Week 21 Personal

I cannot believe that I am in Cullyhanna writing my final Erasmus blog entry and to be honest I am an emotional wreck.  I think this last blog entry has taken the longest time to write because every time I think about the past week I either laugh because of the funny memories or cry because of the emotional goodbyes (how I hate this word).

This week was packed with numerous parties and it all began on Saturday night when we decided to have a pool party, these parties continued until Tuesday night until it hit us that our leaving ceremony was the next day. 

Leaving ceremony

For the leaving ceremony each group had to make a presentation about their time in The Netherlands.  Some groups created videos, others had made up a song and my group showed some “interesting” pictures and told the stories behind these pictures.  I was amazed to see how much we had accomplished during our time here and the memories we had made but at the same time my stomach was turning because these videos meant that goodbyes were coming soon.    Another part of the leaving ceremony was when we were getting our certificates a member of our group had to say a speech about us.  This was a great way of getting to hear how everyone felt about each other and I will never forget my speech said by my Finnish friend Mikael and I don’t think anyone else will. 

Our meal together

After the speeches we had a meal where each country had prepared their own dish.  As I looked around the table my eyes rested on my two Belgium flatmates (Bryan and Deborah) who were leaving that day.  I had done a good job of holding back the tears until they both gave me a hug which set me off.  However I know we will meet again and our adventures together will continue. 

We returned back to Vossenveld and attending a birthday party where we had to say goodbye to a lot of people leaving early the next morning.  One of the hardest goodbyes was leaving the two Irish girls, even

Not wanting to say goodbye

though I know I will see them again I felt like I had lost a limb when they left.  Thursday was a terrible day,
some of our closest friends had gone and we still had to say goodbye to more leaving that day.  We went up to flat 8 where we had to say goodbye to Mikael and Olli.  When it came to my turn to hug them goodbye I couldn’t even speak because I felt the tears coming but I know that I will see them again someday. 

After this my whole evening was spent trying to pack 5 months of my life into a suitcase and talking with the remainder of the group.  One minute we would all be laughing and then the next it would be complete silence.  It got to the stage that the silence was the upsetting that the conversation turned to talking about our friend Arttu’s toes.  Eventually the time came to go to bed and final hugs and goodbyes were said, however there was two people I did not say goodbye to that night, our American friend Beth and our Basque friend Ane because they had planned to get up early the next morning to take us to the bus station and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them yet.

Reminiscing about stories 

When I woke on Friday morning I was feeling ok until I heard Beth and Ane and then I knew that this was it. When walking towards the door of Vossenveld I realised I had to turn and say goodbye to two of my closest friends.  The tears began and they did not stop.  However I know that I will see these two girls again because there are plans of them coming to visit within the next year. 

We eventually touched down in Belfast where I experienced something I never thought of, saying goodbye to Sarah and Darren.  When thinking about saying goodbye to everyone I never once thought that I would eventually have to say goodbye to them.  We went over as friends but came home as family and I can’t thank them enough for having this experience with me.

Erasmus was the most amazing experience and it is something that will remain part of me forever.  I will never forget all the wonderful people I have met during my five months and I am so glad that Facebook was invented because it makes staying in touch so much easier.  When you come home from Erasmus you find yourself talking non-stop about it and it is so hard to describe how you feel.  There is a sense of joy because you get to see all your family and friends again but sadness when you think that it might be a long time before you meet your Erasmus friends again.

I know that I am way over the word limit for this week’s blog but there is so much to say and not enough words to say it.   So to finish I will just say Erasmus 2013 you have been an amazing group of people and not only have I made friends but I have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.  

Erasmus 2013