A new life begins for me on the 1st of March. I’m going to stop all my hundreds of classes here and there and teach full-time in a school.
Last evening, the girls from one of my classes gave me a surprise farewell party that was truly heart-warming. Thanks to their excited whispered planning, there was no element of surprise, but that took nothing away from the celebration.
“A party,” the girls insisted, “must have cake and cold-drinks and chips.” The mothers apparently tried to convince the girls that they were too close to dinnertime to have snacks like that, but the girls were adamant. A party is not a party without cake and cold drinks and chips.
I tend to agree with that, at least with the cake and chips. Part I of the party was successful.
I always tell the girls that beautiful dance is the best possible gift they can give me.
They practised all afternoon yesterday and last Thursday so that they could put up Alarippu for me. They practised together, organising practice time by themselves because, of course, it was a surprise.
Part II of the party was successful.
On Valentine’s Day, the children gave me beautiful flowers plucked from the bushes outside the classroom. I said my grateful ‘thank you’, but asked them not to pluck flowers for me. I love flowers on the branches. “The moment you pluck them, they just begin to die,” I said, a little sadly. They apologised guiltily.
When they walked into the room with flowers once again, I did not know how to react.
“We made them for you!” said one girl, excitedly.
“Made them?” I asked, surprised.
They gave me the flowers. They had made for me three beautiful flowers, using wire, cotton and paper.
“Because you told us not to pluck,” said one.
“These won’t die,” said another.
I smiled and closed my eyes as I said my ‘thank you’.
Part III of their party was successful – and part III was really a surprise.
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