So, it’s official. I’m a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer! After 25 months and 21 days, I’m ready to leave Armenia tomorrow morning to start the next phase of my life. I can’t believe the day is finally here!
I’ve spent my last few weeks in Armenia saying my last goodbyes, selling my wares (computer, cell phone, etc), and planning for my great adventure across Siberia and to the Olympics. Last Saturday I left for the International Outreach Camp, which I worked at last year, and spent 5 days there as an “intern”. I helped design the camp over the past year, and while I was only there for a few days, everything was going really well, and so much better than last year. We all decided that when the camp director was using free time as free time, we did something right. The campers, staff and teachers are all amazing, and I applaud their efforts for putting together a great program. Sorry I don’t have pictures – I’ll get those online one day.
So, tomorrow morning at 7:30, I will pay my last 10,000 dram exit tax and leave the country I’ve called home for two years. It will certainly be a bittersweet departure; I’m leaving behind so many good friends, and a lot of successes, both projects in Noyemberyan and cultural exchanges with Armenian people. I feel really good about my service here in Peace Corps, and can’t wait to share my experiences with others when I get home.
Home, home, home. That’s actually not a place I’ll be for a while. Tomorrow I’ll get into St. Petersburg around 1 in the afternoon, and begin my trek across three of the largest, least accessible countries in the world (trust me, when I get into the visa stories…). Here is my schedule, for those who care:
- July 21-25: St. Petersburg, Russia
- July 26-29: Moscow, Russia (via overnight train)
- July 29-August 3: ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD!
- August 3-7: Ulan Bator, Mongolia (and the beautiful countryside around it)
- August 8-12: Beijing (via overnight train) for the 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS!
- August 13: Hong Kong (via overnight train)
- August 14: Arrive at Kansas City International Airport, 11 PM – AMERICA!!!
I will do my best to update my blog (more) regularly as I make this great journey across Asia. If you only visit to learn about Peace Corps in Armenia, thank you for following my journey in Armenia these last two years. It’s been amazing and I hope everyone who read my posts learned a little about Armenia right there with me. Now, all that’s left to say is, HADGOH ARMENIA!!!