30 days

As of today, I have 30 days left in Azerbaijan. This little adventure has been interesting, challenging, fun, awkward, long, short, enlightening, infuriating and I'm glad I went on it. Even though I am leaving early, due to the closing of the program, I feel that I have gotten a lot out of the experience. I am also ready to start the next stage of my life, though I have to admit I'm not sure what I am doing next.

Last week I completed my SPA grant. This is a small grant program available to Peace Corps volunteers to fund projects in the organizations and communities. My organization, a health care clinic and I created a Vision Healthcare Activity book. My office mate lead the project that resulted in 1,000 activity books being printed. We are now distributing them to patients of our clinic and mobile eye clinic. My co-workers didn't quite get what we were trying to accomplish, but now that the book is printed we are getting rave reviews. One of my co-workers gave the book to her nine year old grandson and they spent an entire evening working on the activities.

Last weekend, I visited one of my Peace Corps friend's at her site for the last time. She has the second best host family in Azerbaijan. My host family of course is the best. I have stayed at their house several times and every time have felt welcomed.

Next week, the remaining Peace Corps volunteers will gather for a Thanksgiving celebration. When I arrived there were over 100 volunteers in country. Now there are 26. After December there will be four.

On Thanksgiving day my plan is to prepare dinner for my family. I plan on preparing a roasted chicken instead of a turkey. I find it to daunting to prepare a turkey in the little red over. I am debating whether to make an apple pie or apple crisp. Nathan loves my apple crisp and I may make that in honor of him.

Soon I hope to see many of you. Inshallah