The day was a very relaxed sort of day with the niños, probably because all the tension of trying so hard disappeared in light of the status of a Last Day. The other teachers were very kind and friendly and great, asking me when I'd return, if I would. Between them and Nicole, the kids knew that tomorrow I am leaving. They gave me generous hugs and "bye bye"s and "te quiero mucho" and I blinked back this feeling of a family, of being accepted and loved and belonging somewhere I never would have imagined belonging.
There was no kindergarten class in the afternoon today, so my last day was cut unexpectedly short. Nicole looked at me and said "that's it". That is it. Four weeks of sitting and playing and writing and speaking slowly, four weeks of "como se dice en ingles" and "otra vez" and "tu puedes". Four weeks and then this last moment, saying keep in touch, thank you so much. Thank you so much.
I did not cry when I hugged Nicole goodbye but if you were to stop me and talk to me on that way back home, I'd have ducked my head with my sunglasses shading my watering can eyes and not been able to respond for all the tightness in my throat. All the thoughts, all the feelings, everything was so very there in my heart and in my eyes.
Still it does not feel like an end. I will likely not believe this experience is over until I am walking into the Toronto summer sunset tomorrow evening. An even then.
I am going to keep this last post short because I know I have more words to say but right here, right now my goodbyes are close hugs and then walking away. Moving on, I suppose, but also just moving forward. We will be parting with Becky and Alan tomorrow at the airport as they head to the Corn Islands for the beginning of their three-week bonus travel, before Alicia and I check into our respective flights and gates and planes and home, in a very distant, very near future. I'm not sure how that airport goodbye will go, as we will be waking up in about 4 hours to start that journey, and I know I will be seeing them sometime.
And them my niños have already been hugged, hair ruffled and hand clasped goodbye.
So all that is left is to look out that plane window and wish well to the people and places that have altered the course of my life.
Te quiero y te echaré de menos mucho, Nicaragua!
No sé cuando yo voy a regresar, o si yo podré, pero la vida es la vida, y yo solo vivo una vez. No tengo bastante palabras para este experiencia. Entonces, gracias gracias gracias!
Mucho gusto!
stay golden,
stay awesome,
stay aware of wonder.
-k
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