No Me Digas Adiós

The wonderful people who I've met along the way have signed my flag.
Unfortunately, when you're the photographer you can't be in the picture as well.

This past weekend was our final AFS Orientation for the Valencia chapter. After volunteering in the states and going to the orientations throughout the year, it's crazy to think time has gone by so fast. To think that it was our final orientation is rather...sad. The orientation was great, but it's just sad to know it was our last time together before we leave in just a matter of days.

There were only six of us who are currently on exchange, but about twenty or so more future AFSers were there too. Students who will be leaving this year came for their orientation. Many are just going for two months this summer (New Zealand has opposite school times) but there were a few going on a year exchange departing late summer. Talking to them reminded us how we were, just over ten months ago. The questions, fears, thoughts, etc.



AFSers of "today and tomorrow."



Even though so many new students were brought in, everyone got along really well. It was fun talking to them about exchange- the huge thing we all have in common. Starting conversation wasn't a problem, and by the end of the day we were all chatting as if we had known each other longer.



Our hostel- right on the beach. You can see the "dining room."



Of all the orientations I've been to, seen, or worked at- this was the prettiest location yet. Not only was the place super clean, but our hostel was right next to the beach. Absolutely amazing.

There's a game we played in New York before we headed out on our adventure. It seems to vary in name- but it goes more or less like this. There's two groups. The objective is for one group (A) to teach the other (B) that "changes are not right or wrong, but just different. And you can't judge when you don't understand"

The volunteers and current exchangers dressed up in quite...interesting costumes fulfilled with equally interesting makeup. We turned our meeting room into a "different, peaceful world." In this "new world", people live differently. They have their own language, and customs.

We set up "our world" as follows:

All girls have to sit on the floor without shoes.

All boys have to sit in chairs with shoes.

Our "language":

The equivalent to "yes" was mumbling "hmmhmmhmm" while shaking your head left to right.

The equivalent to "no" was "Shhhhhhh".

Everything else?- "Bluubluubluubluu"

So let's back up. The future AFSers (Group B) are told that they have free time while us volunteers and current exchange students (Group A) "secretly" changes the meeting room into this new place. We turned the lights off, lit candles, dressed up, put on make-up, and had the chairs in a circle. The group B knew nothing of what was going on during this time. We told them before hand to be at the meeting room at 9:20. They thought we were just in orientation.

Group B enters the meeting room. We are not allowed to talk to them minues the three options mentioned above. You can imagine how confused they were.

We had to sit the kids accordinly, with or without shoes, using our language. They were confused. Remember our "yes" is hmmm-ing while shaking your head in the "no" direction. Other things that were different was the greeting, and that boys were not allowed to touch their food, therefore had to be fed by the girls (the 'queen').

Afterwards we explained everything. We reviewed thoughts as group B tried to guess what the reason and rhyme was behind all of this. Women on the floor without shoes? Makes them below men, right?

Wrong.

Women in this case are considered to be "pure" and it is a priveledge to be able to have contact with the ground. This explains why they can touch food.

It's all exagerated of course. But the point was that there are differences you might not understand. And for this, you may not judge.

It was like "de ja vu" of New York. We played the same game in Madrid at our first orientation. Other things include writing our last "letter to selves." In the first orientation back in October, we wrote letters to read at the end of our exchange. This last orientation, we wrote letters to ourselves that they will send to us in a few months.

During the orientation, we talked about how when we go back home, is the time we will find out how much we have changed. That right now we still don't know.

I've changed, and I'm not back home yet. This continues to describe the "life changing experience" that we have just completed. It continues, even when we get back home.



View out our room from the hostel. This is one of the only times
I can say that I woke up, and the first thing I saw was a palm tree.



Again, the weekend flew. I don't remember any other weekend during this whole year that went by so fast.

But there was a stopping moment for me. A point that it hit me- We are going home, and life is moving on. The world doesn't stop time at all.

The parents that came of the students had a meeting. In this meeting of course- just like we do back in the states, profiles next year's AFSers are available to read. I walked in to get my bag, and there on the board were some of next year's kids.

Their name, what they like to do, how old they are, where they're from.

That was me once.

 

I remember reading them at orientations in the states. But now? It's like the icing on the top. This year has finished, and there's another yet to come. Incredible.

So that was our weekend. Another point on the timeline. Another event checked off the to-do list. And we are left not knowing what to think.

Has the year really gone this fast?

No me digas adiós. Don't tell me good-bye.

-mb