Oh Dear.

This is Officer Rania reporting for blog duty.

I guess I haven't said anything here yet, but today I had to begin my stateside goodbyes, so New Zealand is becoming realer by the minute.

I had my last day of work at the Friends School of Portland and they threw me a little surprise party (mind you I'm a substitute teacher, nothing major). But I almost cried as the kids brought me the shirt they all signed and pointed out where they doodled and wrote endearingly mispelled messages wishing me "luke." Then they sent me down to the staff meeting, where I was to eat food. The gym teacher drew me a wonderfully helpful map of the newest of the zealands (who needs GPS?) And all the teachers made a card. I was not ready to say goodbye, but I guess it's a good thing they made me start the process.

I came home and tried to fit everything in my pack because if I'm saying goodbye, I better be actually going somewhere. Pants and sweaters and shoes take up a surprising amount of room. It looks so big empty, but fills up fast. I don't know how I'm going to get it all over the big blue wet thing. Good thing Catherine (my bag) and I have two weeks left to work this out.