their concerns and their dissatisfaction with the MPs’ responses. There is a considerable gap between the two groups—MPs and students—one I had heard about but the full extent of which could only be understood firsthand. North Macedonia is facing what is known as “Brain Drain:” its youth, after completing their education at the country’s various universities, leave, creating a vacuum in the workforce. It is a costly burden on the nation’s economy and future, so I wanted to focus on it. Why are they leaving? What could compel them to stay? How does Parliament factor into all of this?
After returning home that evening, I began drafting a project proposal. I would examine the two groups—MPs and students, or more precisely, youth—interviewing them on their perceptions of one another, what they believe the other values, and possible solutions to the brain drain problem. It was an ambitious project to undertake, but I wanted to do something meaningful with my time here. And even though I might not witness the effects it ultimately produces, I wanted to set things in motion, perhaps even identify strategies for youth engagement that work here and could be implemented back home.
The NDI staff were tremendously supportive of this idea and worked diligently to connect me with people from both groups. I had meetings with the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM) and MPs from the Youth Caucus, and attended workshops with youth wings to gather as much information as possible. In addition, I was able to distribute my survey with NDI’s help. As I am writing this blog post, I am concurrently working on this research, youth responses to my survey are rolling in, meetings with MPs are underway, and potential solutions to youth engagement and brain drain are being considered. This isn’t a problem that can be fixed overnight, with rampant miscommunication between the youth and legislators as in so many countries, but with the right programming, trust and communication can be rebuilt.
This is not to say that all my time in North Macedonia was devoted to work—the office staff would not allow for that. We created a Google spreadsheet compiling all of their recommendations, and it was updated continuously as more kept rolling in. Within the first week, I had visited museums, savored tremendous food, and hiked a mountain. And that was only the beginning. Over the following week, we attended a street food festival, a music festival, and hiked through a canyon. Unlike the first hiking adventure, I was not alone; I went with my friends and MPs.
After we mentioned we were planning to kayak in the canyon that weekend, the office staff noted that some MPs were doing the same and asked if we wanted to join. The answer, of course, was yes. After about an hour’s climb, we arrived at the summit. With a breathtaking view spread out before us, we chatted with the MPs over lunch.
My friends and I joked throughout that “at the end of the day, we are all just people,” but the seemingly simple sentiment is profoundly true. Beyond the suits and titles, beyond the institution, these political figures are simply individuals doing their best to do what is right. We have to meet each other where we are—a lesson that feels obvious, but a necessary reminder in a political field where it so often gets lost, and one that, in tandem with the caravans, inspired my research at NDI.
Beyond the introspective hike with MPs, we later traveled to Ohrid, one of the oldest cities in Europe, home to 365 churches and some of the most strikingly blue waters I had ever seen. There we spent the weekend relaxing, exploring local shops, and experiencing a side of the country we had not yet encountered. I also traveled to Greece, where my mom joined me for gorgeous beaches, wonderful food, and, naturally, more shopping. I cannot do these indescribably captivating places justice with words, even if I tried. I had seen them in photographs, but to experience them firsthand is worth applying for this opportunity alone.
This program is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It has compelled me to grow in ways I never thought possible, both professionally and, arguably, more importantly, as a person. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of being part of something far larger than myself. Being a part of a cohort composed of intelligent, passionate, and curious individuals who push me to become a better version of myself. Being part of an organization dedicated to building a better tomorrow.
My greatest hope is that my research and work give back to NDI even a fraction of what this experience has given me. I am forever indebted to the people of North Macedonia for welcoming me into their country, not as an outsider looking in, but as someone worthy of understanding it from within.
