In the first week of January we, along with all our fellow Guy22 PCVs attended our Close of Service (COS) Conference. This was our last training conference as a Peace Corps Volunteer. It was also the last time we will be seeing many of our PCV friends and the last time we were all together as a group. The week was a blend of fun, nostalgia, stress and anticipation. We were at Splashmin’s, a blackwater resort about 40 minutes outside of Linden, and got to enjoy the hot showers, good food and freedom to swim in the blackwater lake every day. We spent the days in sessions, discussing logistics to going home (our official COS date is April 4th), readjustment allowance, plane tickets, health insurance, and all the millions of forms we have to fill out prior to leaving Guyana. That was slightly stressful to think about all that we have to do in the short time remaining in our service.
But then there was also a free day when we didn’t have sessions. We spent the day near the water, spent some quality time with good friends, took a little boat ride, and I (Tim) even played some Ultimate Frisbee, which I really enjoyed (I forgot how fun that game is) even though I spent the next few days with sore legs and a sore back, but it did give me an opportunity to complain that I was ollllld.
After the conference, we had to go to Town to get medical clearances and fill out several close of service forms. Now though we are back on track and ready to complete our projects.
It is a very exciting and nerve-wracking time. We just purchased our plane tickets out of the country (exciting!) so the South America trip is a reality. But before we go on our jaunt through Andes, to the Incan Trails, Bolivian lakes, Chilean beaches, and Argentinian wine country (more details to follow) we have our work here to finish. We have to say goodbye to all the friends we’ve made, complete our projects, fill out more PC forms, take a foreign service officers exam, and perhaps travel once more through the jungles and rivers of this beautiful, unique country. There are still difficulties and challenges ahead of us, but “just now” (a proper just now, mind you) we’ll be gone.
There are lessons we’ll take away, stories to share, and more adventures to be had…but all of those can be written for another day.
Tim and Paulette, our PC Training Manager
Awesome PCV friends on a boat at Splashmins
PCLP (Peace Corps Life Partners) in the blackwater
Our friend Cassie entertains us all at COS spinning a fire hula hoop!
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