Izvor: Megafon.co, 26.Jun.2023, 23:02
Moja komšinica sa Balkana i iz Bostona
Moja komšinica sa Balkana i iz Bostona, Kristina Angelevska, je istraživačica i praktičarka rešavanja sukoba iz Severne Makedonije koja trenutno pohađa master studije iz rešavanja sukoba na Univerzitetu u Masačusetsu – Boston kao dobitnica Fulbrajt stipendije. Kristina je takođe bivša učesnica Community Solutions programa iz 2019. godine i završila je praksu na Univerzitetu Džordž Mejson.
Kristina i ja smo došle u Sjedinjene Američke Države istog dana, ali različitim >> Pročitaj celu vest na sajtu Megafon.co << letovima. Ona je stigla u Boston dve nedelje posle mene, pa sam joj bila neka vrsta vodiča, ako to može da se kaže za nekoga ko je toliko kratko u gradu . Sjajno smo se provodile istražujući Boston i okolinu zajedno i podržavajući jedna drugu kad god nam je bila potrebna podrška.
Foto – Sonja Urošević
Uspeh u SAD
Kristina se nedavno pridružila Izvršnoj kancelariji za javnu bezbednost i sigurnost (EOPSS) kao letnja stažistkinja u Odeljenju za istraživanje i političku analizu (RPAD) u Kancelariji za grantove i istraživanje pri Commonweltu Masačusets. Takođe je povezana sa Centrom za mir, demokratiju i razvoj (CPDD) kao deo Projekta za rano upozoravanje na sukobe (CEWAP) na Univerzitetu Masačusets – Boston.
Njena prethodna radna mesta uključuju rad u organizaciji Eurothink – Centar za evropske strategije u Severnoj Makedoniji, Mirovnom korpusu u Severnoj Makedoniji, Makedonsko-američkom udruženju diplomiranih studenata i Makedonskom JKM-u.
“Biti žena koja teži i/ili već radi u oblasti mira i bezbednosti u mojoj zemlji je veoma izazovno. Tokom puta (posebno nakon povratka u moju zemlju nakon programa CSP), shvatila sam da ono što je primenjivo u radnoj kulturi u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, posebno u širem polju mira i bezbednosti, nije nužno relevantno za kulturu na Zapadnom Balkanu. U vezi s tim, želela bih malo više da razmotrim svoje iskustvo u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. Tokom svoje CSP prakse i kontinuiranog Fulbrajt iskustva, imala sam najbolje iskustvo i na akademskom i na profesionalnom nivou.”
Foto – Privatna Arhiva
Kristina kaže da još uvek uči veoma korisne veštine u akademskom i profesionalnom okruženju u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama.
“Da budem preciznija, naučila sam u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama da budem vrlo praktična, efikasna, dinamična, sažeta i da govorim/pišem jasno. Veoma sam počastvovana što sam imala priliku da učim od profesionalaca i u Bostonu i u Vašingtonu, DC.”
Otpornost
Kristina je imala stipendije i profesionalne razmene sa Ženevskim centrom za bezbednosnu politiku (GCSP) i Programom zajedničkih rešenja na Univerzitetu Džordž Mejson. Nedavno je završila program o prevenciji sukoba putem kontrole naoružanja i razoružanja uz stipendiju OEBS-UNODA za mir i bezbednost, kao i program sajber upravljanja za mlade lidere sa Zapadnog Balkana koji je organizovao Ženevski centar za upravljanje sektorom bezbednosti (DCAF). Njeni istraživački interesi su u oblasti mira i bezbednosti, demokratizacije, krivičnog pravosuđa, prevencije sukoba, kontrole naoružanja i razoružanja.
“Najviše sam ponosna na svoju otpornost i istrajnost u ostvarivanju karijernih snova i ciljeva uprkos izazovima i neuspesima. Veoma sam ponosna što sam prva generacija studenata u svojoj porodici, i veoma sam ponosna na mnoge profesionalne uspehe, uključujući stipendiju CSP, Fulbrajt stipendiju, stipendije Ženevskog centra za bezbednosnu politiku (GCSP) i OEBS-a. Trenutno sam veoma ponosna na svoje najnovije profesionalno postignuće u dobijanju vrlo konkurentnog programa stažiranja u Izvršnoj kancelariji za javnu bezbednost i sigurnost Commonwelta Masačusetsa u Bostonu”, kaže Kristina.
