I sit on the tarmac waiting for Air France flight 8663 to take off for the first leg of my long journey home while listening to the toddler in the seat behind me screaming at decibels I didn't think humans were capable of, and I reflect upon the life-changing experience the last five months have been to me. I find it difficult, if not impossible, to synthesize it all into mere words. The Birmingham sky into which I take off is Colorado blue, the baby is still screaming, and the words will not come. I think the passion I feel for my beloved England, the affection for unforgettable new friends, and the gratitude for the lovely travel opportunities and day-to-day life in another culture will just have to live in my heart. Much better there than on the page. Besides, the tears are beginning to come.
My dear friend, Sherry Dorman, arrived during the last week of school which was absorbed in Christmas preparations. There was the Christmas "do" for the staff at a lovely restaurant with a wonderful three-course dinner, Christmas cracker popping, dancing, and everyone dressed to the nines. Lovely. Then there was a two-hour staff lunch at school, the teachers lounge table set in linens and candles and more Christmas crackers. Lovely times two. I was chatting with one of the invited guests, a jolly older gentleman who is a priest from a neighboring parish who was talking about how he liked to brew on the weekends. I thought he meant brewing tea or coffee, but what he was talking about was beer! When I asked him if that was his hobby, he responded, "It's more a religion." Who would've thunk! Then, Carol entertained us with her yearly rendition of her imitation of British comedienne Victoria Wood's My Name is Pam, substituting names of staff members and recounting events of the past year in her lyrics. Victoria Wood is very funny (You-Tube her), but Carol is funnier!
The best part of the week was when four year-five girls walked up to me when I was on the playground and just sort of stood there in front of me, all smiles and giggles. When I asked them what they were up to, they responded, "We just think you're so cool because you're American!" Now, that's cool! :)
On Wednesday after the carol service in the church, I took my class around to other classrooms to perform some Readers Theatre scripts they had been working on, and then the classroom parties were on Thursday and the kids were allowed to come to school out of uniform. The day before I had given them their Steele tee shirts for their Christmas presents (the ones that I shipped in August and didn't receive until October!), and much to my delight, most of them showed up on Thursday wearing their Steele shirts! The party lasted all afternoon. Imagine how much food there was with 30 children each bringing something to share. There was lots of sugar and lots of yummy English delicacies (but, curiously, not a candy cane in sight). I think it's safe to say I gained three pounds in one afternoon, dog gone it! Wasn't my fault--it was just part of the cultural experience I was to be, um, experiencing. Eileen and the kids taught me a game called "Pass the Parcel" (must be English because I'd never heard of it), and I taught them "Heads Up, Seven Up"). Friday was a half-day marked by the arrival of Santa in the hall where the children all received their gifts from Father Christmas and then danced. When we got back to the classroom I challenged the children to demonstrate their best American accent. Some of them had a pretty good Texas twang. Not sure where they learned that, but there you go! As the afternoon wore on, there were tears all around--mine and theirs--and lots of hugs. I will miss all 30 of them and at the same time, look forward to meeting my "new" class at Steele whom I am certain will miss Ms. Barrows terribly. The chocolate pence coins I had bought to give to them I unfortunately had to bin at the airport because my luggage was way over their weight limit (blame it on the Christmas presents), and after humiliatingly shuffling stuff from suitcase to suitcase in an attempt to avoid the extortion fee (yeah, I said it), there was just no room for the heavy chocolates. Sorry, Steele second-graders! (Merry Christmas, airport workers.)
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| Couldn't resist being a wee bit naughty. |
Friday afternoon right after school, Sherry and I caught the train to London. With only two nights in London and two nights in Edinburgh, I told Sherry we'd pretty much have to prioritize: shopping or sightseeing. I'll let the reader speculate about which one we did more of. We went to the theatre Friday night and saw Blood Brothers (the London theatre scene rivals NYC). On Saturday we took a hop-on-hop-off bus tour (highly recommend), and I told Sherry that she couldn't be in London and not experience Harrods. Harrods is an old, iconic mega department store that is so shi shi you can buy 24 k gold TEA, and the restroom lady (don't know the official job title) actually walks through the bathroom spritzing the toilet stalls with perfume! We strolled around Buckingham Palace, had a look at the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, and did a little damage to our budgets at Covent Garden with its awesome shops and street markets.
Wednesday was packing day (a bit longer process for five months worth) and one more outing with my dear friend Eileen before our flights back home (Colorado for me, Nebraska for Sherry) on Thursday. (Or, as it turned out for me, Friday.)
I will miss England terribly, and it is painful to leave behind new-found friends. I am just filled with gratitude for having been given this opportunity, and for what I've learned about myself and the world around me, and for what I've unlearned about myself and the world around me. England, Ireland, Wales, Italy, Scotland, and teaching in a British Catholic school. Man, what a ride! But as Eileen says, it's not goodbye--it's ta ra . . . for now.
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