After the conference Eric and Carol swept me back to Medford for the last day of our GSE trip together as a team. I am the lucky sod that gets to go up to Portland for a week after the trip but that meant I had to say an early goodbye to Melissa. Liesl, Olivier and Ine as well as our wonderful, marvelous, kind, funny, silly Medford hosts.
Lisa and Sam went all out and threw us a barbecue farewell with pressies and all sorts. I was so happy to spend a little time with everyone but it was very difficult - knowing that this was the last I am going to see of them for a while. It was especially difficult saying goodbye to four people that I had spent an entire month with. We could not have been a better team - not even one argument between us!
My Frenchie, my graceful teamleader, my Guya-Bajan sister and Melissa - my pocket sized Trini - I will be friends with you the rest of my life. Thank you Sam for our lovely talk by the river - which postponed the inevitable tears (All Melissa's fault).
We ate, we drank, we made merry and in the morning Ken and Greg swapped me for Olivier and Ken and I had a five hour natter from Medford to Eugene (with a wee shoe shopping trip as Ken is also obsessed with shoes!).
Of course there has to be a little drama at the end. After a prefect record of travelling thousands of miles all over California and Oregon, my team sans me missed their flight to Los Angeles. But that is their story which you should follow on their blogs.
To my team - see you all June 19th! (Just kidding Frenchie)
To my hosts - see you next winter in Barbados (and I am NOT kidding)
I cannot express how giving and dedicated our District 5110 hosts have been. The most important thing I will take away from this is the confidence and faith that they have in us - the joy that they said we imparted into their lives. I have truly made a difference in a few lives, and each Rotarian has made a difference in mine.
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