On Sunday we held a farewell party specifically for the boys' and their friends from school. We invited their individual classes to an indoor soccer arena for two hours, then ate lunch together. Unfortunately the week prior to the planned party Whitman's class was on break and at least half of Caedmon's class did not attend. All but three teaches traveled to another island for a continuing education type opportunity. So, the more rowdy kids were asked to stay home and the preschool group was put on break. We did not have addresses to mail invitations, much less names of the kids' parents. Thankfully the teachers that remained provided us with cells phone numbers for many of the parents.
On Sunday about 50 people, kids and their parents, came. The kids mostly just kicked balls around for two hours. At one point John tried to organize a small game, but it lasted only about 10 minutes. Caedmon and Whitman, along with their classmates, thoroughly enjoyed the time!
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| The girls mostly just stood around holding balls |
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| Moms taking pictures! |
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| Classmates and Friends |
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| Silly boys |
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| Two of Whitman's classmates. |
That same afternoon, we were thrown another farewell party. Last year John taught an English class for a semester at a local college. Many of his students have enrolled at the academic center in Barat to further their English abilities. These students prepared food for a small party at the beach. We ate, chatted, took pictures, and the boys and I went swimming. It was a lovely afternoon.
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| The student in the middle has become John's language helper over the last month. |
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All of the food was prepared by one student and her mom.
Then they all brought it all on their motorcycles! |
As people came to our first farewell party they brought traditional, hand woven, sarongs for us as souvenirs. We have had at least 3 other friends, who were unable to attend, stop by our house to say good bye. They also brought sarongs. The funny part is we had already bought at least 8 ourselves.
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The gifted sarongs.
The silk boxed patterned ones are traditional to this island. Where as the blue one on the far left is batik traditional to the capital city island. |
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Palm Sugar, wrapped candy, and the remaining cookie-crackers.
Clockwise from the top. |
Along with the sarongs, so far we have been gifted 5kgs of palm sugar and 8kgs of wrapped palm sugar-coconut-rice candy by neighbors. We already ate most of a package of cookie-crackers that taste like waffle cones as we didn't think they would make the trip. We are also expecting durian spread and fried shallots from other neighbors. I am often humbled by the customs and generosity of those around us here. We are not sure if it will all make it through customs, but I am so touched everyone seems to make the effort and spend the money to send us back with a piece of Barat!
