ok bye!!!

today was my last day volunteering at wasatch. unfortunately i did not realize this until i was about to leave this morning, when mrs. mattinson turned to me and said, "this is your last week isn't it?" i hadn't realized that next week they have spring break and so won't have class on thursday.

is it ok that i cried when i left?

i have gotten really attached to these my little friends, and i was hoping that they would get attached to me too. i really wanted them to like me, even though i just walk around and help them with spelling and tell them how cool their stories are and how good they are at math. however, i think last week was the clincher.

last week, i taught them arabic and hebrew.

mrs. mattinson was kind enough to allow me to give a presentation on israel/palestine and jordan, and i talked to the kids for about 20 minutes about arabic, hebrew, jews, muslims, and the like.

it was one of the most thrilling things i have ever done.

the kids liked it too--but even so, i do like to think that my shushing them when they sit on the "carpet" to listen to stories and always helping them with their reading was just a teeny bit appreciated--not because i need to feel appreciated, but because i wanted to have done some good for them since they did so much good for me. leaving campus to help at the same elementary school where i went to school was more than therapeutic, and i finally felt like i was doing good for the world. and, i enjoyed this round of volunteering with 3rd graders at wasatch much more than the last one two years ago.

before this, i was more than excited to go to jordan in two weeks--what i am going to miss here? going to more classes? grading student papers?

not a chance.

but now, now when i think that i won't see rebecca and alexa and beth-el and emma and all the rest any more, my heart just breaks. these kids have become a part of my life...i even looked at all of their science fair presentations! we learned about myths and fables and native americans together! and today they were at an assembly for most of the time that i was there, so i barely even got to see them. instead, i was in with the next door teacher's math stragglers, who had to finish their addition and subtraction sheets before they could go to the assembly (which was an adventure in itself, because the last two students were siblings of two people that i went to elementary school with! some things never change).

my consolation prize? as i was getting ready to leave, the "special guest presenter" turned to me and asked if i was about to leave, and as i said yes, i said, "can i say goodbye, though? this is my last time, guys!"

the whole class groaned, and one girl looked like she was going to cry!

clearly, there was some attachment there! i must have done some good in this small class. as i left, i told everyone, "i will think about you in egypt and jordan!"

i think i will have to send a couple of emails to their teacher with pictures of me and the egyptian/jordanian kids. who knows, perhaps some budding middle easternist in the class will be inspired by my stories and pictures!

or perhaps i just don't want to let go...