Close of Service Conference- The Beginning of the end of PC service

Last week we PCV's had our Close of Service Conference.  A chance to get together with friends we don't see often, and an opportunity to begin thinking about our transition.  

CYD rocks!!!L- Nate, Crystal, me, Brittany, Sharayah, Pete, Justin

redo of our original training group photo 

lunch at our fave place...American Burgers & Fries in UB

I cannot believe how close I feel to all my fellow CYD'ers...and how much I love this bunch!  Community Youth Development is one of the small sectors in Mongolia.


 Throughout our two years of service we have been in touch, some of us more closely than others.  Though I love the guys, it's the girls and I who have forged close relationships.  


Before I leave the country, I'll travel again to Brittany's site to help her celebrate her birthday and go way up north to see Crystal.

Crystal, me, Brittany, Sharayah

After our service, I'll be travelling with Brittany and Sharayah to Thailand and Cambodia.  We've loosely planned our journey to be very relaxed and slow, with lots of beach time to rest!

Girls of Ger 13

 Crystal won't be joining us on this trip as she and her boyfriend, Erka,(an adorable Mongolian man) are planning to return to the US together; he on a fiancee visa.  


This was probably the last time all 7 of us will spend time together as a group.  Hard to believe it's been almost 2 years since we all started on this amazing PC journey together.

Here we are during COS, right after the slide show.  Peace Corps has been an amazing ride which is now slowing down.  I must wait until the ride comes to a complete stop before disembarking; though now I am already mentally transitioning to the next phase.


I'm glad to have the next few months for reflection and the garden project I will get started before I leave.

Things I will miss about Mongolia

ah, the blue sky!

When pondering my time here and thinking about leaving Mongolia, there are many things I will miss. The students I've worked with, the friends I've made, the blue sky, Jalam Har beer, the quiet emptiness of the countryside.