the first goodbyes

Yesterday, we said what felt like lots of goodbyes.

We said goodbye to our little branch in Lilongwe. It was harder than I thought it would be. Three of us, including myself, have given talks here, and it kind of feels like home in a way. The YSA class that we were a part of has been so wonderful as well, and I think that they were just as sad as we were that this was our last Sunday. It was really touching.

Then we drove back to Korea Garden Lodge, where Kevin, the driver, dropped us off. And that’s when we said goodbye to Nicolle and Camille, the two PEAT interns, who are going to continue doing work at SAFI this week as opposed to go gallivanting in Zambia. What diligent souls. Anyways, they’re wonderful, and saying goodbye was just a tiny bit surreal. Oh, parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when you’re all going back to BYU.

I don’t want to get all weirdly sentimental [please ignore the fact that sentimentality has been permanently etched all over many a past blogpost—it’s fine]. It’s just weird because this is the first time that the fact that this program is almost over has felt real. That’s all I’m saying.

Despite my growing excitement to return to the United States and see friends and family, I can honestly say that I have come to love Malawi and the people here.

And I’m glad that we’ve still got two and a half weeks to finish saying the rest of our goodbyes.