So at the end of last month I lost my wallet. That I guess got this whole thing running.
I had to drain and close out my bank account that Peace Corps deposited my monthly stipend into, but still, frugal was the name of the game from then on.
A week ago, Monday night, I stepped on and puntured the pad of my left foot with a steel wire. I've up to date on my immunizations and I was able to bandage it ok, but hobbling and keeping clean out in the bush is not fun or easy. 
I have been eagerly awaiting a FedEx from my father with my replacement credit and debit cards. Sans cards I've been stiffled from exploring more of Swaziland before I leave. And I was nervous about when I fly out in August, without the card I used to buy the e-ticket. 
On Thursday I came to town because I was getting a call from NYC and I wanted to be sure of reception, that and I wanted to say goodbye to friends who were leaving. I budgeted one night. But then I caught the flu. 
Friday, I didn't feel well enough (I felt dead) to take the dust storm/sardine tin bus back Friday, but I was running out of the cash I brought with me from my home out in the bush.
I spazzed out a bit with my father in emails. Sorry Da.
But everything worked out.
The Peace Corps Medical officer put me up in town to recover. The cards came, and they work, well, at least I've found the debit works. And I'm feeling a lot better.
I just got a blood blister though on my finger tip. It hurts to type.
Last minute wounds.

This week I have been up here in the capitol for my Close of Service medical check-up. I've got just under 6 weeks to go, but apparently the thing can be done up to 60 days prior to my actual end day. I will get a 72 hr thing done right before I leave.
The exam is over three days. I produce body products, both liquid and solid, and I get poked, proded, bent, tested, peered into, interviewed, and my chompers cleaned.
Just another signpost that things are coming to a close.

Tomorrow is the 730th day (365 x 2) I've been on this journey. I left St. Louis on June 12, 2007 for Washington D.C. and it has gone from there. The second of us to complete a full tour also leaves tomorrow. And so then there was 14.
Here is an article I wrote for the SoJo, the SwaziSojournal the monthly newsletter that comes out for us at PC and pretty much the whole American mission in country. Just some thoughts on the whole day counting. Enjoy

I'm not really feeling to good as I write this. It is probably, well, most certainly as a result of what I've just taken/mixed. One of my friends has been carted by Peace Corps away from her site for the last time...and she brought stuff to celebrate her arrival to the office.
So I'm dreamy dead headed, and sicky stomached right now.
And it's kinda like, concentrated and intesified, what I am going through coming up to my own Peace Corps carting.
I so want a pizza right now.

Last week I went to my COS Conference.
Close of Service is the process in which you wrap up, close down, and get out of Dodge.
You evaluate and process the last 2 years.
You learn about all the forms and stuff you have to do before you leave.
Discussion is started and tips are given about how to deal with that place we left so long long ago.
One thing I leearned:
I'm a different person that when I left. Apparently I've changed. Apparently you've changed. We may not be friends anymore as we've drifted apart. It's sad I know. 
COS Conference was also to be the last time what remained of the 25 people I started out with would be together all in one place.
The first of us leaves in 3 days. I'm only a little bit jealous.
It is exciting and scary. There are things to do. There is also time to just take it all in, I think.

So I realized while writing the previous blog that I hadn't, divulged as it were, the fact that I have a job and that I have only a little over 2 weeks in St. Louis before I move to New York City to begin said job.
I didn't want to say anything about the job until I got it and when I got it I didn't know what to say and frankly hoarded the information because that's what I do.
Sorry.
So yeah like I said I got an AmeriCorps job in West Harlem, New York.
The application was due in March and I was asked through email for an interview really soon after I sent in all my stuff. I came up to Mbabane and they called me on my cell phone and we talked for about and hour-and-half through a thunderstorm. They reconnected twice after the connection was dropped. It went, I can say, really well.
And I heard back from them about a week before they made their acceptance announcements. They were really interesting in me and wanted to know if they asked me to join would I accept. I got the feeling that I was sort of the lynchpin to the group they were building. And so I said I would accept an acceptance would it come my way. Come on, it's NYC.
I don't get much of a stipend, but room and utilities and some dinners are included, and I get a Metro Card for transport. And come on, it's NYC.
If you're interested in knowing more the web site is http://www.newyorkinternprogram.org/

