A few weeks ago, I was looking at my planner to plan out the remaining weeks of my spoken class and to determine the date for my second and final spoken test. I was shocked to discover that I only had 6 weeks left. And... that was a few weeks ago. It is now the middle of February, and exactly 3 weeks from today, I will be in the middle of my long journey home.
Time is now going faster than I can even keep track of. It's out of control and I really wish it would slow down a little. However, I can say with 100% certainty that I'm not wasting one second of my remaining time. Aside from sleeping, showering and my free period at school, I spend every minute with the kids. We eat dinner together. We wait for the bus together. We play together. We study/lesson plan together. We pray together. We work together (when they let me help, that is). We eat tiffin together. We go to school together. And, that is exactly how I plan on spending these last 3 weeks.
3 weeks. That is all that is left of what is undoubtedly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. 3 weeks left to teach at Carmel Matriculation School, a place where the staff and students have taught me more than I could ever even begin to put into words. 3 more weeks to see the smiles of my 400 students everyday...smiles that fill my heart with so much joy. 3 weeks more to talk with the most inspirational teachers around; many of whom have become great friends (Sumathi, Dhinakaran, Bharkath, Revathi, Nagarajan, Sathiya, Physics Sir, Vani, Dhanush, Srinivasan, Yogi, Prabhu...just to name a few). 3 weeks to play football every day at the hostel with my boys. 3 weeks to wake up at 6:15am every morning to praise God with my Indian family. 3 weeks to spend with my brothers and sisters who I love with EVERYTHING that's in my heart...Udhaya, Madesh, Prem, Lokesh, Sathish, Gabriel, Albert, Annamalai, Arivu, Sakthivel, Arunpandiyan, Poovarason, Shanker, Senthil, Immanuel, Mahendran, Gokul, Renuga, Susmitha, Adhithya, Nathiya, Nandhini, Joyce, Gomathi, Kalai, Suganya, Soniya, Priya, Kamalaveni, Gayathri, Kavithayeni, Suruthi, Santhiya, Parimala, Dhanalakshmi, Mohanasankhiri, Dharshini, Varnisha, Banupriya (I know I'm missing more than a few). 3 weeks left to see my incredible sponsor children who I think the world of, Karthick and Shalini. 3 weeks to talk with my dearest Freenama, whose chats I keep very close to my heart. 3 weeks to spend with Karthick, Raja and Rajesh, 3 amazing young men who are the hardest working people that I know and I am very lucky to call my friends. 3 weeks to give Sunday messages that (hopefully) inspire and encourage these children as their relationship with the Lord blossoms. 3 weeks left to enjoy with the special project children who made their way into my heart the moment that I first met them in October. 3 weeks to witness all of God's work that is taking place at Carmel. 3 weeks is all that remains.
While I cannot even think about what saying goodbye to these kids will be like, there are some really mixed emotions that are twirling around in my mind and heart. On one side, I have such feelings of sorrow and sadness to leave my Carmel family behind. But, on the other hand, I have such excitement and anticipation to get home and see all of my family and friends. To hug my Mama for the first time in 6 months (that is a VERY long time not to hug your mama). To joke around with my Padre. To hug my 90-year-old grandmother who usually sees me at least 3 times a week and is missing me like crazy (and vice versa :)). To spend time with my big sister and give her the long overdue hug that I've owed her since events that occurred in December. To cuddle my sweet Buddy, who I've missed more than what is probably normal for your dog. To love on ALL of my babies at my job. To chat with my 2 best friends at work. To be reunited with my best friends and meet a very special baby boy (whose birth I missed while I was away). To see my best friend who happens to live on the opposite side of the country. To meet my best friend's daughter, whose baptism I missed and who is now CRAWLING, I might add. To go to my own church (which is like a second home for me) and see my EPPC family and meet our new pastor (who I helped to select prior to leaving). To see the 2 families that I've babysat for the past 3 and 11 years respectively, whose children I adore with all my heart. To have my very much anticipated bacon cheeseburger, cold glass of milk and PIZZA, which I've been dreaming about for the past 5 months. I have so many things to look forward to upon my return home, but I have an extremely sad goodbye that I have to get through first.
All I can do is enjoy each second of these last 3 weeks. Spend it fully loving my Carmel family and my amazing students. Putting my heart and soul into teaching and loving these kids who will always hold a special place in my heart. Not talk about any goodbyes until it's time to leave. I am not here to be sad, but to love these children with all that I am and to share the love of Jesus Christ with them, whose love is greater than anything else on this Earth.
