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Saying Goodbye?

Author


Sophia

17th of July, 2016

Category


Nicaragua '16

When we first came on this trip, we understood that conditions would be temporary. The housing, food, and activities wouldn’t last forever. The teaching and the cement shoveling would continue after our 2 weeks. The sun would still set; its golden colors would still reflect against the serene lake, and there’d be others there to appreciate the scene, to point out when the clouds perfectly cover the volcano. The fourth grade classroom would eventually be fully built, though lacking the clumsily done cement full of our hard work. The docks would be a bit emptier at night without our dock talks, the hotel a bit quieter without our explosive laughter, the convenience store’s business a little slower without our daily Snickers runs, and the lake a bit more peaceful without our afternoon swims and kayak jousting, without large splashes of crisp water perfect for a long day of work.
However, despite perpetual changes and the inevitable continuation of life without us, we’ve left our mark. We’ve left traces of ourselves in the interactions we had, in the relationships we formed here, and the progress we made. Though our time spent with the kids was short, we’ve developed such strong friendships with them. Our hands that got accustomed to the grips of their tiny ones, our back muscles stronger from the piggyback rides, our eyes that started recognizing more faces with each day, and our smiles that are just a bit brighter, bigger, when we hear their screams.
Soon, our group will part as well. It’s strange to think how we all had our separate lives before we met, and even stranger to think how we’ll soon return to them. The bonding card games we had together would still be played, but in a different setting and with other people. Inside jokes that lose their touch after their audience disperses would remain in Nicaragua, along with many of our short-term habits. There may be reunions, there may be group chats started, and there may be attempts to maintain our friendships. Regardless of their success, one thing is certain. The memories of this summer will be engraved in our minds, and though it may not be an everlasting and continual thought, it’s certain that we’d occasionally encounter things that’ll bring back our moments.
It’s almost time for the final goodbye, but we aren’t focusing on that. Instead, we enjoy our remaining time together, making more memories because it’s never truly over. And despite the many farewells said, there’s still the unspoken hope that this goodbye will be temporary as well.

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