It's funny. I'm not right now, a beaver. Well, I'm helping with this two day Soocer & Lifeskills Boys Camp in the neighboring community to mine with another volunteer whose community it is...and that makes very little sense.
And actually it should be, and actually it is, Lifeskills and Soccer (not Soocer anyway) Boys Camp because the point is the lifeskills. And that's what I'm teaching cause I can't bend it.
But the point of my rambling is that I'm pleasantly surprised...wait maybe not surprised...um I'm happy that all my friends and family are happy to know that I will be home soon. Well that's the way it should be right? And no impertanence about that either.
And then I have only two weeks really in St. Louis because I'm moving to New York City. Oh shoot, I just realized...
Uh Hi everyone, guess what!? I got an AmeriCorps program in New York City! It starts at the end of August! It's in West Harlem. It comes with a flat and four fellow program/flatmates and I get a Metro Card. WooHoo! Don't know exactly what I'll be doing but the program is through the Episcopal Church and they are very active in the neighborhood through social work and helping the underpriviledged populations...and I never know how to describe that last part.
The point is things are ending and I've got less than a hundred days and time flies and then I fly and then I'm really happy and nervous to have stuff to do with the people I love and then it's time for more changes and new places and it's scarynice but still scary.
It's what I wanted I think...I think. I wanted busy. And yet I lamet the loss of the things you have when your not, busy beavering.
Huh...

Today is my 687th day of Peace Corps. Technically, I've only been a volunteer for 622 days, but feh.
Today, I've only got 99 days left till I'm back in St. Louis.
I know my official Peace Corps Close of Service date. And what the hell I went and bought a ticket home.
August 3rd, the first Monday, I'm done and by August 5th I should be back on 1903 LaSalle St.
So yeah, yay me. Count the days. I'll be around soon.

My alma mater held a 5 Year reunion this past week.
5 Years. Not a too long time.
Funny, I've been thinking of writing a blog about this reunion for awhile, but now I don't know what to say.
Something about time passing. It goes fast and it goes slow.
Today, I have just a couple months left in Swaziland. Not to far away and somehow it can't come fast enough.

How do you describe missing someone? You can miss the idea and the presence. You can miss how things are no longer the same. You can possibly miss a future of things not yet come. Is all that, and probably much more, a someone?
I can, however, try and describe how we said goodbye.
The funeral was on Saturday, the 28th of March, sometime before 6:30am.
I woke at 4am, put the clothes I was wearing earlier back on, and went outside to the people preparing behind scenes for the funeral. I got a cup of tea and scarfed a biscuit and then slipped back into the night vigil.
There were 200 maybe close to 300 people on the homestead. We had a big tent constructed. There was a petrol generator for lights. Three or four handigas refridgerators were brought over. A cow was slaughtered the previous day.
The night vigil involves praying, giving testamonials, singing, and wailing. I had tried to stay up as long as I could, but boiled beef (uhg) and not understanding siSwati did me in and I decided to slip away for a couple hours of sleep.
As the dawn crept up, the coffin was brought to the center of the tent and we all gathered around. Prayers and singing. Singing and prayers. And finally we started walking down to the burial site. The sun had just made it totally over the horizon as we layed my host mother to rest in our home's soil.
We prayed and sang some more. I read, at my host father's request, a little blurb I had written in a card sent by Peace Corps. We closed and we walked up to boxed breakfasts, more boiled beef.
And it was over. Things were cleaned and other things were taken down. Soon the family was all there was on the homestead. And some of those we would say goodbye to soon as well.
I will miss her.