Its 5pm on Saturday. Channon and I have just got back from the airport run. About 25 people left on the delta flight. It was surreal and so emotional. This journey has been totally amazing. I left London over six weeks ago having no idea what was ahead of me. I couldn’t have expected anything as amazing as this. It has exceeded my expectations 100 per cent.
The last couple of days have been very hard mentally and emotionally. Yesterday was the last day of placement for me at Blossom Street. I bought all the kids in my grade sweets and we had a little party. The girls did a special dance for me. Every single child had made me a leaving card and it was so hard not to cry the words they had written completely touched my heart. The principal then came to my class and read the thank you card I had written to the staff out and presented me with a letter of thanks and a small gift from the school. He thanked me for all my time and energy and told me he feels like I have really found ’home’ here in Cape Town and he couldn’t be nearer to the truth. Half 12 came and my driver arrived with everyone else already in the van. I went through to the other grade 5 class and stood in the middle of the room and all the children came and hugged me. I saw Apillele one of the little boys who has completely stolen my heart and I just burst into tears. I totally want to bring him home with me. I was just holding onto him and then I had to let go because I didn’t want to upset him. As I went to the entrance the teachers where all standing on the step waving me into the minibus. Mrs Abrahams who I have been working with was crying and it was so hard. They must think I am crazy, they have this western world white girl coming to their school and I am leaving in tears how can I explain that to a 9 year old? They have no idea how much they mean to me, how much I care for them and how much I hope every second that they will be ok. I don’t know what else to say. It has been a totally amazing experience and I have gained more than I ever could have imagined.
I climbed into the van and just put my I pod on ‘Wherever you will go’ came on and I realised how fitting it was. All these children need is love. We came home and it was tough. Annie was already home and she was a mess too. We had lunch and then started to do some packing…Channon and I walked to Little Mowbray to go to the shop and I realised that there is so much more I wanted to do and see and now I am out of time. These 6 weeks have gone in the blink of an eye. The weather was amazing so we slept in the garden before getting ready to go out for the last time as a group. We went to Cubana in Green Point and the whole house came which was awesome as this second group have really all integrated so perfectly and we had a great evening. I didn’t want to wake up this morning as I knew what was coming. The long goodbyes continued. Channon , Kate and I went to La Med in Clifton for brunch and one last outing. A couple of hours later and everyone was standing outside with their luggage and I sware I thought I had a lot of stuff with me it was crazy. We stopped at Home Base 2 for the last time and said our farewells. Cape Town international was pretty crazy and some of the girls had problems with their bags but all worked out. Once they had chacked in it was time for us to go back to the van and home back home. I really don’t think it has hit me yet. Theres only about 7 of us at home now. The fact that I am leaving tomorrow is hard enough but ill be travelling alone and I think that is when it will hit me. I am flying to Johannesburg in the morning and then on to Heathrow tomorrow evening. I don’t know what else to say at this point. There is just no way to describe how 50 people in 2 groups over 6 weeks can all click so well and experience so much together. It has been an emotional roller coaster at times but I wouldn’t change a second of it….. Love K xx
The last couple of days have been very hard mentally and emotionally. Yesterday was the last day of placement for me at Blossom Street. I bought all the kids in my grade sweets and we had a little party. The girls did a special dance for me. Every single child had made me a leaving card and it was so hard not to cry the words they had written completely touched my heart. The principal then came to my class and read the thank you card I had written to the staff out and presented me with a letter of thanks and a small gift from the school. He thanked me for all my time and energy and told me he feels like I have really found ’home’ here in Cape Town and he couldn’t be nearer to the truth. Half 12 came and my driver arrived with everyone else already in the van. I went through to the other grade 5 class and stood in the middle of the room and all the children came and hugged me. I saw Apillele one of the little boys who has completely stolen my heart and I just burst into tears. I totally want to bring him home with me. I was just holding onto him and then I had to let go because I didn’t want to upset him. As I went to the entrance the teachers where all standing on the step waving me into the minibus. Mrs Abrahams who I have been working with was crying and it was so hard. They must think I am crazy, they have this western world white girl coming to their school and I am leaving in tears how can I explain that to a 9 year old? They have no idea how much they mean to me, how much I care for them and how much I hope every second that they will be ok. I don’t know what else to say. It has been a totally amazing experience and I have gained more than I ever could have imagined.
I climbed into the van and just put my I pod on ‘Wherever you will go’ came on and I realised how fitting it was. All these children need is love. We came home and it was tough. Annie was already home and she was a mess too. We had lunch and then started to do some packing…Channon and I walked to Little Mowbray to go to the shop and I realised that there is so much more I wanted to do and see and now I am out of time. These 6 weeks have gone in the blink of an eye. The weather was amazing so we slept in the garden before getting ready to go out for the last time as a group. We went to Cubana in Green Point and the whole house came which was awesome as this second group have really all integrated so perfectly and we had a great evening. I didn’t want to wake up this morning as I knew what was coming. The long goodbyes continued. Channon , Kate and I went to La Med in Clifton for brunch and one last outing. A couple of hours later and everyone was standing outside with their luggage and I sware I thought I had a lot of stuff with me it was crazy. We stopped at Home Base 2 for the last time and said our farewells. Cape Town international was pretty crazy and some of the girls had problems with their bags but all worked out. Once they had chacked in it was time for us to go back to the van and home back home. I really don’t think it has hit me yet. Theres only about 7 of us at home now. The fact that I am leaving tomorrow is hard enough but ill be travelling alone and I think that is when it will hit me. I am flying to Johannesburg in the morning and then on to Heathrow tomorrow evening. I don’t know what else to say at this point. There is just no way to describe how 50 people in 2 groups over 6 weeks can all click so well and experience so much together. It has been an emotional roller coaster at times but I wouldn’t change a second of it….. Love K xx
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