Karibu Tena

It's been such a joyful and sad week. If I had any say in it, I would stay here for the rest of summer without a doubt, but God has other plans for me back home this summer, which I'm trying to understand.

School has been so great every day this week. The kids are actually learning and remembering what I teach them, which is so gratifying as a teacher. They know all their road signs (who knew!) and have been doing a great job at spelling numbers in English. They also are able to do both addition and subtraction problems when I write them on the board side-by-side, something they could not do when I arrived. Although these are all things they would have learned eventually whether I was there or not, I like to think I had some hand in their education.

Today was my last day at Kaole and it was bittersweet. My teacher brought chapati for me that she'd made fresh that morning; it was the best chapati I'd ever had - flakey and doughy...mmm. Then, the principal asked me to come to the teacher's office. When I got there, all the teachers were sitting around the room and they went around and each person said something encouraging, expressed their thanks, or offered their blessings. My teacher went last and when she started to tear up, I lost it. I seriously could not have been blessed with a better placement or teacher. She has taught me so much and has truly shown me the hospitality and love of Tanzania. When I left at the end of the day, the students sang a goodbye song to me and then said, "kesho!," which means "tomorrow." I don't think they understand what goodbye actually means. They will probably forget me by the end of the year, but I hope they do not forget the lessons they've learned and the kindness they've felt...I know I will never forget them.

At risk of continuing to sound like a cheese-ball, I won't even begin to talk about how much I'll miss Bagamoyo and CCS yet. All I will say is that goodbyes tomorrow will be HARD. I do not want to leave. But I am trying to accept that my time here has ended, get excited for the little things back home, and remember that I'm not saying "goodbye" but "baadaye" - see you later, Bagamoyo.