Goodbyes

So time has flown by and here I am, on the last day of school, trying to contemplate that after today I won’t be coming back. Tomorrow we are heading off for six weeks of traveling around Central America, and although I am so excited for this, it is going to be tough saying goodbye to my life here in Sigua.

The past month has been pretty busy with exams and making sure all the children know everything they need to, so they are ready to go into Prep next year. I was a little shocked to hear my 4 and 5 year olds would be having exams as they are so young, but the Honduran school system relies heavily on exams and lots of focus of rote learning and copying. Luckily the exams for my children weren’t too intense, and I’m proud to say they all passed.

I also held a grading, or exam for my Karate kids. I’m so proud of how far all of these kids have come, from my naughty little 1^st and 2^nd grade boys, to the 4^th grade girls who come to my room asking everyday asking for me to teach them a new move or kata. I will really miss spending my Wednesday and Thursday afternoons doing karate rolls on the grass or running around with pillows getting them to duck, dodge, jump and block. They all passed a Karate grade, from the younger ones getting red belt (1^st Mon), to two girls who worked really hard to get white belt (3^rd Mon), which is fantastic considering we only started before Christmas. Thanks to Dominic Fletcher and Koko Dojo in Portobello, I had some lovely medals and certificates to give them. The kids were so amazed to have real medals, as the closest thing to a medal they had ever seen is a chocolate coin glued to some string. One of the boys Daniel is sleeping with his medal under his pillow every night. They have been such a great group of kids, and all worked incredibly hard.

Saying goodbye in general has been really tough. In 2^nd grade one of the girls came up to me last week and said “Miss, I will miss you very much on vacations” I realized that I hadn’t told them I was leaving. When I did, they all rushed up and gave me a massive group hug, and two of the girls started crying. It was so touching. I have grown to love these kids so much, and love teaching, and I just don’t really want to stop.

But saying goodbye to my Kinder kids was the hardest. I have been with them 8am – 12noon every weekday for an entire year. Not only that, I am completely responsible for them at all times when on school property or at school events. I have taught them to write their names, to count, eat food with a fork (still a challenge for a few who use the fork to scoop the rice into their hand, then put the hand in their mouth) to go to the toilet by themselves, not hit each other, not kill insects, put rubbish in the bin e.c.t. Each and every one of them has come so far in their behaviour, I am so unbelievably proud. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do with out those little people running up to me each day, giving me a big hug and shouting “good morning miss!” I will miss all of the singing and dancing and silly jumping we do in class, and of course all of the great funny little things they say and do each day that make me laugh and smile.  I’ve been trying to convince Erin to let me take all 14 of them traveling round Central America with us, but she’s not buying it!

On the last day of school, I sat my class down in a circle and explained to them that after today there would be no more school for a long time. After that they would be moving to Prepa and have a new miss, and I would be going back to Scotland and not be in Honduras any more. This is all quite difficult for these little ones to grasp, but I think they got the idea, and I few said “no” or “no quiero un nuevo miss, quiero usted” (I don’t want a new miss, I want you). It was so sad, but I told them I loved them all very much and there was lots of hugs and goodbyes, and then it was time for them to go. It’s so hard knowing that I probably won’t ever see them again, and I just feel so empty without my little band of children making wobbly lines behind me, telling me how they are going to be transformers when they grow up, and singing “if your happy and you know it” at the top of their voices.

Yesterday one of the teachers Miss Megan, organised a farewell party for us at her house. All the teachers had clubbed together to get us these lovely purses and they had made us each a card, filled with lovely messages. It was so lovely to spend one final evening with them all talking, laughing and singing Spanish karaoke.  I have made such great friends here in Sigua, and all the teachers have been so welcoming and kind to us.

When you hear about Honduras, all you hear about is murder rates, gang wars, drugs and guns. What you don’t hear about is how friendly people are. You don’t hear about how “mi casa es tu casa” (my house is your house), what’s mine is yours. Possessions aren’t the center of life here, people are. Family is more than just your mum and dad, it includes a big extended family with aunts, grandparents, second cousins and family friends. People don’t spend their free time sitting staring at computer screens but they spontaneously turn up at friends and family’s houses and spend hours just sitting and chatting. It doesn’t matter how poor you are, you brush your hair, wear your best clothes and put on a brave face. I have found so many people here to be warm and compassionate, and I feel so lucky to have called this amazing country home for a year.