Time is now going faster than I can even keep track of. It's out of control and I really wish it would slow down a little. However, I can say with 100% certainty that I'm not wasting one second of my remaining time. Aside from sleeping, showering and my free period at school, I spend every minute with the kids. We eat dinner together. We wait for the bus together. We play together. We study/lesson plan together. We pray together. We work together (when they let me help, that is). We eat tiffin together. We go to school together. And, that is exactly how I plan on spending these last 3 weeks.
3 weeks. That is all that is left of what is undoubtedly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. 3 weeks left to teach at Carmel Matriculation School, a place where the staff and students have taught me more than I could ever even begin to put into words. 3 more weeks to see the smiles of my 400 students everyday...smiles that fill my heart with so much joy. 3 weeks more to talk with the most inspirational teachers around; many of whom have become great friends (Sumathi, Dhinakaran, Bharkath, Revathi, Nagarajan, Sathiya, Physics Sir, Vani, Dhanush, Srinivasan, Yogi, Prabhu...just to name a few). 3 weeks to play football every day at the hostel with my boys. 3 weeks to wake up at 6:15am every morning to praise God with my Indian family. 3 weeks to spend with my brothers and sisters who I love with EVERYTHING that's in my heart...Udhaya, Madesh, Prem, Lokesh, Sathish, Gabriel, Albert, Annamalai, Arivu, Sakthivel, Arunpandiyan, Poovarason, Shanker, Senthil, Immanuel, Mahendran, Gokul, Renuga, Susmitha, Adhithya, Nathiya, Nandhini, Joyce, Gomathi, Kalai, Suganya, Soniya, Priya, Kamalaveni, Gayathri, Kavithayeni, Suruthi, Santhiya, Parimala, Dhanalakshmi, Mohanasankhiri, Dharshini, Varnisha, Banupriya (I know I'm missing more than a few). 3 weeks left to see my incredible sponsor children who I think the world of, Karthick and Shalini. 3 weeks to talk with my dearest Freenama, whose chats I keep very close to my heart. 3 weeks to spend with Karthick, Raja and Rajesh, 3 amazing young men who are the hardest working people that I know and I am very lucky to call my friends. 3 weeks to give Sunday messages that (hopefully) inspire and encourage these children as their relationship with the Lord blossoms. 3 weeks left to enjoy with the special project children who made their way into my heart the moment that I first met them in October. 3 weeks to witness all of God's work that is taking place at Carmel. 3 weeks is all that remains.
While I cannot even think about what saying goodbye to these kids will be like, there are some really mixed emotions that are twirling around in my mind and heart. On one side, I have such feelings of sorrow and sadness to leave my Carmel family behind. But, on the other hand, I have such excitement and anticipation to get home and see all of my family and friends. To hug my Mama for the first time in 6 months (that is a VERY long time not to hug your mama). To joke around with my Padre. To hug my 90-year-old grandmother who usually sees me at least 3 times a week and is missing me like crazy (and vice versa :)). To spend time with my big sister and give her the long overdue hug that I've owed her since events that occurred in December. To cuddle my sweet Buddy, who I've missed more than what is probably normal for your dog. To love on ALL of my babies at my job. To chat with my 2 best friends at work. To be reunited with my best friends and meet a very special baby boy (whose birth I missed while I was away). To see my best friend who happens to live on the opposite side of the country. To meet my best friend's daughter, whose baptism I missed and who is now CRAWLING, I might add. To go to my own church (which is like a second home for me) and see my EPPC family and meet our new pastor (who I helped to select prior to leaving). To see the 2 families that I've babysat for the past 3 and 11 years respectively, whose children I adore with all my heart. To have my very much anticipated bacon cheeseburger, cold glass of milk and PIZZA, which I've been dreaming about for the past 5 months. I have so many things to look forward to upon my return home, but I have an extremely sad goodbye that I have to get through first.
All I can do is enjoy each second of these last 3 weeks. Spend it fully loving my Carmel family and my amazing students. Putting my heart and soul into teaching and loving these kids who will always hold a special place in my heart. Not talk about any goodbyes until it's time to leave. I am not here to be sad, but to love these children with all that I am and to share the love of Jesus Christ with them, whose love is greater than anything else on this Earth.
