On February 29th, I got up earlier than usual to give myself extra time to wrap the new sari I bought especially for my last day of school. As I was wrapping and then rewrapping and then rewrapping again the 9 yards of silk, I found myself somewhat dreading the day that lay before me. Goodbyes are never easy and when you have taught 480 students over the course of seven months, students who had fought for your attention every one of those days, it's goodbyes to the extreme. Adding to that goodbyes to the teachers with whom I had become very close and who supported me every step of the way, well, let's just say my emotional cup overfloweth. Once I arrived, I was taken aback and very humbled by the
reception I received as after morning assembly, my students gave me a send-off I'll never forget: three dances performed beautifully by girls in classes 7 and 8; a heartfelt poem and reading; a skit titled
A Day in the Life of Pamela Mam that concluded with all of class 8 singing
Christmas is Coming, a song I taught them in December; and a rendition of
Leaving on a Jetplane that brought tears to my eyes. Afterwards, I couldn't walk the halls without being swarmed by students with cards, gifts, kind words, and songs. Even a group of girls from class 9, a class I never taught, gave me a card to wish me well. It was a hurricane of activity and then, at 11:15, the bell rang, the students lined up, and left the school for home. Then. Silence.
I went back to the staff room where I was able to gather my thoughts a little before the next wave of send-offs began. You see, in addition to the students, the teachers had been working on performances of their own. Simply spending time with these teachers and friends, to see them laughing, to have them attempt to teach me some dance moves, was more special to me than the actual, programmed send-off. Their support and friendship meant so much to me over the seven months I taught at the school so to see them devoting so much time to me, yet again, was truly humbling.
On February 29th, I got up earlier than usual to give myself extra time to wrap the new sari I bought especially for my last day of school. As I was wrapping and then rewrapping and then rewrapping again the 9 yards of silk, I found myself somewhat dreading the day that lay before me. Goodbyes are never easy and when you have taught 480 students over the course of seven months, students who had fought for your attention every one of those days, it's goodbyes to the extreme. Adding to that goodbyes to the teachers with whom I had become very close and who supported me every step of the way, well, let's just say my emotional cup overfloweth. Once I arrived, I was taken aback and very humbled by the
reception I received as after morning assembly, my students gave me a send-off I'll never forget: three dances performed beautifully by girls in classes 7 and 8; a heartfelt poem and reading; a skit titled A Day in the Life of Pamela Mam that concluded with all of class 8 singing Christmas is Coming, a song I taught them in December; and a rendition of Leaving on a Jetplane that brought tears to my eyes. Afterwards, I couldn't walk the halls without being swarmed by students with cards, gifts, kind words, and songs. Even a group of girls from class 9, a class I never taught, gave me a card to wish me well. It was a hurricane of activity and then, at 11:15, the bell rang, the students lined up, and left the school for home. Then. Silence. 
I went back to the staff room where I was able to gather my thoughts a little before the next wave of send-offs began. You see, in addition to the students, the teachers had been working on performances of their own. Simply spending time with these teachers and friends, to see them laughing, to have them attempt to teach me some dance moves, was more special to me than the actual, programmed send-off. Their support and friendship meant so much to me over the seven months I taught at the school so to see them devoting so much time to me, yet again, was truly humbling.
