Ends, and Beginnings.

Good Morning!

Wow, it's September! Sorry for all of you for whom summer is over or nearly over. It's always summery here!

Life in Benin is drawing to a close. It's so weird to say that. I mean, I won't say 'wow, it's gone so fast!" because it hasn't, it's felt like two years. It's just weird to think of it ACTUALLY being finished; a reality, not just this mythical date way off in the future!

I'm in Natitingou for a few days trying to finish up my latrine project paperwork, other random paperwork and forms, and say goodbye to friends up here. I just hit 'send' on the latrine stuff, hopefully they will approve it with limited drama or issues. The latrines themselves are built, they are just waiting for paint. It's raining every single day here right now so they will wait to paint until dry season hits in another month or two. They look great, once I get back to post I will take some pictures! It's nice to have something to actually look at and say 'I did that." - For the most part my projects in village have all been of the 'education' front, which is by far the most impactful (in my opinion) and important, but does leave a void in the "what the heck did I do for the last two years" question.

So anyway, I'm really just wrapping things up now. My bruises from the moto accident are only a shadow now, and I'm not freaking out about going outside or being on a moto like I was just after the accident. Last week my replacement, Kate, came to visit me for a few days and I think she's wonderful. She's motivated and excited about my village and I think she'll do a great job! We didn't have a whole lot of time to interact with villagers but they seemed to like her and we look similar enough (height, brown hair) that I am sure she will be called Christinie for at least awhile! After spending three days trying to impart two years worth of wisdom on her my throat was REALLY sore - I guess I'm used to living the solitary life! Once she left I started really cleaning and organizing my house, it's so much fun to give stuff away. And the people here love even the smallest things- an empty powdered milk container is gold to them. And I had plenty of those! So it's been really fun. I'll give away the great majority of my clothes and personal stuff; I'll leave most of my kitchen stuff and furniture for my replacement.

I actually pack up the taxi and say goodbye to my village on September 11th. The health center director is throwing me a party on the 7th, which is really sweet of him. I told him I don't want anything big - it will probably be just the health center staff, my homologue and some close friends, I am sure they will kill a goat (goat meat is SO good!) and make Igname Pilee and Riz au gras, my two favorite things to eat. I'll head out on the 11th and spend that week in Cotonou - I have to turn in all my stuff, meet with several different people, get blood and tuburculosis tests, close out my bank account, blah blah blah. That's also the same week as the new group does their swearing-in ceremony and moves to post; it will surely be a super busy week at the Peace Corps bureau and I will spend a good deal of time trying to track down people I need to meet with to sign the million sheets of paper and forms to close out my service. I officially COS on September 16th (they swear in on the 15th) and will stay the 16th and 17th with my missionary friends (the ones I spent last Christmas with) in Cotonou. My lovely British friend from Lome will come visit me, too (yay!) I fly to Freetown, Sierra Leone on the 18th to jump head first into the next big thing! WOW it's so exciting it's finally here! I'm so happy to have that to look forward to - if I was just going back to the states to unemployment I would probably be really depressed and it would be SO hard to say goodbye to Benin!

Okay, so that is the timeline of the next few weeks. I will head back to post tomorrow, or maybe Saturday, and then clean and pack and spend alot of time with the people I love in my village for the next week. Wow. This chapter is actually closing! It's been an amazing ride and I have loved it, no regrets!

I have actually already started working on a new blog, one that is not monitored by Peace Corps where I will be more free to write whatever I want! I'll send out that link as the time gets closer. It's pretty. :)

Okay, I guess that's all I have for now. Another huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated towards my time on Mercy Ships, I'm so excited about this next chapter!!

Love to all - Krissy