5/23/2018 GLOW Gazette August/September 2016

GLOW  Gazette  Issue  23  (August/September View  this  email  in  your
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Beyond Camp

Camp GLOW is one magical week of the year, but the magic doesn't stop when we get on that bus

home. Since Camp GLOW ended, we have had time to reflect on how GLOW has changed us, and in
turn, how we can impact our communities.  

 
Recently, a 2010 camp alum from Gostivar, Vlora, emailed us to tell us about the lasting positive

impact Camp GLOW has had on her. I asked her to write an article for this Gazette, and what she
sent back to me was so inspiring that I asked her to write a short series of articles for you all to

enjoy. In this edition of the Gazette, you can read Vlora's first part in her three part series. I hope
that you see a part of yourselves in it and that it speaks to you. 

 
Another new addition we have to the Gazette is the Club Corner. All of the camp and club

coordinators have been so happy and proud to see so many new GLOW clubs springing up across
the country. This shows us the leadership, initiative, and enthusiasm that we were hoping to impart

on you during camp. The new Club Corner will feature news from Macedonia's GLOW clubs. I can't

wait to see what you all are working on as the year goes on! 

As you read this edition, I hope you are thinking about how GLOW has helped you change as a
person and how you can share that change by being active in your community. 

GLOW Love, 

Coco Shin  

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GLOW Communications Coordinator

Watch our field day video over and over again. <3

Between Everything and Nothing

  by Vlora Ibrahimi     

I dedicate this story to all the young girls around the world that come from small
countries that have no future. I am one of you, little blossoms. Once I stood in the
exact footprints that you are standing in right now.
Life in these countries never gets easy. You walk with silent steps in these roads that
are stamped with the most unbearable socials rules that suffocate, chain, and
blindfold you, demanding you to follow the masses with no other option left. What to
do little blossom, bow down or straighten up? 

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I was born in Gostivar, a small city in Macedonia, Albanian by ethnicity, raised by
modest parents who taught to me that the material world is the doom of the spiritual,
while the spiritual aspect of a human is the diverse color that makes our life
priceless. They always taught me that I am an organism made up of more than 19
quadrillion cells that no precious gems can buy, and being aware of that, I must put
my uncompensable energy and time  to good use. Young and energetic, I had a
dream to make a difference in this world. not for my name to be known, but my
deeds to make a brighter future for my nephews, nieces, my children, and all the
young generations to come. 

Striving for more since my teens, I have attended many seminars, I have learned
many things, I have meet many people, many, many peers, I have learned different
ways to resolve problems, how to approach a problem, detect it, analyze it, set
goals, make short and long term plans…but none of the seminars, symposiums,
trainings, taught me the most valuable thing: EVERYTHING IS DONE BY ME!

Camp GLOW is the only camp listed in my CV that actually attacks all the life
problems to the core because no problem is ever solved without your own self.
GLOW staff did the impossible for our tiny little minds to never forget that there is no
big or small problem; there is just YOU wanting to resolve the problem or not.
Everything depends on us, for where I stand now I understand what having strong
self-esteem can do in life, and your target was exactly to teach us to value and love
ourselves.
Today as a 24 year old woman studying, working, and aspiring for more makes me
value the work of the Peace Corps in Macedonia even more. I especially cannot
imagine how much difficulty and resistance you have met in order to develop your
goals. We are fanatics and pseudo-intellectuals and we see foreigners as people
who tend to guide us as word sellers, not what they really are, a majestic help to
move us from this lifetime of ongoing transition. We need step by step guidance, and
I am very lucky to have attended this camp. I must emphasize camping in
Macedonia even nowadays, is not something usual. 
I really was and still am concerned for my homeland. I strongly believe that it will
never reach the standard necessary to provide a healthy environment for our youth
to commit to stay here. Massive QUALITY it is replaced with a humongous mass of
QUANTITY, KNOWLEDGE is sold for MONEY and DIGNITY is sold for a JOB. Due
to this entire deviative phenomenon, and this terrible mass of so-called intellectuals, I
value what I learned at Camp GLOW even more.

Do you understand little blossom?

 There is just you! It has always been just you opposing the mass, it feels like you
have it all and yet you are not complete, because the rights you are entitled to have,
where I come from don’t exist. Hang in there; better days come as you get stronger
and smarter!

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She GLOWs:  
 
Lessons Learned
Cvetanka Manceva 
by Allison Smith  at GLOW 
 
 
We asked some of the
campers of Camp GLOW
2016 about their most
memorable lessons
learned. Here are some of
their answers. 
 
