This entire week has been a whirlwind of goodbye classes, giving goodbye gifts, and the never ending process of trying to close accounts down. I am happy to say that everything is now in the process of being closed* which brings the stress of the end of this experience way down. Now, I can enjoy my last few days here, before traveling all around Europe.
Monday, I had my last lessons at the business where I gave conversation lessons. I wrote each of the adults a nice card and brought chocolate to celebrate. When they came in and saw this, they said "Good, we got something for you too!" and presented me with hand-crafted lavender oil from here in Provence. They said it was a souvenir to remember this region and them - surely I will never forget their kindness! As I said goodbye to my boss's wife and dog, while all of us had a little bit of tears in our eyes, I finally realized how amazing that opportunity was. To teach at such a small business which made me feel like a part of their family was an unforgettable experience. As I exchanged les bises with my boss at the end of our last car ride together, I continued to thank him for everything he has done for me and promised to contact him when I return to Provence after my travels, so that we could maybe get together for a lunch or something. Even though I realize this might not happen, the invitation is just another example of the quality of people I have met here: they are some of the friendliest and welcoming people I know.
Tuesday brought a large surprise: an organized goûter in one of my favorite classes! As we sat around eating sweets that all the students had prepared and talked about my future and their futures, I realize how much I have made an impact on some of my students. They presented me with a sheet of paper with lovely goodbye messages, some so touching that I again was holding back tears. For my second class of the afternoon, we saw my house on Google Earth, which was weird and somewhat comforting to realize that I will be going back there soon. As I said goodbye to this class, another favorite, I couldn't help but well up yet again, saying that maybe we may see each other again, yet knowing in my heart that it won't happen. That is when Marc turned to me and said something I will never forget, "An end is just another beginning." At this point, I was about to boil over as he had tears in eyes too.
After class, Cathy took me somewhere that we have tried again and again to go to together: Rustrel, also known as le Colorado Provençal. It was finally a perfect day to go so we set off with her dog Fluffy in tow. We wandered around the red rock formations of this wonderful site, which also included a small waterfall and a desert area nicknamed le Sahara. Although it was no Grand Canyon, I could see why everyone said I needed to visit this site before I left - it was absolutely incredible to take in. It was such a nice way to spend a beautiful afternoon, speaking in French with my coordinating teacher, reflecting on this entire experience together. At the end, I gave her the card and gift for her and her husband and tried to get out a simple "merci" without crying. When I explained that it is difficult for me to think about leaving, she said, "But you can always come back! You will always have a place to stay with us!" Again, the overwhelming kindness of the people here never ceases to amaze me - I will be back.
Wednesday brought more goodbye classes but one was special in particular: my private lesson with a student in Seconde. As we have been having guided conversations in these lessons, I thought I would try something different and just see if we could carry on a conversation for two hours with no prompts. We can and did, which goes to show how much better this student's English has become. As I gave her a card with my contact information and chocolate, I said that she could come and visit me whenever she wanted, so she could experience America, or write to me. As I went to hug her goodbye, she decided to give les bises and said to me "Here in Provence, we do three [kisses]!" I replied, "I know, I was giving you an American goodbye: a hug!"
Thursday included my last three classes. As none of these classes were my favorite ones, I hate to say my last day of teaching was less than climactic. However, there were 2 more organized parties with more nice goodbye notes - one class even wrote completely in English! After one more private lesson after school, Amy and I got a ride from Cathy and Marc to a soirée that was hosted in our honor at Veronique's house. It was wonderful to have one last time together, with my teachers as well as Amy, to celebrate an amazing seven months together. There was a moment of stress, as Amy and I were prompted to give an impromptu speech: a description of positives and negatives of our experience in Apt in French to a room full of native speaking teachers AND administrators staring at us. If I didn't mention it before, I am kind of terrified of public speaking. Nevertheless, after we spoke they all said how impressed they were with how well we speak and our accent, so I guess we have improved from being here! We spent the rest of the night drinking wine and champagne while munching on pizza, quiche, veggies, tartes and cakes. My teachers even surprised me with two other amazing keepsakes: a book about the Luberon (filled with amazing pictures of this region) and a French novel that is a thriller and written by a man who is from this region and places the story here as well. I cannot explain how grateful I am to have had such welcoming and friendly teachers to work with, and I plan to keep in contact with them after I return to the states. Ils vont me manquer!** As we all exchanged les bises and said goodbye, it was pretty hard to leave, knowing that the assistantship is officially over.
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| Amy and I and all the English teachers I worked with! From left to right: Amy, Veronique, Marc, Cathy, Isabelle and Me. |
As I sit here on this late Thursday night contemplating all that was, I can't help but have tears welling up in my eyes. I have not fully gotten upset yet***, as it still doesn't feel like the end - I am sure that I will not realize it until later. Amy leaves for Annecy in the morning, meaning that this is our last time in the apartment together, after sharing it for nearly seven months. Although I will go tomorrow morning to pick up Allie from Avignon TGV and will spend the next four weeks traveling around with her, it is going to be weird to be here without my British compatriate - I will miss her! How seven months can go by so quickly, I will never understand. As I am having trouble truly (and succinctly) putting into words what the assistantship meant to me, I am going to try to put it into three simple words: c'était incroyable - it was incredible.
And now, onto another beginning!
*That is, once I mail my phone and already written lettre de résliation on Saturday to Virgin Mobile.
**Translation: I will miss them!
***That might not be true - when I started writing this Wednesday, I might have sobbed like a blubbering idiot. But reporting from Thursday night: I am fine (at the moment).
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