Goodbye, Aishalton

We pulled away from Aishalton Monday morning at 6:34am.

Not to leave for a few days to pick up our paycheck, and not for a few weeks for a Peace Corps Conference or to head to Brazil for Carnival.

We didn't have to make sure that our neighbor had the cat and dog food. Or that we locked up the house.

We carried everything we needed: a few clothes, lots of stuff to give back to Peace Corps, a beautiful, hand-spun and hand-woven local hammock, lots of local necklaces, and some baskets.

We piled into a truck and drove around the village to give out last-minute gifts and goodbyes. Goodbye to Aunt Leonie, who was one of my best friends but too sick to come to our farewell party. I didn't have much to give her, but I placed my prettiest straw hat on her head and got the prettiest smile in return. Then our smiles faded into tears. I gave Miss Clara my yoga mat and pilates DVD, because she came to every exercise class I've had since last June. She told me she hadn't gotten head aches after we started exercise. We gave away our dog to my Desiree, and her rowdy, rambunctious boys. "You have to rub her belly like this" Chris advised them. For the rest of the day, there were 4 little boys chasing Kanaimu around, trying to 'itch' her belly. Goodbye to Nurse Bertha, Aishalton's tiniest adult with the loudest voice, whose vibrancy could rejuvenate your dullest days. Raul and Ashley, our neighbors who hid inside, not sure of how to say goodbye to their white neighbors. So many goodbyes. Goodbyes are certainly the downside to having lots of different experiences in life.

Finally we pulled away. A few goodbyes along the road, in other villages, in Lethem. But nothing like saying goodbye to Aishalton, our home for two years.

I still can't believe that I am not going back in a few weeks.