COS. The sacred acronym of the Peace Corps Volunteer. Close Of Service. The End. It's been a topic that I've tried to avoid thinking about; it was always too far away to tease myself with. But suddenly it seems right around the corner. It's 4 months away, which is a hefty chunk of time, but everywhere I look something reminds me of the finish line.....
-This week is the beginning of my last term of teaching. It's a mixed blessing to have COS on my mind; on the one hand I really want to sink my teeth into teaching and help my students as much as possible before they sit for their national exams, but at the same time it's hard to be distracted by "the end" when I'm just at the beginning of a term.
-I'm reminded of leaving whenever I buy anything long lasting. "Don't buy that giant bottle of honey! That lasts 10 months! Most of it will go to waste!"
-I just wrote a request to leave 2 weeks earlier than expected, so that I can leave before Ramadan starts. The "official" wheels of my departure are starting to turn....
-The Big Dipper is up in the night sky. One of the things I really enjoy about living near the equator is that the constellations cycle throughout the year. The Big Dipper disappears for about 6 months. It's coming into view for the third time since I've been in Tanzania, which means I've been here for a while!
-The first patters of the rainy season are falling. This is another turning-of-the-year marker that I notice, reminding me that I'm entering my second and last season of heavy rains on Pemba.
-My mom and brother's visit is over. This means no more visits from people in America to look forward to. Another aspect of my experience completed.
-My friends around town often ask how much more time I have left. Only recently they began exclaiming "Oh! 4 months? That's not very long at all!" I can't seem to escape the reminders....
-I'm starting to get wedding invitations for dates just after I return to the US. How am I supposed to ignore my excitement for my friends?? Can't help but daydream about travel plans and celebrations....
-When I walk around may house I start making lists of my possessions. "Take that back to the US, give this to a friend, sell that, sell this, throw that away......"
It's still a long way to go, but I can't help it! Thoughts of leaving are invading my brain! I'm trying to stay focused on today and this week. I still have a lot of work to do. Returning to the US always felt like a far off dream; today it's a reality. Exciting!
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