As I sit down to write one of, if not
my last, blog from Costa Rica – even here at my little cafe, with a
grande latte, this. is. hard.
This one's about my school. Over the
past three months I've been a Student Teacher in Mr. Valverde's 5th
grade class at International Christian School in Heredia, Costa
Rica...with a bunch of rambunctious little munchkins. I could fill
pages and pages of things they've taught me, ways they've made me
laugh, and how they've loved on me. But, I think all I need to do to
demonstrate this is recall the events of last Friday, my last day at
school.
There was a blanket of sadness
throughout the day as the students and I knowingly exchanged “the
glance” that meant: “I can't believe you're leaving us” and
“I'm so sorry I have to go.” The day before my teacher sent an
email letting parents know that today would be my last, and I wrote a
small paragraph thanking them for each of their children.
Shockingly, this translated into the idea that we needed food, and
lots of it. For, while exchanging sad glances, students and parents
kept bringing in snacks and goodies that eventually accumulated into
an entire feast.
That day, we ate fresh Chinese, chips, cookies,
candy, ice cream, cake, brownies, and a whole slew of other things
that made these fifth grade kittens jittery with sugar, all in my
honor. It was incredible the way the parents had, in the past 24
hours, rallied together to create such an amazing celebration of my
time spent there. After lunch, we all ran back to the room, where I
assumed the impossible task of settling the kids down for lessons
would begin. Instead, my teacher opened the closet in the front of
the room, and one by one the students went up to the hiding place,
grabbed their gift for me, and proudly presented it to my shocked
self. Before I knew it, my desk was a mountain of coffee (of
course), chocolate, flowers, hand-written
cards, and other gifts, along with a blown up picture of all of us, that they had
each signed. I. Was. Stunned.
As the day ended, I left them each with
their own little note to remember me by – filled with a memory or
two and the promise to never forget them. Well, that's what did it,
and from them on came the waterworks. They all hugged and kissed me
(even the boys, which never happens!) and promised to email/Facebook
often.
As I sat down to collect my gifts,
still in shock at the accumulation of them, my teacher asked me to
run and give a message to someone in the teacher's lounge. I
promptly went on my merry way, and entered to find balloons, signs,
coffee, and more food. Thinking I was interrupting something
important, I uttered, “excuse me...” and they all cheered, “Yay!
She's here!” I stood there like an idiot and asked, “Wait, is
this for me?” They all laughed and nodded. We ate more food,
drank more coffee, and they said the most precious things while
trying to convince me to return. It was wonderful.
To my (almost always) precious
students: Thank you for teaching me so much. Thank you for making
me laugh every day. Thank you for welcoming me to Costa Rica. Thank
you for trying my patience, because it made me stronger =) Thank you
for your love - I will never forget you!
To the staff/teachers at ICS: Words
can't even describe my thanks to you. In these past three months you
have made me feel so special – beyond what I deserve, and I can't
thank God enough for each of you! You all hold a special place in my
heart. Thank you for helping me get through each school day with
laughs, coffee, and a break from the little humans. I will never
forget your kindness. Until we meet again <3
I'll Be Seeing You,
From a little darling who's leaving a
little piece of her heart in Costa Rica.
Xxoo
