“That which we persist
in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but
that our power to do has increased.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
If Emerson was correct, we should be
practically perfect at saying goodbye. This week has been a series of separations
and farewells: people we have met, at work, and at church. As much as we are
excited to be home and be with family, it is sad to say goodbye to people that
have become very dear to us. I have learned to never say never, but the
probability is high we will not see most of these people again in this life.
Maybe we’ll come back some day, but it is not the most likely future. Perhaps
we will meet one or two of them in the US or somewhere else, but it is not the
outcome with the highest probability. Most likely is that our contact with
people through social media and emails will gradually decrease until it falls
away, perhaps with the exception of one or two. Too bleak? Sorry, but it is
that probability that has tinged every goodbye this week.
Professionally, this week has been mostly about
wrapping up loose ends of projects that I have been working on; organizing
paperwork and files; and (see above) saying goodbye. Most of that was
unremarkable. If it wasn’t for Friday, if I hadn’t gone into the office at all,
I don’t think it would have made a difference.
Friday was different – well kinda
different. A lot of what I did Friday could fall in the category of wrapping up
loose ends. However, they were more interactive, more conversations rather than
writing reports. I have been needing to meet Charu and Rajive for
conversational handover on a few points. This probably should have been an hour
or two meeting. However it took twice that. Additionally, I have been trying for
three weeks to arrange a meeting between my primary contact at the US embassy
and Charu and Rajive. Finally, we all agreed on lunch on Friday. It was a good
meeting with several new ideas raised and a few outstanding issues resolved. It
also served as a nice interlude between the ongoing handover meeting that
started at 10:00 and ended at 5:00 (you remember, the one that should have only
taken an hour or two).
The meeting might still be going on and
certainly ended when it did only because there were 150 – 200 people waiting in
the auditorium for us. The assembly was a two-fer. One, the student association
took the opportunity to launch a new logo and slogan. Second, the students and
staff threw a farewell event? Activity? Party? Not sure what the best term
would be. There were a few formal remarks by me, Charu, Rajive, and the head of
the student association. Then a group of students sang a song in my honor mixed
with an original rap performed by one student. There were gifts given, and then
the student who was conducting opened it to whomever would like to make a
comment – like a wake, or a testimony meeting. There were many who came
forward. I thing it took longer than the organizers had anticipated. Then, of
course there were refreshments. I didn’t get any of the refreshments (not that
I needed them) because I was overwhelmed by constant barrage of students and
staff who wanted his/her/their pictures with me. It was kind of a paparazzi
moment trying to switch my eyes and attention back, forth, and around to one of
the many people taking pictures.
In the end, it was the end. I packed up my
laptop, turned off the lights in my office and walked off.
I haven’t achieved everything I wanted to
when I started two and half years ago, but I am proud of what we did
accomplish. I don’t know if success will come in the next few years as we have
envisioned, but if it does, I think it will primarily be because of the
foundation we have laid.
That’s me. Here’s Rae.
My week was also a week of farewells, maybe
slightly different than Phil’s, but farewells none the less. My farewells for most of the week centered on
belongings. There were the things that
were being sorted and organized for the sea shipments, then the things for air
shipment, then the items that we were not taking with us and needed to find new
homes for. Most anything that plugged
into an outlet had to go. That meant the
microwave, toaster, blender, mixer, phones, heaters, geyser, hair blower,
curling iron, power cords, printer, hair clippers, washing machine, and
whatever else I’ve forgotten. I’m
writing this blog sitting in an empty house with 4 suitcases waiting to fly out
tomorrow night. Right now I’m glad this is a furnished flat so we’re not sitting
and sleeping on the floor.
The hardest farewells by far were the ones
that took place yesterday and today.
Yesterday Phil and I had lunch with Vandana and Christina one last
time. Christina I will see again tomorrow,
but Vandana I probably won’t see again anytime soon. Today was our last time in the branch and it
was hard to say goodbye to all these people that have been so warm and accepting
of us. We spent a bit of time after
church having pictures taken and giving those final hugs. It was hard, but I surprised myself by mostly
keeping my emotions in check. The thing
that makes all this bearable is what we know is waiting for us at the other
end. Family and friends in the US, here
we come!
Here are a few pictures of some of our
goodbyes.
Namaste!
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