4 - 2. COS Week

Here are a few photos from our Close of Service week in Maputo:

Food!  Always a focus for Peace Corps Volunteers, especially after two years abroad

Part of the Maputo skyline at night

A full moon over Maputo's concrete cityscape

Paintings flutter at the open-air market

Dangling art:  Purses for sale

It's been a very positive couple of days, and a very productive COS week.  Dan and I have verified, for instance, that we do not have malaria, worms, parasites, or HIV/AIDS.  We have also proved ourselves to be free of tuberculosis, skin diseases, schistomiasis, and a variety of other titchy and uncomfortable ills.  We are healthy and ready to return to the States.

And in addition to finishing our medical work, Dan and I also sat for our final Portuguese language exam.  After a grueling 20-minute interview, we were each determined to be "Advanced-level" speakers.  That's amazing, considering that fact that we didn't speak a word of Portuguese when we arrived in 2011.  I never thought I'd ever be fluent in another language.  What a fantastic example of personal growth!

Finally, we sat for our personal exit interviews with our Country Director, Carl.  He thanked us sincerely for our service, and for our dedication to the blog.  It felt good to get that feedback, especially from the head of Peace Corps Mozambique.

We've had a very busy week, but a happy and successful COS experience.  It was great to close our service with a clean bill of health, a second-language certification, a nice pile of cash, and the praise and support of  our beloved superiors.