Ya me voy

This is Alissa, reporting one last time from the OYE office as I finish my time as a volunteer here in Honduras. My two months in Honduras have flown by and in a few hours I'll be flying away.

Yesterday was the day of my despedidas (going away parties). The first was with my knitting group in Los Laureles. They talked with Erin about how the knitting project will continue once I leave (Yes, they are going to continue my project!) and then we commenced the celebration with cake. There were about 30 people there -- pretty much everyone who had come at one time or another to the knitting classes. Many of the kids gave me hand made cards that were incredibly sweet and which I will treasure. They asked me not to forget them, and I assured them that it would be impossible to forget them and the time we spent together. Finally, we presented the manta that we made my attaching squares knitted by the group. It is not hanging on the wall in the room where we worked as a group memory. It has been such a special experience for me there teaching something I love and developing relationships with the students in the process. And I am so thrilled that the project will be continuing under the supervision of Erin at OYE and Amparo, the teacher at the center in Los Laureles.

My next despedida was with my friends for dinner at Las Tejas, the same restaurant where we celebrated my arrival eight weeks ago. It was a really nice, relaxed evening in which I could enjoy the company of the group of friends I have made here who I will very much miss when I return home. We discussed how much improved my Spanish is after my two months here and how I hope to return but don't know when. While I don't know what opportunities will present themselves in the future for me to return to Honduras, but I know what whatever happens this will remain a special place for me.

It would seem appropriate now for me to write elegantly about the lessons I have learned and the experiences that have impacted me while I'm here. However, it shall have to wait. Whether that is a good or bad thing I'll leave you to decide. :) I must head out to the airport in a few minutes, and besides that, I think I'm still pondering and processing the overall experience and how it is impacting my life. What I can say decisively is that it has been an incredible experience here in Honduras and one I am so glad to have had.