808's and Heartbreak

Just like old Axle Rose says, 'nothing lasts forever'. Truer words have never been spoken, and today this life-changing practicum came to its end. The nature of International Schools is change, and if there's one thing people who attend them come to understand thoroughly, it's the word 'goodbye'. The school actually has a little ceremony that they do every time someone has to leave the close-knit community. Today it was my turn to stand in the middle of the little hallway.

I won't go into the details, but basically I had a chance to personally thank and say goodbye to every student and staff member. I also had a chance to address them all at once and say a few words. I thanked them for welcoming me with such open arms, even those who I didn't get to teach directly. I told them how much this experience meant to me, and how I was now officially locked-in to this career. I told them it was just a temporary goodbye; because in international education, you never know when your paths will cross again. And that's the truth. Fittingly, my mentor Kristin was the one who put the capstone on the event by saying some kind words that I will never forget. Then they all sang me the school song and waved goodbye.

By that point the water-works were just around the corner and I was so choked up that speaking was not really working for me anymore, so I had to cut it off there. I grabbed my bag and my jacket and my mentor walked me out the front door. I couldn't have asked for a better end to this experience.