(My host family and me)
We've reached the end of training, which means it's time to leave our training community. And we the trainees have done our best not to simply leave, but to go out in style. Yesterday we threw our host families a party, preparing the food and serving as the waiters, switching up the roles. For once it wasn't the Panamanians throwing heaping mounds of arroz con pollo on plate after plate and offering second helpings, juice, salad, and desserts.
After the delicious meal our program director said a few words in appreciation of the community's hospitality. Then, as I'm going to give the big, fancy speech at our Swear-In ceremony in a few days, it "seemed only right" that I should speak at the despedida (goodbye party) too. So I did. It wasn't too big of a deal. In fact it was a good warm-up for Wednesday the 14th, the big day.
(A typical view while reading in the porch area)
Tomorrow at 7:00am the trainees pack up into a bus and leave Santa Rita. And it's a bit sad. They've been really good to us. During these eight weeks we've actually been kind of spoiled. I'll miss the children's faces that have gone from distant and inquisitive to warm and inviting. I'm definitely going to miss the selection of snacks at the various corner stores. Never in my life have I craved (and subsequently satisfied those cravings for) junk food: Ritz cracker sandwiches with cheese filling, chocolate cookies with peanut butter filling, yogur bebible (a creamy yogurt drink), and much more.
I won't miss the stench of burning trash or the insufferable yapping of stray dogs fighting in the middle of the night, but I will miss the people. So I'll have to come and visit.
(Look at that face!)
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