Just like the title suggests, we spent March 13th and 14th at a conference in Tbilisi, Georgia with our fellow G12 Volunteers learning what it takes to complete our service. We may be heading down the home stretch but getting there is filled with almost more paperwork than the application process and many, many goodbyes. This was the last official gathering of our group and for some it was also the last time we would see them before heading home.
Many of the conference sessions were geared towards looking for jobs after service. Other sessions dealt with all the forms that needed to be completed, health coverage after service and traveling. We presented the last session which dealt with the need to bring closure to our work and say goodbye to our friends, host families and colleagues.
The conference concluded with a formal reception which included the Georgian Deputy Minister of Education and the US Ambassador. Our Country Director started the event with a few special remarks about our group which was followed by some thoughts by two of our PC friends. There were thankful remarks from the Georgian Minister of Education. The Ambassador, who had just arrived from a trip to the US, could not say enough about his gratitude for our service. The evening concluded with a delicious Georgian meal at a local restaurant where we celebrated with a “homemade” piñata and humorous awards.
Before leaving Tbilisi, we headed off on Saturday night to what we thought was a dinner with a good friend. We arrived at the restaurant to be greeted with “Surprise”. Rachel, with help from Elizabeth, had arranged this event to celebrate Suzanne’s 70th birthday and our 45th wedding anniversary. There were about 25 volunteers who joined in the party and some of the pictures below will showcase them. It was an awesome evening!
We conclude with a picture gallery of conference events:
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- Tika and me.
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- Misha and Kaitlin
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- Some of the staff outside the Holiday Inn.
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- All ready for the meeting.
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- Suzanne, Tom, Maura and Nicole.
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- Our COS dinner with Teo and Tika.
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- Our COS dinner with Michael. A
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- Here we are posing with the Ambassador and our certificates.
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- A lovely couple.
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- Maura addresses those gathered at the reception.
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- The Georgian deputy directory of Ministry of science and education addresses our gathering.
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- Ambassador Norland addresses our gathering.
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- When it was all over we received our certificates.
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- The cake shared at our COS reception.
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- The five members of the RPCV panel.
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- Now here are the two best doctors in the Peace Corps Dr. Marina and Dr. Tamar
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- Together with Dr. T and Tengo.
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Scott, Kristin and Allison
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Merissa, Rachel R and Elizabeth (Meg)
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- Adam has good input at our IOD (Individual and Organizational Development) gathering with our PM Tika.
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- Michael and Elizabeth at our IOD session.
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- We enjoyed the company of one of our great doctors, Dr. T.
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Tengo and Tom
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Scott.
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Susan, Rebecca, Sarah and Carolyn.
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Danae, Alex and Nicole
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- Danae and Alex
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Ryan and Adam
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Rachel and Michael
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Suzanne, Heather and Kaitlin
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- Breakfast at the Holiday Inn with Anastasia and Sam
Followed by pictures from our surprise dinner:
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- Mots
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- With Drew
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- With Rachael R and Michael S two great friends.
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- With Michael S and Rachel R
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- With Elizabeth and Michael S.
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- With Elizabeth
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- With Brittany and her friend Mark
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- With Anastasia
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- With Rachel E.
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- With Jason
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- With Alex
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- With Adam
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- With Mikaela
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- With Michael A, also know as Misha
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- Nicole and Rachel
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- With Kaitlin
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- With Kayla and Rachel
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- With Heather
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- With Allie
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- With Gina and Kristin
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- With Scott and his friend.
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- With Ryan, he got a hair cut after the conference.
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- With Nicole
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- Fellow G12s.
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- Allison, Heather, Nicole, and Kayla.
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- One more party before we all have to leave.
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- With Tom B
For a lot more photos go to this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8zfzhtrxy1jdhca/rz6snhtxoZ
Congratulations!
You have your certificates to prove that YOU DID IT!
You ,Suz and Tom, are one of the WONDERS of our families.
Will see you in America…..in a couple of months!
Love,prayers and admiration,
Aunt Marcie
What great pics of you and your friends! Also of those at the COS Conference. We are all looking forward to seeing you soon!
Wow, Tom and Suzanne! What an amazing accomplishment!!! Congratulations to you both! The time, now, will probably fly as you near your end-date. Enjoy your remaining time, and we’ll see you soon. David and Linda