Just a Little Bit Longer...

As I am not quite yet able to believe I am leaving my school I went into town yesterday with my students for a giant competition. Anything to extend my time with them a little longer! It was a perfect day and reminded me why I love it here so much, its all the little moments together that make it all worthwhile.

Students set up there science projects and I walked around to peruse what our competition had come up with. Each time I passed a project by a group of my students they would run to me and give me a hug or pull me over to try to explain to me why their project was going to win. I spent the morning chatting with them and reassuring them that I would never forget them.

In the afternoon I accompanied a fellow teacher to his family home so that he could introduce me to his parents and also show me the house he is building for his family. Two of my older students, Bang and Nim, also came along. While it was nice to meet Mr. Chiewchan's mother I think I most enjoyed spending time with the girls.

We toured a local wat with a beautiful stupa and Nim lead me in a Buddhist prayer special for our day of birth; we were both born on a Saturday. I walked hand in hand with them while we giggled at things going on around us and at the antics of Mr. Chiewchan. They helped me to eat my Isaan noodles ( I wasnt sure the proper ratio of fermented fish to veggies) and bought me cookies and a blueberry slurpee when we stopped at 7-11.

We went to dinner with the director of my school after our afternoon adventure and we shared silly expressions while the men had "guy talk", since we were the only girls at the table. Towards the end of the evening it struck me just how much I loved my students, how desperate I was to hold on to any possible moment with them, how all I want is for them to be happy and fulfilled.

With tears in my eyes I promised them I would return to see them, and tried to tell them how important their education was, how if they studied hard and went to University the would be able to do anything...it was a bit of an emotional rant but I just needed them to know how special they were, that they have the ability to be anything they want. I poured all the words I hadn't been able to say at my last school assembly (I was crying too hard that morning to make a proper speech) and asked Nim and Bang to please tell the others what I said. I know they understood, they smiled, hugged me tight and then sat and squeezed my hands.

In the school bus on the way to the competition

Hugs at the science fair

The stupa

Nim, Teacher Kate and Bang by the Mekong