Foto – Privatna Arhiva
Ostvarenje sna
Kristina je pravi primer da snovi mogu da se ostvare bez obzira na to šta ti život priredi.
“Moj najveći karijerni izazov bio je nemogućnost studiranja političkih nauka na osnovnim studijama zbog nedostatka podrške članova porodice. Međutim, nikada nisam odustala od svoje strasti, entuzijazma i predanosti, i na kraju, tokom nekoliko godina, aktivno sam ulagala u neformalno obrazovanje u širem području političkih nauka, i sada pohađam master studije političkih nauka (rešavanje sukoba) uz pomoć Fulbrajt stipendije u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, što je bio moj san i cilj tokom dugog vremenskog perioda.”
Na kraju, važna je perspektiva.
“Uspevala sam prevazići neke prepreke pretvarajući neuspehe u izazove, a izazove u prilike i ostala sam otporna uprkos preprekama koje su se javljale na putu.”
Foto – Privatna Arhiva
My neighbor from Balkans and Boston
My neighbor from the Balkans and Boston, Kristina Angelevska, is a researcher and conflict resolution practitioner from North Macedonia who is pursuing a master’s degree in conflict resolution from the University of Massachusetts – Boston as a recipient of the Fulbright scholarship. Kristina is also a 2019 alumna of the CSP program and has completed her practicum at George Mason University.
Kristina and I came to the US on the same day but on different flights. She arrived in Boston two weeks after me, so I was kind of a guide for her, if you could say that for someone who has been in town for such a short period of time . We had a great time exploring Boston and its surroundings together and supporting each other whenever one of us needed support.
Thriving in the USA
Kristina has recently joined the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) as a summer intern in the Research and Policy Analysis Division (RPAD) within the Office of Grants and Research at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She is also affiliated with the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) as part of the Conflict Early Warning Analytics Project (CEWAP) at UMass Boston.
Her past positions include working at Eurothink – Center for European Strategies in North Macedonia, Peace Corps North Macedonia, Macedonian-American Alumni Association (MAAA), and the YMCA North Macedonia.
“Being a woman who aspires and/or already works in the domain of peace and security in my home country is very challenging. Along the way (especially upon my return to my home country from the CSP program), I realized that what is applicable in the working culture in the United States, especially in the broader field of peace and security, is not necessarily relevant to the culture in the Western Balkans. In relation to this, I’d like to reflect a little bit more on my experience in the United States. During my CSP practicum and my ongoing Fulbright experience, I had the best experience in both academic and professional ways.”
Kristina says that she is still learning very useful skills in the academic and professional working environment in the United States.
“To be more specific, I learned in the United States to be very practical, efficient, dynamic, concise, and to speak/write to the point. I am very honored to have been learning from professionals in both Boston and Washington, DC.”
Resilience
Kristina has held fellowships and professional exchange experiences with the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) and Community Solutions Program Fellow at George Mason University. She has most recently completed a program in conflict prevention through arms control and disarmament through the OSCE-UNODA Scholarship for Peace and Security and a cyber governance program for young leaders from the Western Balkans organized by the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF). Her research interests are in the domain of peace and security, democratization, criminal justice, conflict prevention, arms control, and disarmament.
“I am mostly proud of my resilience and perseverance to keep pursuing my career dreams and aspirations despite challenges and setbacks. I am very proud to be a first-generation student in my family, and I am very proud of many professional achievements, including the CSP fellowship, Fulbright scholarship, fellowships with the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP), and the OSCE. Currently, I am very proud of my latest professional accomplishment in obtaining a highly competitive internship program with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Executive Office of Public Safety and Security in Boston, MA,” says Kristina.
A Dream Come True
Kristina is a true example of fulfilling your dreams in spite of whatever life throws at you.
“My biggest career obstacle was the inability to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in political science due to the lack of support from family members. However, I never gave up my passion, enthusiasm, and commitment, and eventually, over a time span of several years, I have been actively investing in non-formal education in the broader domain of political science, and now I am pursuing a master’s degree in political science (conflict resolution) through the Fulbright scholarship in the United States, which was my dream and goal for a long period of time.”
In the end, it’s the perspective that matters.
“I managed to overcome some obstacles by turning the failures into challenges and the challenges into opportunities and remained resilient despite the barriers along the way.”
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