Bittersweet!

Today was one of those wonderful wonderful days that is also mixed with the bittersweet sadness of goodbye. Today, it was our last day at the school. It's amazing how in 3 weeks people can change you. That they can carve a place for themselves in your heart when it feels like you only just met yesterday. When we stood around for the goodbye ceremony, it was similar to the welcoming ceremony.

I had the same rush of emotions about what was happening. Only I no longer stood beside people I had just met looking on into the eyes of strangers. I stood beside my friends and looked out at children and mothers who were also my friends. The shared experiences that we had together are the ones that change you. The ones that forever remain. I know that when I am older and I look back on the year that I turned 25, volunteering here and having these experiences with such a vast variety of people will be one of the first things that comes into my mind.
Today was also extra special because it was the first day that the kids got to play on their brand new playground equipment!

Haakan got to officially welcome in the equipment with the Peruvian tradition of breaking a bottle that was hanging of the equipment. Boy did he look proud! Then it was the rush of children all vying for a turn on the seesaw, swings, or monkey bars.


The laughter was so heart warming and their was no one without a smile.


We were also very fortunate to be a part of bread breaking tradition that happens here in October. The mothers and Ruffino "the Professional" took time to bake sweet Anise bread to share with us and the children. The bread was either shaped like horses or had the faces of women in it. They gathered us around and we broke off pieces and shared with each other. It was still warm and had the best hint of sweet licorice taste. Then, before we left, they let us give the bread to the children to go share with each other.

It was very hard to leave the school and know that it was the last walk up to the van that we would make. The last time we would see those bright blue buildings and the welcoming voices of "Hola Amigas". It was our last drive from Quillahuata back to the guest house. The last time we would pick people up walking into the town. I tried to soak it all in so that the images could survive in my memory long after I left this adventure and went on to something new. As it sits, I think I would have to try very hard to forget.