Done.

I am in Casablanca airport and depart for barcelona in 45 minutes. This is very strange. I am no longer a peace corps volunteer and so I need to find a new self-definition. It's kind of like graduating from college. What am I now? I'm looking forward to getting home. But maybe I'll do the peace corps again. It's got to be easier the second time around.

COSing

Left Berkane two days ago. The final couple days were very tough, and we didn't make it any easier on ourselves. I didn't get to see all the people I wanted to. The final going-away party, which we had on Sunday morning, was very touching. One-by-one students and counterparts stood up and said thank you and how they appreciated us and how we taught them about volunteering and how they would miss us and so on and so on. It was too much for me and I wasn't able to keep it together. The old emotional rollercoaster has been back for the last week or so- particularly since we gave up our cats as well, and we don't know whether they're being looked after properly. Never expected that I would be so worried about them, but it's been one of the hardest parts of leaving.

It is completely surreal, but we are almost done. I am sitting in Rabat with only a few more papers to be signed and then I'll be on my way out. I don't think it will hit me until a while after getting home that we've really left. I'm not thinking clearly enough right now to right anything coherent-- maybe tomorrow. We fly out on May 16th, and we'll arrive back in NYC on May 30th, fully 800 days after departing. I'm looking forward to it. In between, barcelona and istanbul.

pictures from the last couple weeks

krista and I with zaki and simo

special needs training for educators

after the activities

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english camp, team competition

English camp obligatory certificate shot

awesome hotel, fez

outside of fez

volubilis

again, with tom and christine

special needs workshops

Still Working

It's funny that I am now past my last official reporting period with the Peace Corps. I guess, technically, I'm not really working for them anymore, or at the very least, what I'm doing isn't recorded in any way. It's ironic, particularly since the last couple of weeks have been some of the most productive of my entire service. I organized and ran a week-long test preparation camp for 30 high school students who are gearing up for their BAC exams. It was stressful, but hugely successful and, incredibly, fun. I'm now devising ways to make sure it is replicated in other sites in future years. Then, last weekend I hosted a couple of other volunteers who ran a two-day training on autism for special education teachers and interested parents. It was the first of its kind in the area, and we broke down some real barriers, both between local organizations working in this field, and on the personal level as well. One woman, with twin autistic boys, had been told by multiple doctors that there was no hope for them, they'd never talk, dress themselves, or learn how to use the bathroom. All of this was completely wrong and she was indescribably happy and relieved to hear that they do have a shot, it will just take a lot of focused work on her part. And I think she's up for it. Another woman hadn't taken her autistic, 42-year old sister out of their house for years and years. She was a big hit and loved the activities at the end of the second day.

In between those work times, I went to Fez for an incredible stay with family friends at one of the nicest hotels I've ever seen. And after the training I went spearfishing with local friends.

These last couple of weeks have been hugely satisfying, and I'm really glad that, when I'll be reflecting back on the Peace Corps, all of these will come to mind. It's good to end on a high note-- now I just need to sustain it for the next 10 days...