Even with cold water, showers
can be a fun game (that I did not
participate in) and you can save
water too 
 
When a team is concentrated and
working together, using each
other's strengths, everything goes
more smoothly. During field day,
we were waiting for our turn to
cross the river and as we were
watching the group before us, we
decided to plan out and learn
from their mistakes. We used
shorter and smaller girls with a
bigger girl to form a group of
three per block and used the
tallest person at the front as well
as the most flexible person for
last so we would pass the blocks
quick and easy. It worked out so
well and i have never felt more
“The only way you can spread light and inspire other people proud of my group. I loved that
is if you love yourself the way you are.” day   
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~Cvetanka Manceva To drink 5 bottles of water in one
day.. or more. 
Name: Cvetanka Manceva  
That when you meet great people
you might not see them ever
Age: 17 again but we need to learn to
cope with that and be happy we
Location: Strumica had a chance to meet them
(everyone at glow) (PENELOPE
When pressed for her female role model Cvetanka didn’t ) 
hesitate with her response; Eleanor Roosevelt. Inspired by  
the former First Lady’s capability to find the positive and When you do the Cotton­Eye Joe
light in the darkest of places, Cvetanka makes a conscious your left leg hurts :D P.S. I am
choice to make someone laugh every day; to be a light to doing the dance right now <3 
someone in need. An adventurer at heart, Cvetanka took
one of the biggest risks of her young life when she applied
for and attended GLOW Camp a handful of years ago. Her
Club Corner 
 
life has never been the same since! Intrigued by the Welcome to the club corner! We are
opportunity to participate in a week long, multi-ethnic very excited to present this new
leadership camp Cvetanka realized quickly that the GLOW addition to the GLOW Gazette to
highlight all of the amazing things
experience is “much more than just a camp. It’s a place our clubs do. 
where young girls are taught how to become leaders, to  
respect and love themselves but also inspire others.” As you may know, GLOW clubs are
groups made by camp alums that go
back home after camp in order to
Earning third place in the National Public Speaking use all of the things they learned to
Competition in 2015 is exemplary evidence of teach and inspire their peers in their
how Cvetanka used the confidence carried over from her own communities. Club meetings
GLOW Camp experience and uses her voice to inspire can cover things from decision
making to team­building, feminism to
those in her community. For Cvetanka leadership is not self defense. This is how campers
taught, but realized when one is faced with the opportunity can really start to make an impact! 
to do just that. Self-motivated and a woman passionate  
about taking action for change, Cvetanka says “that the only We know for many, camp is a
magical and energizing time full of
way there can be any kind of improvement is if more people relationship building 
are involved in it.” With her eyes on a medical career and inspiration, sometimes it can be
Cvetanka there is no doubt that she will likely be involved in hard to return to your community, so
discovering some new disease or spearheading a medical far away from your new friends and
with no plan on how to proceed.
breakthrough in her lifetime. Clubs is a camper’s opportunity to
implement everything they learned
Cvetanka Manceva was referred by United States Peace and spread that knowledge and
Corps Volunteer, Grace Makupa. We solute you and your inspiration to countless
other young women in their
passion for change, inspiration, and leadership Cvetanka! community. This is definitely a way
Keep leading by example and making a positive impact on our campers can keep glowing! 
your community and the World!  
In the clubs corner you can look
forward to a club spotlight every
For more information about how to create your own GLOW month. We will be featuring articles
Club and to locate a Club near you follow us on Facebook from an assortment of clubs all over
here https://www.facebook.com/glowclub.macedonia?fref=ts Macedonia about the work they
have been doing, or plan on doing as
  the year goes on. This is a great
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place to get inspiration for your own
GLOW Club Bitola (top) and GLOW Club Kocani (bottom) club or your own projects at home.
We look forward to getting a glimpse
into all 17 of our GLOW clubs across
the country (perhaps with occasional
cameos from our YMLP Club
partners) to see how they are
bringing the spirit of GLOW to their
communities! 
 
Keep GLOWing, Clubs! 
 
If you are interested in spotlighting
your own club for the GLOW Gazette
Clubs Corner, email the clubs
coordinators at
GLOW Club Bitola clubs.macedonia@gmail.com

GLOW Club Skopje American Corner

GLOW Club Kochani

Start a GLOW Club 
in your community!
Do you want to share what you learned at camp with others?
Do you love discussing important issues with other young
women? Do you want to help your community through service
projects? Then starting a GLOW Club may be your next
project!
  GLOW Club Stip
If you are interested in starting and leading your own GLOW
Club, please contact clubs.macedonia@gmail.com for more
information on how to get started!

   Gostivar Glow Club

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