what can top this...

What can top this... 

I am sitting in the café area of the ship sitting with my friend Stelle, both working on our computers with music going. It is a quiet and it is a nice change from the loud quiz night we just had. I leave on Thursday, I will be back in 6 weeks but I am still sad to leave this place. I don’t know how or why it happens but you fall in love with this place and the people here. This past week has been kind of quiet and it has been nice.

School ended last Thursday, Wednesday was the last day of classes. On Wednesday we all went out as an academy to dinner. It was really a great time. Talkin about everything that has happened this year, being peppered with ideas of who I should date by more then one person and lots of laughing. Thursday we had presentations where we present our students with certificates. Thank God I only have 2 kids. It reinforced in me that I am not a public speaker, kids, great. Group of friends, great. Adults parents even, oh no, cant do it. I did but I shock and I am pretty sure my voice cracked like a 12 year old boy. My friends lied and said it was fine but that is what friends do, but I know the truth.

At lunch there was a mass exodus of families. It was all the families that will be back in the fall but it broke my heart to see them leave, to see my friends who have known these kids for 2-3 years leave and say goodbye. I don’t know what I will be like on Thursday when we leave and I have to say good bye to these people. After the families all left we had a pool party with the rest of the kids. It was nice to be relaxed and be done with school. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the café with free crepes and just hanging out. Friday I spent the day on the ship being lazy. I am coming back and was not to fussed to cram ever thing into my last weekend. Instead I slept in, packed a little laid by the pool and napped, it was great. It was capped off by playing games.

On Saturday and Sunday I hung out with two of my favorite people on the ship, although little people. I babysat for the weekend and really enjoyed it. There are of course stressful and trying moments but they are out weighted by the hugs and laughs that I got so it was worth it.

Monday and today have been spent in the academy making sure reports are done and just spending as much time with people as you can before they leave. Tuesday was more reports caped off with quiz night. It was a first on the AFM at least for me, imagine quiz night in your favorite pub or bar and you have it but with out alcohol sadly. We ended up with a team of 8-9 most of us teachers and tied for second place. But we cheated so it does not really count, but most of us are leaving on Thursday and will not be here for the next two weeks so who cares, it was fun.

I know when I am home I will try to describe this place, the people and the bonds but I don’t think I can. I cannot imagine if I had not extended for a second year, I would be going home for good and not feel ready. I have meet people who have changed me and challenged me. Who have saw me through my weak spots and have helped me out. People who I did not care for at the start have ended up some of my best friends here. I cant think about it with out tearing up, which I am, again, crap. I worry about next year and the new teachers and if I will feel this way next year when I say goodbye to them. It has been an amazing year and I have meet amazing people and I don’t know what I would have done with out them. Crying has become a daily activity here the only way so far we have found to stop is to listen to Totally F*#^!& from Spring Awakening, it helps me stop crying. I am so looking forward to being home but I will miss these people and this place during that time and take that as a great sign that I am right where I am meant to be. It does make me wonder what can top these experiences and these years of my life. I hope lots of things because I hope life only gets better but it will be hard. I have had a world of new experiences here, I have traveled to places I never thought about. I have become more aware of the world and those in it. I cant wait for what tops this cause that will be fantastic.

June, 14th 2011