My last day at site

Today is my last day in Cahul. I know that it has been coming, but it feels like time has been moving so fast, and although I know logically that it's my last day here, it's hard to imagine what it will feel like not to walk these roads or see these people anymore. One thing I am super grateful for is modern technology and social media. I know people say both have their downfalls, and I suppose that is true. But I see them as tools, and tools are only what you use them for. I use social media and technology to keep connected with friends and family across distance. I remember the first time I used Skype. I called my dad on his cell phone in Seattle from a computer in Cape Town. Both of us were in awe. His mother, my grandmother, spent her career working at the phone company and retired in the 1980s. In her younger days, she would carry lines across a room to manually connect calls. I imagine that she would be pretty amazed at what the current technology is capable of. I am so happy that I joined Peace Corps now, at a time where I will still be able to stay in touch with my friends here in Moldova even when I am gone. More than a decade ago, I spent quite a bit of time living in the Balkan region, and I have been able to keep in touch with many of my friends there over the years because of social media and technology. I hope that it will be the same for Moldova. One difference is that the people I got to know in the Balkans all spoke English, which was by necessity since I didn't speak any other language at the time. Now, my challenge will be to maintain the Romanian I have learned so I can communicate with my Moldovan friends. Once again, I'm thankful for technology like the Duolingo app to help me with this. In the meantime, I'd better get back to packing. Unfortunately, that's not something technology can help me with yet!!