It’s been 13 days since I finished my first year (well 8 months) at the primary school in Albatera as a language auxiliary.  I have not posted anything as I wanted to gather my thoughts.

First off, two weeks ago the teachers all surprised me and gave me a wonderful wine package and spa treatment to say good luck and they hoped I would be back.  I love wine so that was very thoughtful but with no AC in the school, I wondered if I needed that spa treatment as a hint haha. With no AC in the school or my apartment I often looked like a drowned rat.  I admit it.

Any way I’m off for four months and hopefully if the paperwork goes through I am back on October 1^st to the same school. But there is always a risk I could be placed elsewhere. So, time to say adios to the kids no matter what.

Last week I felt a little bad as I ordered little American metal flag pins for them to put on their backpacks, but Amazon had not delivered…. So, my little gifts will be late. But I had put together a PowerPoint of ¨Summer in the USA” as they knew I was leaving, and many thought I was going home to the USA. I was not but I wanted them to know the typical stuff we do in the US like eating BBQ, watermelon eating contests, etc.

But despite not having my planned goodbye gift, saying goodbye to the kids was heartwarming more than words can say beyond what I thought it would be. They are so affectionate and always hug me in class every day and I’ve grown accustomed to their lovely faces and gestures. And I’ve watched many grow almost two inches since I arrived here 8 months ago. 

Monday was my last day with the older ones; the 5^th and 6^th graders. The 6^th graders are all leaving for secondary school (high school) next year and they all made me great poster-size paper goodbye cards. They wrote in English they will miss me, and many wrote they loved me.

That’s more I love yous than I have ever got in my entire 59 years. Not that anyone is counting. But They were so cute. The 5^th and 6^th graders wrote many things in English to show me they could.  And they all gave me a photo of all of them together.  Some of the things they said in the cards were creative and sweet.

One 12-year-old child was always intent on making sure I knew he is from Italy and that he knows more English than most of the kids. It’s true, but he likes the attention and recognition which I have no problem with as it’s ok attention, not bad attention-getting. (Unlike a young child in 2^nd grade who pulled his wee wee out to show everyone a few weeks ago).

Anyway, inside the big class card was a smaller folded red one that said “open it” on the outside. He pointed at it making sure I would open it.  inside was a quote “it’s time to shine, not before, not later, now.

Interesting. And he is right in his young mind. I’m here, most of my life is going by, time to enjoy and make life wonderful. But it’s also him, he always smiles; his chubby face with Poindexter glasses greets me every time he sees me. And when the teachers gave me the send-off last week with a nice gift, he was hovering nearby. He watched then came up to me, shook my hand, and said “good luck Chiffon, and goodbye.” I’ll remember him.

Looking at the cards, another child wrote “every Monday that we have been with you has been magical. And at the same time, they are the best Mondays in history.” Ok wow.

Another wrote ¨my name is Omiya and I want to tell you that you have been the best we have had in life. I love you.¨

And another cute one: Hello chiffon, all these days that you have been with us have enchanted me. Thanks for being the best teacher ever. I love you.

Enchanted is a big word. I never taught them that. I can’t take credit for that one.

I was so touched by their words and happy to see they were able to write more English than I expected. So many are shy and getting them to speak is a challenge at times but when they do I praise them loudly and often. No matter how little or how much they speak. They will always need that. Everyone does in my opinion.

Anyway, the younger kids all made me colorful cards and rubber band bracelets and hugged me. I constantly thought of other things so I would not cry. I have never had kids and their little arms and faces surrounding me so much in my entire life and it really touched me.

In one class of 3^rd graders, a slender little boy with big brown eyes came up to me with a long face and asked why I was leaving. He looked like he lost his last friend. I think he thought something bad happened. I said I’m on holiday, but I’ll be back. He then smiled ear to ear and ran up to me squeezing me hard. Which was a little better than the little girl that tried to smooth out my growing belly under my shirt by pushing on my stomach. But kids are kids.

I ached to help them all during my short 8 months here. But I couldn’t. Especially the ones that were so shy or learned slower or just differently. But alas there was just not enough time.

I did observe them often on the playground every day and in classes. I loved seeing how they all showed so much compassion and empathy for each other offering their food or stroking the arm of another that was crying over something. It was really nice.  I never taught kids in the US.  As a Geriatric Nurse I taught caregivers of elderly patients about Alzheimer’s. Or patients and families on how to care for wounds and prevent falls. Never did I ever do this. But it has been surprisingly great. Of course, there were days when their screaming and endless nose-picking got to me, Yes. But the days they were happy, smiling and hugging me some three bodies deep I was happy to be there.

Overall, it’s been an experience unlike anything in my life. I watched these kids, talked to them, and hugged them. I also wondered about the ones that seemed to have issues or trouble with others. I often tried to zero in on a few separately when they were too shy to participate or for some other reason as I sensed they needed it. And often I could get a little smile out of them when I did that even if it was something simple like asking what they were eating for a snack.

But they reminded me of me as a child. I stayed out of participating and fell behind a lot.  The teachers don’t have time and some kids need more time. The truth is, it’s easier to teach the kids that are already in the game as they say. Cause there is never enough teacher to go around.

So here I am traveling, and their little faces still shine in my memory. And good news, I have as of a few days ago got my ¨Carta” and approved to go back to the same school. But it will be in 4 months. I can’t imagine what it will be like when I leave there permanently. I’m 59 and only have another year here..

8 months have flown by and I hope now that I’m off I’ll stick to a routine and study Spanish and work on flattening my stomach so the kids won’t push on it under my shirt.

But for now, my year is up and so I’m traveling to the Galicia region where it’s cooler and greener to relax somewhere new.

Somewhere in Spain.