Wow, what a week it has been! We just finished up the school year and I am officially done with my first as a teacher!! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by! In the past week we have had our last Honors Assembly, Baccalaureate Mass, and Graduation! And to top it all off we said goodbye to Alex yesterday and she made her way back home to continue her journey. All of this reminded me of how short this experience is and how fast it goes by. I feel like it was just yesterday we were at Orientation at Boston College talking about how we would live simply if we found treasure buried in the Pacific Ocean that we might stumble upon during a snorkeling adventure. Soon we will also have to part with our second years who have supported us and given us so many irreplacable gifts and memories in the past year. But knowing how close we have become, I know I will see these people again, I know these goodbyes are only for a little while.
Then there are the students: OH, the students. I have to say if I were to teach anywhere in the world, I am so happy it has been at Xavier and with these students. Having spent a year with the seniors I am very sad to know they are moving on to the next chapter of their lives. I cant help but think, did I teach them enough, did I prepare them enough, do they know how much I love, care, and respect them as individuals, and most especially, do they know they will also be kept in a very special spot close to my heart and I will never forget them. They are wonderful individuals and I have tried my best to be all that I could be for them everyday. I know I will not be the best teacher they ever had, but I do hope I taught them how to be good Christians and live their lives as moral people. I guess that might be something I will never find out or ever know. And I know for a majority the goodbyes I say to them are unfortunately forever, but their memory will be everlasting.
Saying goodbyes and knowing how much change will come in the next few months only reminds me how short-lived my experience is here. Coming here, after spending 4 years in college, 2 years seemed as if it was such a long time. But I have only still begun my journey here, I have only begun growing as a person, and I am excited for the year ahead. I know where to put my focus. I know how to balance my life as a person, JV, teacher, daughter, and everything I am apart of here. I am sad to say all these goodbyes and sad to know how much things will change, but I am excited for what the next year will bring. I am excited to get even closer with the students and I am excited to see the change.
So all in all, times are changing and I am saying more goodbyes then I thought I would have to. But, change can be beautiful and I am excited for what is ahead of me. One year down, one more to go and I know this next year is going to be something more beautiful then I can ever imagine!
Pohnpei Summer Goals:
Study Chuukese
Learn to Play the Guitar/Uk
Read whatever I can get my hands on
Climb Shoke's Rock (mountain top in PNI)
Jump off all the Pohnpean Waterfalls!
Drink Sakua
Shop at Black Sand
Love,
Ems
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