Jerry Pisecki at the beginning and end of his Appalachian Trail journey
When Jerry Pisecki of Midlothian retired after a 37-year career as a lawyer and compliance officer, he worried that he would be bored. To keep that from happening, he set out to achieve some life goals.
On March 2, 2022, just a month into retirement, Pisecki left Springer Mountain, Georgia, the official southernmost end of the Appalachian Trail, carrying 35 pounds of supplies in a backpack. In a journey that spanned five months and six days, Pisecki hiked 2,194.3 miles, reaching the summit of Mount Katahdin, Maine, the northernmost end of the trail, on Aug. 8. “I felt incredible joy because I did it,” he says in an email.
Pisecki says the expedition was often difficult and treacherous. He fell dozens of times, mostly on wet, slippery rocks and when tackling steep descents. Although he was fit from being a lifelong runner, he says there were times he thought he might not finish the hike. “It would have been easier to do when I was in my 20s than in my 60s,” Pisecki says. “Your dreams may be more challenging than you thought, but still worth pursuing.”
Hiking the AT was important to him, Pisecki says, “because I love hiking and being outside. I read ‘A Walk in the Woods’ by Bill Bryson and thought it would be a challenging and fun thing to do. … I learned a lot about backpacking and met a lot of wonderful people on the trail.”
After he finished the AT, considering himself lucky to have both good health and the gift of time, Pisecki applied to join the Peace Corps. “I have always wanted to live in a foreign country and learn a foreign language,” he says. The Peace Corps was a budget-friendly way of making that dream come true.
Pisecki teaches English to elementary school students in Kosovo as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Accepted in April 2023, Pisecki arrived in Kosovo in southeastern Europe last October to serve for two years as an English teacher. After 10 weeks of pre-service training, which included Albanian language classes, Peace Corps policies and instruction in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Pisecki is now working at an elementary school in the town of Shtime, co-teaching with two counterparts from the school.
“I value waking up every day in Kosovo and going to school to teach children English,” Pisecki says. “I was looking for a purpose or a way to help others and have an adventure at the same time. Hopefully, I am making a difference and inspiring children to continue to learn and explore the world. The kids have a lot of questions for me and love America,” he adds.
Pisecki says he’s fortunate that his wife and two sons believe in him. “They encourage me to pursue my dreams and support me with positive encouragement. I miss them very much and look forward to seeing them soon,” he says. “There is no place like home.”
“For all the support I had from him growing up, he will forever have mine in whatever he chooses to do,” Pisecki’s son Harrison says. “The cool thing about my dad is he doesn’t just talk about doing stuff. He gets fixated on accomplishing his dreams until they are complete. It really is inspirational.”
For Pisecki, there is value in exploring the world outside his comfort zone. “We may have different backgrounds, customs and languages, but we all share a common humanity that transcends our differences,” he says.
Pisecki is especially grateful to have this opportunity with the Peace Corps. “The most wonderful part of being in Kosovo are the people that I am meeting. They are welcoming and want to be friends with me. The hardest part is learning Albanian and not being able to understand and speak with Kosovars like I can with English speakers. I am committed to learning Albanian and, hopefully, will be able to communicate better in the near future,” he says.
Pisecki with students on the soccer field in Kosovo
Although there is tension between Albanians and Serbs in the northern part of Kosovo, Pisecki says he feels safe. He even starts his days with a run, as he did back home. “I haven’t seen any other runners yet in Kosovo, but I feel safe running here,” he says.
Similarly, on the Appalachian Trail, although he encountered bears and other wildlife, Pisecki felt safe most of the time and was thankful that he met good people along the way.
“For the AT hike, I learned that I liked hiking with others more than hiking alone. I also learned that every journey begins with a single step,” he adds. “Once you take that first step, then the key is to keep moving one step at a time. I was encouraged to meet so many hikers and trail angels from all walks of life who were friendly, supportive and fun to spend time with on the trail. I experienced the good in humanity.”
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