CLOSURE

okay fetele, be prepared, i'm about to tell you a lot of information that doesn't need to stress you out, but you do need to be aware of it. :) BY THE WAY you do need to read ALL of this. please don't just skim over it there is a lot of important information.

first, this sunday dinner is at Podul. be prepared to have a REALLY long meeting. we need to go over closure stuff. to save a little bit of time i need you to come prepared with a) ideas for closure (i.e. something special to do on the last day at the orphanage and hospital, our last group meeting, and our last activity with the branch) and b) a thank you card written to Dr. Ciobanu from yourself (preferably in Romanian) basically tell her what a good director she is and thank her for the opportunity to volunteer at her orphanage, etc. and c) bring your receipts from thanksgiving dinner and some cash so that we can sort that out and get everyone paid back.

second, Dr. Ciobanu has asked us to provide one toy for each of the kids, which i have at Podul, so during our meeting on Sunday i would like to take a little bit of time for each of us to wrap and put together a small gift for each of the kids that we work with. is everyone okay with that?

third, i think this sunday would be a good day to take a group picture in our scrubs if everyone would like one. we don't have to do it if we don't want, but it might be nice to have. if everyone feels up to it then we could do it possibly right after church. maybe mihai would take the pics for us. what do ya think?

fourth, don't forget FRIDAY the 8th is our last day at the orphanage. i talked to Mario about it today and she said that the girls who go to the apartments are okay to go the week after that - but Jenna you'll have to find some where else to go in the mornings during that week, Mario suggested that you don't go to the orphanage alone.

fifth, on saturday the 9th we are going over to Sora Stoica's to learn how to make sarmale. i would like to get her a nice thank you gift because she is allowing all ten of us to come over. if any one has any good ideas that would be great!

sixth, bri are we having a branch activity on the 8th?

seventh, i REALLY need everyone to pay me back for everything that is owed (little texas, train tickets, ink cartridge, and anything else) by this sunday. also i will be collecting extra money for utilities so please be prepared to pay for that. as soon as i find out exactly how much i will let you know. plan on at least an extra 100 Lei. also, we may want to put a little pot of group fund money together to buy a goodbye for mario and flowers to give to dr. ciobanu on the last day, if you want.

eighth, melissa, bri, marina, abbi, and holly are leaving on tuesday, the 12th of December, most likely sometime in the afternoon. when leaving i need to collect everyone's keys. jenna make sure you are ready to go to scala on that day. we'll close down podul except for if you need to come over to use the internet.

ninth, if you are writing goodbye/thank you cards for people and you need to have them translated please do that as soon as possible so that cristina, raluca, stefana, and/or mihai don't have 10 peoples cards to translate all at once.

tenth, you guys are amazing. you know the saying, "last the best of all the game" well, it's true. you have by far been my best group. i hope you know what a good job you did here. i love you all so much! let me know if i can help you with anything in these last few weeks and PLEASE PLEASE try to have patience with each other and try not to get too frustrated over things. that is typically what happens when everyone is trying to deal with closure, but it doesn't have to be that way! just love each other okay? :)

P.S. on Sunday the 10th (our last group meeting) i think we should get the rest of everyone's pictures for the pic exchange so have your's uploaded onto either meliss's or abbi's computer and we'll take care of that after our group meeting! (that's probably going to be a long meeting too.....just so your prepared. sorry. )