Graduation & Goodbyes – Dela Frijoles

I cried today. I’m pretty good at keeping my emotions under wraps, but for some reason when it comes to goodbye’s I often loose it. In fact, B-Rod and I discovered how we can make goodbyes easier on ourselves whenever we are separated. When I started this trip and flew out of Medicine Hat, we weren’t paying attention to the time and I cut it very close to getting to the airport in time for my flight. I was pretty much able to check in and then I had to go straight through security. There wasn’t a lot of time for crying! Not having enough time to think of goodbye seems to be the key for me!

Today, Joy and Danielle left for Puerto Princessa. They will spend a couple days there together, then head to Manila where Danielle flies back to the UK, and Joy will fly to Malaysia on her way to Australia for a short time, then on to New Zealand, and then wherever her heart tells her to go next. It’s been great hanging out with them and doing this course with them, and though the next month will also be good (there is a couple arriving from Malaysia today to join the course), it will be different. I will really miss my buddies!

So, I spent yesterday with them (which unfortunately was really crap weather) and this morning while they waited for the bus. The day after my birthday was graduation day . . . . well, graduation for the 2 of them, the rest of us haven’t actually done our full teaching practicum yet! But, we got to enjoy the benefits of graduation day. We had a short yoga day, spent lots of time on the beach, then David arranged a dinner for all of us here at Deep Gold. We were also going to have another dance party, but everyone was tired from the night before, and dinner wasn’t actually served until quite a but later, so it was more just sitting around, chilling and talking. It was a nice mellow evening.

It’s funny to think that I still have a month here. The last few days Danielle and Joy have been making their arrangements and have been talking about leaving, so I guess I’ve just been surrounded by that energy of moving on while knowing that I’ll still be here. It’s been a little strange. I guess it’s just a new adventure to see what’s up next for me and this course! It will be interesting.

Setting up for graduation dinner.

Dinner didn’t actually get started until quite a bit later.

Paolo seemed to have disappeared by this point.

The two official graduates.

The spot in the middle is Danielle’s spot, but someone had to take the picture. We had a habit going of sitting on the beach around sunset, sometimes having a beer and enjoying …

… this!!

Enjoying their last meal at “cheap place” where we often go for vegetables and rice for 40 pesos (just over a buck!)

Farewell yogi friends. Enjoy your next adventures!