A (very) tearful goodbye.

There have been SO many times over the last year that I have stopped dead in my tracks in awe of how utterly and completely blessed I am.

Let's just stop there for a minute.

ok.

One of the most incredible blessings this year has been the fact that I was placed in this little town in the middle of nowhere South Africa with 3 of the most fantastic other people in the world.

The other Ambassadorial scholars have literally become my family in this country. We all came to South Africa with absolutely no intention of meeting other Americans, but... we all just fell hopelessly in love with each other, and it would be hard not to - these people would be amazing ANYWHERE in the world, in ANY context. Which, I assume, is why they were all chosen in the first place.

All of that aside, I. love. them.

Now - on to the tears.

Last week, Rosa went home. It was one of the most heartbreaking days of my time here. Rosa has been my constant companion this year, and from the very first time that we met when she took the bus to Cape Town (while I was still there taking Xhosa lessons) I knew she would be a friend for life. Together, we shared WAY more than our fair share of adventures, including a phenomenal backpacking trip (all planned on the plane ride there) through Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. We also helped each other survive this year - we analyzed our little lives to death, talked of loves and trials, and endless hilarious and embarrassing stories. In short - we lived this amazing year together, and her departure was my first dose of reality that it is almost all over.

Our goodbye was probably hysterical (or painful) to watch - we sobbed like little babies for what seemed like hours - so hard, in fact, that my face was puffy for three straight days.

I miss her endlessly, but I also know that we will be friends until we are old and feeble, and will always have a spectacular wealth of memories together. Love you Rosa.

Here are some pictures from the last day or so that Rosa was here: