Saying Goodbye to TawaFall

We said goodbye to our homestay families this past Tuesday. It was hard – I feel like I actually connected with my sisters, nephew, and older brothers. I say “actually” because I could see myself being skeptical of someone saying they’ve bonded with a family when they’ve only lived with them for 2 months and couldn’t speak the language well at all for the vast majority of it. But I have really bonded with them – and with the family members of the other trainees in TawaFall (TF) as well as a few other people, like several of the guys I’ve played soccer with a lot. As hard as it was to say goodbye, I know I will be able to come back in just a few months when we all return to Thiès for our In-Service Training (IST) at the end of January.

One of the many beautiful sunsets in TawaFall.

Even harder, though, will be saying goodbye to Cora and Teresa. I’m not saying goodbye to them for as long as my family in TF, but we definitely won’t be seeing each other every day like we did in TF. At least we can call and text each other, and we’re all within a bike ride from each other, so we can go see each other that way, too. AND with every goodbye comes a new hello – and that hello will be with my new home for two years: Kaymore! :)

A view of our garden from the top of the water tower (they’re not as tall/big as ones in the States), which Cora, Teresa, and I each climbed up on our last evening in TF.

Cora, Me, and Teresa around the sign for TawaFall! (with our gardening tools, too, though they’re somewhat hidden…)