"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

COS Conference

Last week, I went to my COS (Close of Service Conference).  It was the last training session that my group of volunteers had.  We all traveled to the eastern side of Macedonia to the lovely town of Berovo.  The conference was held at the new Aurora Resort (see picture below).
 Not bad for being in Macedonia.

On the first day that we arrived, it was the moment we all had been waiting for.....the lottery to see what day we will be going home.
They had written specific days that we could COS (Close our Service).  Our names were drawn out of a bag and we came up and wrote our name under the date that we wanted to leave.  I had a specific date in mind when I went to the conference since I had already planned what I wanted to do after I left Macedonia.

A fellow volunteer and I had planned to go to London, leaving on Nov 1st.  We would stay in London for two days; and then I would go off on a 21-day tour of Europe, starting on Nov 3rd.  The first day that we were allowed to leave Macedonia was Oct 31st, which is the day I needed, and there were only 3 spots available.  Luckily, I have some wonderful friends who were willing to leave later so that I could go on my trip and I was able to get the spot that I wanted.

SOOOOOO..............as you can see by the newly added Countdown Clock, located on the right hand side......I will be back home in Northern Virginia on November 24th!!!

As for the rest of the conference, we learned about adjusting when we get back home; and it was a nice time to hang out with the other volunteers that have been my family for the past two years.  It was bittersweet because you don't know if you will get to see some of them again.  But as we keep saying....it's not good-bye, it's until next time.

The MAK 15s (my group) that made it all the way to the end of their service!!!

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