Saying Goodbye

This trip has truly been eye opening. I have had an absolutely terrific time with these kids and the people here as well. Everyone here is beyond nice and everyone truly is interested in how you are doing and making sure you are enjoying your time here in Ghana. Greetings are a must! It would be rude to start a conversation without first saying “You are welcome” or “Good afternoon”. People here barely make what seems like enough to live off of, but no one ever complains or seems unhappy; everyone is content and makes it through each day with a smile on their face. Having worked in a daycare setting for the last few years I was amazed and humbled by the gentleness and sweetness of the children at Happy Kids Orphanage. All of the children love one another and look to help out in any way possible, they never ask for anything and are willing to help their elders in any situation. As soon as we arrive each day they bring over a plastic chair for each of us to sit down in, smile, and say “please sit”. We brought something for the kids quite often and even though they did start to expect things, they still never grabbed for our bags or asked for anything, they just looked super happy when our purses looked like they were more full than normal. It is going to be extremely hard for me to adjust to the children back home. The kids at Happy Kids never argued, made fun of one another, argued over who got what (they shared two crackers between 6 kids), the boys even wore rhinestone shirts and pink flip flops without batting an eye or thinking twice; Stepping Stone will be hard to get used to.  

Some sayings I will leave with:

1.       “YooooOO”

2.       “I am coming”

3.       “You are welcome”

4.       “I am not old to die”   

5.       “Excuse me teacher can I go urinate”

6.       “Hey Charlie”

The kids moods have changed in our last few days, some of them cry every once in a while and other just look glum and say “I am fine” until you ask them if they are sad and they say “please don’t leave”. It is comforting knowing the people they are with are truly loving and caring for each and every kid. It would be much difficult to leave an orphanage that was not caring to the children as most here in Ghana are not. I also know that they have many other volunteers that will visit this year that will bring them all smiles. One of the hardest things I have tried to master in my belief system in being present in my emotions and allowing myself to feel them rather than push them away. Doing this will help me to feel comfortable in not wanting to leave, and missing each child, but will make it less stressful. It’s been working so far but tomorrow when we say goodbye it will be hard.

Thursday: Our flight leaves at 10:00pm so we are going to have to leave for the airport around 2pm. We went to the orphanage this morning to play for a few hours and say goodbye. The kids were moving a little slower today knowing it was our last play time with them before we left for America. We brought them a bunch of ice pops, clothes we are leaving behind and all our flip flops we brought with us. The kids in my class are sad but too young to really express their thoughts so they just hang on me with sad faces and talk quick and softly, I left my e-mail and Facebook information with the teacher and told all the kids they can message me any and every day if they want, they just have to tell a teacher and they will get it to me. We all stayed together; young, old, teacher, kid, orphan, student. We all sat together and played soccer or read books on a sheet in the field. When it was time to leave they all gave us big squeezes, I held in a few tears, and tickled the little ones bellies to get a final laugh out of them. A lot of them started crying which made it harder. I went to hug these two older boys; Nelson and Bright and I saw their eyes well up and they started to ball... I lost it. After the boys I had to say by to prince and Emanuel from my class which was just as hard and then I went to hug the girls who act like little mothers already to the younger ones and were crying and hiding their face before I could even get to them. It was a sad, sad time, the teachers, the kids, all of us were distraught and it took forever to get into the cab and drive away. They opened our car doors for us, closed them and put their hands to the window for a final wave goodbye. I will never forget their faces as the cab drove away… NEVER. 

The teachers gave us each two necklaces as parting gifts, told us we must work hard and get back. All the kids wrote us letters and put them in an envelope with our names; I don’t know when I will be able to read them but I am sure they will not be easy to read.

I have learned a lot about myself during this trip. I also have a better idea of what I came into and what I am leaving. I think, if I was to come back, there are things I would do different now having been here. Going back home and adjusting to my daily life will be difficult and probably harder to adjust to than it was to adjust here.

I have experienced people and children who are truly happy with having only what they have and seeking nothing more. They strive to make their loved ones happy, their elders cared for, and their main goal each day is to wake up and enjoy every minute of every day with what they have and nothing more. Superficiality does not exist and wanting for more is not a concept they understand. I will bring this life style home with me and hope that it stays present; I have friends and family that I love, good people to surround myself with, and everything I need to be happy in life, there is nothing more to ask for. I have loved every second I have spent with these children, I believe I taught them all something and feel they have taught me as well.

<3 Good Thoughts and Much Love

Hohoe/Wegbe Ghana: May 16-June 21, 2012