Wow. More than 2 weeks have gone by since my last update, and in these past 2 weeks so much has happened, so much has changed. Monday, December 20th came quicker than I ever could have imagined. Leading up to my last day in Germany was a busy time and not to mention an emotional roller coaster. Coming to grips with having to leave that place and all the people there was beyond difficult. For the last week or so leading up to it, I often would find myself just being so overwhelmed where I would begin to weep, and after a few moments, it would pass. It was draining to say the least. My flight was scheduled to leave early morning on Monday the 20th. Starting about 4 or 5 days before my departure date, we started to get a good amount of snow fall (as did most of Western Europe). Toward around the Friday night before, news reports were coming out of many of the major airports around the continent being closed due to the weather. Heathrow in London, Charles de Gaulle in Paris, and countless others around Western Europe were shutting down leaving thousands of travelers stranded. So needless to say, I was a little weary as my departure date grew nearer. On my last Saturday in Germany, Lisa had invited all her brothers and sister and mother over for a final farewell. Bertus was still in Mainz until later that night, but Lisa's mother, her brother Jalle and his girlfriend Alicja, her sister Sunna and brother Felix all came over. We all sat around and talked and ate a late lunch. I was able to keep it together for most of the day but then came the time when Lisa's mother presented me with a going away/Christmas gift and that just did me in. I tried not to cry to much as I opened it, but again, it was an extremely emotional day/moment. Not to mention the fact that I was in no way expecting presents, and just the constant showing of love and affection just really got to me. Next Lisa and Kai gave me a neatly wrapped little box. I opened it, again in between weeping sessions, and in laid a beautiful Certina swiss-made watch. I have never in my life been one to wear a watch, but then again, never had a really nice one. I now wear the one they got me all the time. It's so beautiful, I love it. They also had it engraved to say on the back "Germany 2010". It is so great and I think of them every time I look at it now. I love it. After a few hours it was finally time to say my final goodbyes to them as they were planning to leave. Even as I write this I'm a mess, I can't tell you how hard it was to have to hug them all one last time. I mean, I know I will see them again, but it's just so sad. Because with each hug to them, I say goodbye to a little piece of Germany.
...work in progress
No comments:
Post a Comment