Goodbyes

We’ve been on break for about 2 weeks at this point, but I’m just posting about the final few weeks of the semester. What a whirlwind! Time typically feels like it’s on fast-forward at the end and this semester was no exception. We jumped right into 2 weeks of Marine Ecology after our return from the West Coast.

I was in need of a day off, so I took Monday morning to myself. I have found that I have to get out of the house if I’m going to stop working during the semester… I got snacks at New World (the local grocery store) and read on the beach. It’s good I got that morning to slow down, because the rest of the week was full as!

In the midst of the busy week, I helped band some Pohowera (Banded Dotterel) chicks. They are so frickin’ cute! I’m so thankful for that opportunity. My task was to hold the chicks that were already banded (or waiting to be) as the trained and licensed banders did their careful work. If you don’t know, I’m a big fan of banding with my family whenever I’m home in Texas! It’s sweet to get to be a part of some bird research on the other side of the planet.

The second week of Marine was our last full week together. The abbreviated semester meant that we would do our integration week virtually after the students went home. That put a little extra pressure on the last week of classes. It’s hard to fit in all things – from computer work to cooking to spending whatever time you can with each other. We also did Dolphin Encounter (at 5:30 am but SO worth it) and wrapped up Homemaking. I did a short session on gardening. My hope is that some advice and resources on top of garden work sessions empowers them to go home and continue their food-growing journeys.

Our time on Dolphin Encounter concluded the Marine course which meant it was time for Debrief week! We didn’t have a full week for this, but utilized three evening sessions to prepare them for their journey home. We cover topics such as remembering, reflecting, and returning that include activities and tools. My favorite session is Celebration night (on the final evening). Although the farewell process is hard, these are times I have come to appreciate. It isn’t often that you have such lovely rituals of celebrating a season before moving on.

On Thursday, December 8th we drove to the students to the Christchurch airport! We said goodbye to Kara first (who was staying in NZ for another week). That was the first goodbye that felt real. The final goodbyes to the rest of the students happened at the airport. It is so strange to see these dear ones that have become whanau ascend the escalator out of sight. I hope we keep in touch, but even if not… I know that we will continue to support each other from afar.

The first few days after they leave are extra empty and sad. Which makes me extra thankful for some other local friends who encouraged me to spend the weekend at their house. That helped me re-connect to people and places I love in this area and prepare for the final week of the semester, Integration week.

That week included daily zoom meetings to discuss questions that help to wrap up and integrate the semester. As a staff, we had discussions about the semester and also took care of the of Sky Hi. One of my major accomplishments was clearing out, cleaning, and organizing the pantry! I really love a tidy space, so this was a great project to close out the week. Here’s to starting the next semester refreshed and ready!

That’s it! That was a long entry. Thanks for bearing with me as I wrap up my reflections on this semester. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received throughout.