The Beginning of the Long Goodbye by Deanna Rice

Yesterday I noticed that Hermunda, one of the women that work in my house, looked tired or ill. Using Google translator, I asked her if she was sick. No. I asked if she was upset. No. I asked if she was sad. Yes. I told her I hoped what was making her sad would be better soon. She smiled a sad smile and pointed to me . She said the time I had been here had been beautiful and she was sad for me to be leaving. As I saw tears well up in her eyes, my own eyes filled with tears. I looked up and saw Daniella, the young nanny, also welling up. At the beginning of the week, talk of my leaving began. Plans for the week had to be discussed. BBQ at the school on Wednesday. Teacher dinner on Thursday. Friday goodbye. Aylin and Victor, my host parents, immediately asked me to stay another week. Why can't you? You are on break. We didn't have enough time. That may sound crazy to you back in the states, but this is a study abroad program like no other. Minutes after arriving in Concepcion, we were introduced to our host families and taken to their homes and did not see out colleagues for two days. We immediately were reliant on strangers who we did not share language, to provide for our every need. Sound scary? You bet, and yet in that moment you became family, not a guest to be fussed over, but a real member of the family. You have read many posts of the travel adventures of members of our group. My family has three young children, 7, 4, and 2, so a big trip was not possible. They provided me with many wonderful adventures in and around the city, so I did not feel deprived. But tonight I was upstairs when Victor came home. He was calling my name, telling me to come down stairs, they had a present for me. A present? For me? I came down stairs and opened my gift. It is a beautiful coffee table book of Chile. The text is in both Spanish and English. With this beautiful picture book, I will be able to travel the vast regions of this beautiful country over and over again. The text is symbolic of my time here, parallel languages that somehow communicated in a beautiful way. Tonight Aylin and Victor took me to a Peruvian restaurant where we met two friends I had met before, Daniella and Javier. The food was amazing! And the presentation was 5 star (I wish I could show you pictures, but the iPad does not have a flash player, so I can't). Even though I understood 5% of the conversation, I was still a part of it all. They have accepted me as one of them. As a graduate student, there is the possibility of me returning next year, and that is the only thing making these goodbyes bearable. I am saying "Until I see you again. See you later." I can't imagine what my colleagues who this is a one time trip must be feeling. They, too, have become family members, but are saying the last goodbye. Don't get me wrong, we are all homesick and miss our home families, but when you have literally relinquished your well-being into the hands of strangers and they have provided for your daily needs, three weeks feels like a lifetime. I will close tonight with happy thoughts of strangers who became my family. I close tonight with the glad anticipation of seeing my home family and friends soon and sharing all my stories of this adventure with you. Much love to all.