So its under a month left to go.
I just finished my medical check ups that happen one month before leaving all was clear except my ears apparently they were both blocked with ear wax. So a trip to the ear doctor for a cleaning and all of a sudden WOW the background noise is louder, but no different in hearing conversations. So really pretty minor.
But the cool news is my weight is 175, which I believed I weighted in high school, so how about that at 40 I weight my high school weight. I weighted in here at 199, which was a little heavy but not to much over my normal weight. Basically I lost 15 pounds in first couple of months, then even as my eating has leveled out I still have been dropping a few pounds. Last time I was weighted in the PC office in Oct 2011 I weighted 179. I dont do exercise in terms of cardio but I do sit ups & lift my water container for arm exercises all the time.
Well, over the last week the mass Exodus of Group 8 has just happened. I believe there are like 15 active G8 members left, 6 are extending although they all get to go home for a month of leave before starting their third year, so 5 of the 6 are gone, I also saw 10 to 15 of the rest leave this week.
So the recap in Atlanta June of 2010, 40 were supposed to show 39 did, 1 left before the plane, 2 left during training, 2 left just after swear in, 6 more dropped out in the next year, early 2012 one was sent home for breaking the rules, leaving 27 to make it to the official Close of Service point. 3 went home right away, 2 medical, 1 site problems and now by August 5th there will only be 9 active Group 8, two including myself pack up between Aug 24-25th, the last COSer is Liz, my good friend, who will leave in Sept. Leaving only the 6 extenders to continue.
Well, I didn't win the million dollars on the survivor show but I did last much longer then I would have expected to when I got on the plane. And certainly would have lost any bet.
So now back to site to wrap up life, fix one part of the Ward 2 Social Center and then leave.
I do have plans for between leaving my site & actually leaving Swaziland which is to go help other PCV's with refugee camp clean up. More on that when I get to it.
So the garage sale has already begun I "hired" Sabelo as my agent for selling things. He gets 25% of whatever I sell. So he seems to be lining up people for all of my stuff.
I expect these next 2 1/2 weeks before leaving to be mix of busy & waiting.
Existen países como Swazilandia que parecieran condenados a desaparecer. Este pequeño territorio poblado por dos etnias predominantes, sin salida al mar; gobernado por una monarquía absoluta, un sistema de gobierno que conlleva en sí mismo corrupcción y pobreza, en el cual no se respetan los derechos humanos y con una expectativa de vida que no supera los 37 años a causa del SIDA que consume a más del 30% de su población, está abandonado a su suerte porque su pobre economía (fundamentada en una agricultura poco tecnificada) no llama la atención de inversionistas extranjeros. De otra parte, el analfabetismo esta cercano al 20%. Para completar el cuadro desolador, un estudio publicado por estos días asegura que su población ocupa el ningún envidiable segundo lugar entre los pueblos más perezosos del mundo. Cuando leemos los pocos "blogs" que se refieren a la situación de los habitantes del reino perdido del África meridional, nos parece casi una situación inverosímil. Hemos querido comunicarnos con algunos extranjeros que viven allí pero desgraciadamente ha sido imposible. No sabemos que clase de censura se impone, y cuáles son las restricciones que puedan darse a la libertad de expresión.
ReplyDeleteA lot of PCVs lose weight - I know that I did due to the heat. Congratulations on part of those who actually completed their full 2 years of service in Swaziland. I knew you would do it.
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