Thinking about leaving in a month

I'm starting to worry about everything I need to do for the Peace Corps as part of finishing my service. It's all about the paperwork! There is a 2 page checklist ranging from turning in teaching resource books, water filter and mosquito netting, to a medical exam, language test, and an exit interview with the Country Director. Most of those things are done at the PC office in Baku and need initialing by the appropriate staff person.

The 1^st obstacle is simply getting that checklist printed here in Masalli. Because I don't have my own printer, I rely on a local shop next to the police station. But when I went there the other day with the PC document on a flash drive, they couldn't open the pdf file. Arrggghhhhh. So I need to find another place that prints documents and that also means spending half a day traveling to and from the shop. Just a reminder that things aren't as simple as they seem.

Another concern is the timing of my departure. Because the 4^th of July is a Thursday, I need to be sure that appropriate staff will be in the office on Friday the 5th, my official Close of Service day. I know that Peace Corps will pay for my stay at a hotel in Baku for both Thursday and Friday night, but will it pay for Wednesday night if I leave Masalli that day?

Thursday June 6^th was Sally's last day at site so I was at her last goodbye. My former host mother Konul invited Sally and me for lunch, and then we walked over to Sally's apartment and waited for the taxi to take her and her luggage to Baku. Konul, her daughter Aydan, Sally, and I shed quite a few tears. I know that Sally and I have been a great source of encouragement and comfort for Konul.

I am not familiar with this tradition of throwing water after someone leaves, but here is reminder.

Sally's goodbye has me thinking about all the things I need to do before leaving. I still have 2 weeks of English and a summer camp (non-English fun). That means continuing to prepare English materials for students who are beyond learning vocabulary words, and organizing some activities and games for another week. I also need to spend time with my teachers going over the materials I am leaving for them.

At least I won't have furniture to sell, an apartment to clean, clothes to pack, food to dispose of, etc. But I want to print some photos as gifts to give to the many people I've met here. And that means blocking out time to get to the printers.

And just as a reminder about the many things I will miss, here is a photo of Igbal with a bowl of cherries, and another of Georgie playing horsey with his little cousins. Isn't there a song that goes Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries?