Or extroverted introversion? We talked briefly about what it means to be one or the other. It's hard for me to estimate Mila's level of introversion. She describes herself as introverted but encourages herself to be more extroverted. We’ve asked questions on this topic in previous years of selection. Even though this was an informal conversation, I couldn't help but ask her if she thinks one must be an extrovert to integrate into new environments like UWC successfully. To that, Mila replied – "No, not at all." I don't think it matters, and it’s just important to know how to express yourself."

We touched upon her trying to be more extroverted. I was interested in why she actively makes that choice, especially when she doesn't think it's essential that she's an extrovert. Mila just keeps finding ways to get out of her comfort zone and escape the status quo.

Erasmus+ projects helped her the most with this. Meeting people from scratch in a multicultural environment made it easier for her to speak more and louder. Through these projects, she realized she works well in such settings, giving her a chance for personal development through new challenges. Compared to that, small environments do not allow her to boost her potential. As a peer leader, Mila is critical of Macedonia’s education system and practices, specifically in smaller towns. "I was more introverted before, but I think high school also changed me – I started to face awkward situations instead of running away from them," said Mila. She believes that teachers and students do not have a close-enough relationship and that education is reduced to memorization and numbers. As class president, Mila encouraged her classmates to think about how to improve the educational process at the local level. It is a long process, so we hope future generations after Mila will devote themselves to that cause just as seriously.

Mila cherishes family traditions. The first time I noticed how much she values her family was in the video she prepared for the third selection round. When I met her in the presence of her parents, I saw how joyfully she included them in her everyday life.
Many neighbors and relatives describe Mila as "Dobrichica” – someone kindhearted who is always ready to help. This description comes from the fact that she constantly helps people around her without expecting anything in return. She only mentioned this once during the selection process, but it stayed on my mind ever since. I believe that’s a perfect word to describe Mila.

I wish her the best of luck at MUWCI. As an introvert or an extrovert, I am sure of her ability to thrive in the new environment.

Jana Kraleva
July, 2023