COS Conference...the aftermath

Last week was my COS Conference. It was really cool. The first thing we did when we arrived was check into our rooms. I stayed with Naima and Cristine. When we were in our room, Naima and I were looking out the window and a dog ran by and she said, "there goes dookie!" That was our dog friend for the next few days.

The first thing we did as part of the conference was all the M22s stood in a circle and our PTO Margaret read us things from a list and if any of us had done something we took a step in the circle and then a step back out after. One of my contributions was if anyone had gotten a mullet since being here, and I of course stepped in myself!

We spent the remainder of our time talking about how to say goodbye to this place, we received instruction on paperwork, and how to (hopefully) re-enter American society.

I wouldn't want a volunteer who hasn't experienced his or her COS Conference to learn all the secrets about the conference so I will spare you all that I learned.

I am now back in Floresti for my last 50ish days, and I have a ton of work to do. I must close out my SPA project, close my bank accounts, start my goodbyes, and figure out some if not all of my post-PC plans.

I can't believe that in just 3 days it will have been 2 years ago since I came here!

Here's to the future.

Happenings around the Floresti

Today I went to piata with another volunteer and guess what I found? A pair of boxer briefs. So I bought them. Boring, right? Yeah, unless I add in that on this particular pair of boxer briefs is a hammer and sickle. That's right, CCCP and the communist symbol! They are my new favorite thing I own. Lately I've been trying to figure out what to take back with me to America when I leave here. You know, things that will really remind me of the good old days in Moldova. Well I can for sure mark one thing off my list, former Soviet underwear. Whoop! As another volunteer so eloquently put it, "In Soviet Russia, Underwear wears you!" Help me decide what other souvenirs I need for my journey back...so far I have the following in mind..

Romanian Bible (got it)
Cloth Punga (if you don't know, don't ask)(got it)
Orthodox Church Icon (got it)
A nice bottle of Moldovan wine
CCCP Underwear (got it)
Cool Moldovan jeans (got it)
Picture with me and my host family

Today marks my final 60 days in country. I mean to be honest, 60 days isn't anything to write home about. It just happens to be the amount of days I have left when I wrote this entry. There is a lot left to accomplish in these last 2 months.

First, I have to finish a grant I am currently implementing. My partner and I got some money to replace some windows at an elementary school. The school director seems really happy about it. I went to the bank to do a bank transfer from the grant account to the window company only to find out that I couldn't do that. Instead, I had to withdraw all the money and then just hand it to the window company representative, Andrei. It would've been very stressful, but I've learned to just roll with the punches here.

Next, I have my COS Conference. I won't say I've necessarily been looking forward to it since I came to Moldova, but I've been curious as to what would be like. Well, at any rate, I will find out in about 9 days. I really can't believe we've come this far. I did a countdown calculator on the internet of the day I came to Moldova until a projected day of leaving in April 2010, and it came up with 800 days. Wow! 800 days...how can a person make a difference in 800 days? Oh let me count the ways. I must say though, I think Moldova has changed me more than I could ever change it, and I am very thankful for that.

Last, and the thing that has me the most worried. I need a job or a Law School to accept me! Please! I've sent out all the prayers I can to all the entities of which I feel comfortable praying. I guess, though, at some point I just need to realize that even though I might be broke and jobless in the states that all I can really do is just sit tight until an opportunity comes along. Um, that sounds like bad advice but it's just the way it is going to have to be. In the meantime, I can just keep applying for stuff and see what materializes. Please something, materialize!

Ending transmission