Let's start with the last week of school. In the last blog I mentioned that everyone would be leaving soon. Finals finished up and went fairly well and I got the notification that I passed all of my classes (always a wonderful thing!) It was comical, in the fact that very few people actually showed up for the last classes. I only had 2 written finals and therefore the other 2 classes weren't "mandatory" to attend the last session. If I remember correctly, only 6 people showed up for my photography class. Finals weren't too horridly difficult, but I did discover that I learned very little about Romanesque and Baroque architecture. I think I enjoyed looking at it more than learning about every detail, but that is simply personal preference.
Mom arrived on the Wednesday of my finals. We went to dinner at Černý Baron, where I had taken Beth for dinner her first night. It was a great meal and it was absolutely incredible to see her. When I got back to my suite, I walked in to find 15 of my closest friends crammed into the tiny room. As I sat there, laughing and sharing the recent care package that mom gave me, I realized: I have never felt more at home with such a large group of people. They became my family and for that I absolutely love them. That night, we went out to our last night club: Chapeau Rouge. I left fairly early after saying my goodbye's to the people that were departing for Morocco the next morning. The next day marked our last real night there. As a group, it had been decided that we wouldn't go out on Friday night, since everyone was leaving early early early Saturday morning (see how responsible we are!). So Thursday night, we put aside our sadness over the inevitable end, and gathered at the bar, U Sudu. Attempting to find tables near eachother for almost 55 people, proved almost impossible, but we pulled it off (it's a large bar..). We said goodbye. Had last conversations. Last jokes. Last tournaments of foosball. Last time to see many of these people.
Saturday morning, proved to be more than a little sad. I woke up at 5 am to go with Annie, Sam, Kary, and Alex to the airport. Raila spent the night in our room so that she could come with as well.
After the world's longest "Oregon Trail" journey to the bus stop, loaded down with overweight suitcases and tons of snow, we boarded the bus and were on our way. We quickly discovered at the airport that we had to separate, as Annie was at a different terminal.
To the great torment of Alex, I said my tearful goodbyes. While I don't think I've ever cried that much in my life, I enjoyed those last moments. I may not be spending most of my hours of the day with these people anymore. I may not see them for months or years on end. But one thing has been determined:
There are people in your life that you don't see forever and it's awkward. Lots of pauses in conversation. And then you leave and you say "it's kind of ok that we don't necessarily talk all the time."
Then there are people in your life that you love with all your heart. That you may not talk to all the time. That you may not talk to for very long amounts of time. But when you do talk, it is as if nothing has changed. It is as if you have been together every day. They are the people that you say, "See you so very soon" and you know that it's true. That you'll do your absolute best to make it true.
I love these people. I was ridiculously lucky to be blessed with such a great group of friends.
So friends, we had some amazing times. See you so very soon.
Oregon Trail style. Shame that someone always dies on that game. Kary was chosen to be the unfortunate.
Bye Annichka..Slow loris style. Love.
Oh Amando, you just made me both laugh and cry.
ReplyDeleteAnd I had totally forgotten the Ukrainian mafia, hahaha.