A Hard Goodbye

For those of us who work at international schools, goodbyes are a normal part of the end of the school year, as students, families and colleagues pack up and move on to their next adventure.

This year, I am the one who is moving on to a new adventure and as such, have spent the past few weeks saying goodbyes.

This year, one goodbye in particular was especially difficult… the goodbye to my team.

I’ve written before about how I am not a natural collaborator, but these past two years I’ve experienced first hand the difference between going fast alone, or going far together. And it has changed me as an educator and a person. I can no longer remember what it feels like to be “in it” alone, nor do I want to.

So, to my very special team, I would like to say thank you…

Thank you for accepting me for who I am, flaws and all.

Thank you for leaving me alone on Monday mornings and not sitting with me at lunch on days when I have no preps.

Thank you for helping me see and understand my “blind self”.

Thank you for challenging me, disagreeing with me and making me think.

Thank you for seeing and treating my students as your students.

Thank you for picking me up when I was down; helping me fix my mistakes, solve my problems and not get stuck in my failures.

Thank you catching me up on what was on the morning memo, what time the assembly starts or what special event was coming up.

Thank you for keeping me balanced, fed and hydrated.

Thank you for showing me how much better life is without shoes.

Thank you for indulging all the selfies, chroming all the photos and agreeing to the flash mob.

Thank you for ALL the amazing renditions and remixes of “Baby Shark”.

Thank you for taking my phone hostage, making me get in the pool and all the unwanted (secretly wanted) hugs.

Thank you for teaching me what a true community feels like and how rich authentic collaboration can be. Lessons I will definitely take with me to my next post.

It’s been a slice 😉