This will be my final post from Oregon before I depart for my PCV adventure.

It’s done – my property is sold. It’s great to no longer be a homeowner. During the final weeks, there were several minor problems kept needing attention. The light inside the refrigerator died, and I had to find the manual to see how to remove the bulb, which required tools and a trip to town for the special bulb. Then the smoke alarm battery started to beep, and another trip to town because of course, I didn’t have the correct battery. Finally, the light over the dining room table blew out, but fortunately I still had regular light bulbs on hand.

After selling what I could and taking multiple loads to Goodwill, I only have a small amount of stuff to store, because my family is using the furniture I might want when I return. My new life now all fits into 2 suitcases and my backpack – ready for my African PCV adventure.

While I was waiting for my house to close, I took one last camping trip to the Oregon coast for a couple of days. The coastal weather was perfect – clear sunny skies and moderate temperatures, a nice change from the valley heat and smoky skies from all the western forest fires this summer.

I’m currently staying with Irion, Min & Hazel, while I finish up all the details for departure. Enjoying hiking around Portland, it’s cool how easy it is to get around Portland, when you have Suri giving directions. Min is a fabulous chef, serving foods I probably won’t be eating as a PCV, the lobster pictured was alive when it arrived in her kitchen – best lobster I’ve ever eaten!

Last weekend, I drove my truck to eastern Oregon to visit my niece and family in Pendleton. Grandniece Bianca is 2 and a joy to be around, and I was able to meet her new au pair – Tammy from Paraguay. My niece and her husband Marc, are both pharmacists, with difficult work schedules, so hiring au pairs from South America through the State Department, is a perfect way to have quality child care and a cultural experience for their family.

After returning from Pendleton, it was time to sell my truck on Craigslist, an experience I am glad is behind me. Fortunately, I learned something while working for an auto dealership years ago. The “car guy” I sold the truck to said I had better negotiating skills than he did – I take that as a compliment.

I am impressed with all the support Peace Corps offers us every step of the way. It’s nice to be part of a successful government program. I have connected with several RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers), and learned many interesting things that may be useful. I enjoyed several visits with Alice Carter, who served in Morocco when she was in her 80s. You can learn more about Alice from this NPR interview.

I’ve heard that old folks often get more comfortable living arrangements, but what does the upgrade of this description look like: “In the training village, you will have a single-room dwelling of your own, located in a family compound, with your own outdoor toilet area. The dwelling is constructed with local materials, in typical Gambian village fashion.” – stay tuned to learn what my new home for the next 10 weeks will look like.

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