Aotearoa- Part 2

Pinch me.

Harder than that...I have not woken up!

The date I leave New Zealand is tumbling closer and the last three weeks have raced by. It seems like only yesterday I was on camp with the children.

Camp was successful last year, however I didn't know what on earth I had got myself into. Thankfully, my co-teacher did! This year was a blast! Organised by Tez and a lovely education company in Rotorua, we saw the sights in three days.

While on camp, I realised just how much I had learnt about the children, myself and my co-teacher, Tez. We worked magic this year by performing some sort of telepathy. Whatever I was bound to forget Tez covered it, and vice versa. We had many giggles and felt like school girls again whispering in our bunks about the sheep shearers muscles! Priceless memories of a relationship brought together by work. If it wasn't for all the crazy things that have happened the last 15 months, I'm not sure if the oyster would have created such a pearl of a friendship.

While on camp, I had to break the news to the children about leaving at the end of term. Even though I had written them a letter to focus my thoughts, I didn't dare look at the shaking piece of paper in my hand. I hadn't been so nervous since presentations at university. The children had been like a family to me, suddenly I was cutting myself out of the picture. I knew from that point that there was no going back.

The last two weeks of term I savoured. Being a little more care free (sorry Tez), yet I wanted to enjoy the time I was having. My afternoon tea/ leaving party soon crept around and on the day before the end of term, all the children from junior and senior Montessori gathered in my classroom. Cakes and nibbles were spread over a few tables and decorative signs (that were grammatically incorrect as the children pointed out) hung above our heads. It was a total surprise when the junior children burst into a rendition of 'You are my sunshine'. Soon after, the iPod was put on, and my senior class broke into Bruno Mars, 'Just the way you are' (lyrics were played with so they didn't have to mention kissing lips or being sexy!). I know they were expecting tears, but they didn't come at that point. I was too busy smiling and being so proud of them. However there were a number of parents with tissues out!

Friday rolled around and the children were crazy (what we call end of term-itus). I survived the principals speech at morning tea (relieved that she didn't make too much fun over my 'fresh out of uni' C.V.), I survived many goodbyes, and I also survived the pang of realisation as I packed my boxes. However when I was to walk out of school for the last time, I was accompanied by three of my students, who had waited a good two hours after school finished to see me one last time.

It was after another round of hugs and a toot as I drove off down the road that it hit. An unexplainable feeling. Mingled with hints of freedom, happiness yet regret and wonder. Those three children made me smile and allowed me to drive away from such a huge part in my life, knowing that I'd be missed.