How to say goodbye...

Only four more days and it’s time to say farewell to Cape Town, the city that I’ve been calling home for the last seven months. Only five more days and I’m back in the country that I’ve been calling home for the last 24 years and to the place that is supposedly my ‘home’.

‘Home is where the heart is.’

If this is true, then it means that I’ve got a lot of homes. I’ve been blessed to have travelled around the world. During these journeys I’ve met a lot of people who have conquered a place in my heart. My journey here in Cape Town has made my heart captured a whole bunch of people who I will miss a lot in four days from now.

Saying goodbye has always been the downside of journeys. But my ‘travel experience’ has also taught me to be realistic about it. The fact that saying goodbye is so difficult also means that I’ve made a true connection with the people in Cape Town. Truth of the matter is that I will never see most of the people again, but the connection will always be there. It is just heavy on my heart at the moment, but once I’m back in the Netherlands things will turn back to ‘normal’ soon. I’ll still be missing moments that I’ve once shared with people in South Africa, but life goes on and I will find myself arranging a new journey.

I stayed over at Rolf and Lizzie’s house last Friday so that I can spend some time with their daughter Tenille. It was so much fun! Tenille is a cute and crazy girl. I love the Weichardt’s; they have such a big heart for people, ministry and YFC. They have accepted me in to their family and it has truly meant a lot to me.

I mentioned in my last blog that I’ve said goodbye to Kylemore… well, I had to go back there twice this week to pick up Meno and Hadley for dance practise. On Monday evening Gabe and I were driving back from Kylemore over the N1. When you on this road, you can see the city lights clearly. I just realised at that moment that I TRULY LOVE Cape Town. It’s such a beautiful city and I’m going to miss it so much.

I’ve started writing letters and wrapping gifts for the people. It’s one of those things I just need to get through. It’s no fun to saying goodbye already (on paper), but giving the gifts and letters will be so rewarding.

I’ve also started to say goodbye this week… the farm kids and the people that I’ve gotten to know from His People. The His People people ;-) came over to the house last night. They wanted to hang out one more time before I left. It was so much fun! The only good thing out of the whole xenophobia thing is that I gotten to know them.

I haven’t managed to get much sleep this last week (what else is new, I know). Tons of thoughts kept on running through my mind. I’m pretty tired, but that’s more then okay. My last four days will be hectic, but also great.
I’m going out for lunch with Lizzie today, later on I’m headed to Bel Har to hang out with the people there and I’m going out with Claudine and Adwine. They will stay over in Blouberg tonight (or is it early morning?).
Tomorrow I’ll hang out with Jason, who has made me another sweet and embarrassing video, and in the evening Mumba and Lindsay will come to hang out with us as well.
Sunday is reserved for Kaleidoscope and I’m having lunch at Mumba and Lindsay’s afterwards. The evening is all planned for my little brother Gabe. We will go out for dinner one last time.
Monday is going to be crazy hectic; saying goodbye at Vissershok in the morning. Go back to the office and have my ‘exit-meeting’ with Emelio and saying goodbye to the office (and probably Rosa as well). Then I’m taking two of the SOS kids to MacDonald’s because they have been helping me so well with my programme. Afterwards we’re headed back to the village to do my last programme and then I have to say goodbye to the SOS kids. This probably won't be easy, but it needs to happen. After these goodbye's we’re all having dinner at Rolf’s house. This will be my last gathering with my YFC family. It’s kind of bittersweet, I don’t want to say goodbye, but I’m looking forward to give everybody their presents and letters.
And Tuesday… well I need to pack my stuff and go to the airport and find a way to say my final goodbye…

Lots of love,
Bao-Nhi