Farewell to Paraguay

I have spent the last week packing and unpacking my suitcases trying to get a quart into a pint pot and not be overweight. Finally I managed to get two cases of 31.something kgs and most of what I would need for the next few weeks into them. I was worried about my hand luggage as it was at least twice as heavy as the permitted allowance. My computer bag weighed a ton as it was packed with lots of extras.
I was racing around right up until the last minute when Alberto and the maintenace team arrived to take me to the airport. I was so honoured that all the guys came to see me off. I never had to lift or carry a thing.
On arrival at the airport there was a long queue. However, a nice young man took one look at me and my entourage and I was whisked through to check in, ahead of the queue.
My hold luggage was weighed and was spot on. The ticket lady then looked at my hand luggage so I picked up the trolley case with one finger and she did not weigh it. She told me taht the computer was permitted, but she had no idea what else was in it!
There was then a hitch because my return ticket only came back as far as Brazil so my passport was taken away to be checked for visas and work permit. I explained that I would get a bus back from Brazil so would not need a visa as I would be in transit. This was not accepted. I could not come clean because I had not handed in my Paraguayan documents (just in case!!!). However, I then told them that I would get the ticket changed in London and they were happy with that. I never told them that I would not be returning.

I went straight through to the departure lounge and was enjoying a sit down and a drink when I was paged over the tannoy. However, I knew it was not a real problem because I was called as Linn Tedman and not my full name of Linnette. I was called to security, where an offical refused to let me go back. Then I saw Sally (the Bishop's wife) and Liz (Head of secondary English) gate crashing through security to wish me farewell over a rope barrier. Liz handed me a card, which the security guard grabbed and put through the x-ray machine. There was then time for a quick hug before we parted.

I only had a two hour wait in Sao Paolo before the plane started boarding. They called section A. I was E and realised that there may be no hand luggage space left by the time I boarded, so the little grey haired old lady did her "struggling with the cases and being confused" act. I was whisked to the front and boarded with lots of help.

As I settled down a young man, Daniel, came to sit next to me. He was an interesting young English man who lives in Florianopolis (a favourite place of mine) in Brazil. We enjoyed conversation during the journey. He also helped me get may bags down at Heathrow.

I had been prepared for a long queue in Heathrow. In fact my bags came through quickly, a kind baggage handler lifted them onto a trolley for meand I walked straight through the green light. As I came through my friend arrived at the gate in perfect time. We were away within a few minutes and had a good journey back to Judith's house.

I am now a mix of emotions, missing my beloved Paraguay but excited about what the future holds here for me in UK. I have a busy few weeks ahead and need to stay focussed on one day at a time, trying not to look back too much.
It has been fun writing this blog over the past three years. I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
If you can read Spanish (at least Linnspeak Spanish you can follow my new blog on http://linntedman.blogspot.co.uk
God bless you all and thank you for your wonderful support during my mission in Paraguay. 1997-2012 (fifteen of the best years of my life!).

What a week!

I will not forget the last ten days in a hurry. Long visits to the dentist have resulted in some new crowns and consequently good teeth. Between visits I have spent hours sorting cupboards, cleaning them, the cooker, the fridge , the floors and windows as well as washing endless clothes and curtains etc.
Today I was taken out for lunch at my favourite restaurant/cafe by my good friend Sharon, whom I will miss terribly, if only for the laughter that she generates.
We had a great laugh today when she visited the bathroom. It is quite extraordinary, with a small arboretum in the shower tray and miniature bathrooms hanging on the wall as well as an art gallery of bathrooms.
Hence Sharon reached for her camera and bemused clients watched us enter the bathroom together. We then left the door open while Sharon clicked away. It was fun. We caused quite a stir.

A fishy funeral

Last night my neighbour, Hannah brought her two fish to my flat for me to feed them while she is away. I warned her that I could not guarantee that they would be alive upon her return. That was said "tongue in cheek."

Imagine my horror when I went to get a drink of water in the middle of the night and found a dead fish. I missed Hannah by about a minute this morning before she left, so at least she can enjoy her holiday to the Iguazu Falls with her brother, without grieving.

We had a wake with some Argentinean squash and then my new neighbours' kids joined me in a funeral for Ben the fish, out in the sunshine in the front garden. His coffin was a matchbox. Kind words were said over him and he was respectfully buried in a quiet corner. The children then placed a headstone, a wooden cross and beheaded one of my flowers for his grave. Children are wonderful!

Afternoon tea

It is lovely to feel loved. So many people want to take me out at the end of my stay here. Today it was the turn of a family who have been dear to my heart.

I will miss Mum, Violeta, Violeta (junior) on the right of the photo and Geri (Geraldine) on the left. We were always full of chatter. Violeta was so patient with my bad Spanish.

Rubbish

It is amazing how much clutter and rubbish one can accumulate in fifteen years. I thought that I had cleared all the rubbish a few weeks ago but now the Hickmotts and I have managed to pile up more than our fair share again on day one of my clean-up. Thank goodness not much rubbih is wasted as the scavengers come round each day and take absolutely anything that can be recycled or used.

Yesterday there was an old lady outside the house, with her grandchild. She thought that Christmas had come early when she found my discarded school uniform. I stepped out of it and threw it away because I considered it no longer serviceable. I had already put the best aside for our refuge down the road.
The little girl was delighted to find a few broken old toys. I went out to hand over a plastic pot of tiny coins that I had discarded. The woman's eyes lit up with happiness and a broad, toothless grin ensued. There are so many poor people in the world and we sometimes just do not think how happy they would be with what we think is useless. It really humbled me.

A Sunday farewell

We had a lovely service on Sunday, reminding us that God equips us for whatever he wants us to do. Even if we have no confidence he has. I thought back to my refusal to take the librarian role because I thought that I did not know enough about it. Now I have been doing it for eight years and I have loved the challenge.

The morning was extremely cold but as the service finished the sun came out so we all went onto the lawn, in the sunshine, for coffee and fellowship. It was the Hickmott's last Sunday with us, so it was quite sad, but we know that God has new plans for their lives, so we wish them every blessing as they return to Ireland.

An emotional roller-coaster

I finally stepped onto the emotional roller-coaster this morning, as the reality of leaving here hit home.
We lined up for assembly, rather thin on the ground. There is so much illness in school, as four strains of influenza have hit us hard.
There was the usual national anthem followed by prayers and I thought that was it. However, the Head of department then started on the "Somebody is leaving," bit and I was hauled out to face the kids. I was presented with gifts of typical Paraguayan Nanduti lace.

I then had to make a speech.

I chose to do it in Spanish so that all the teachers could understand (or not, as my Spanish is not wonderful). It took me a while to overcome the lump that threatened to stick in my throat and to fight back the tears, but I managed it all without blubbing and I hope that I gave the children some encouragement to keep reading and studying hard and to aim for a leadership role in life to make Paraguay a better country for its people.

Speech given, the children then rushed up to mob me and hug me to bits. I am going to miss them so much.

After the children had gone back to class I went back to the library and there the lump came up and the cork, holding back my emotions, popped out. I felt better after that.

The rest of the morning was spent on a round of "Goodbyes." I am starting a new blog about England, but in Spanish, so the fifth form students playfully offered to write comments in the comments box, to help me to improve my Spanish after fifteen years!
I was so surprised by the number of parents who came to thank me for what I had done in my fifteen years here. I just see it as my job and my service for the Lord. It is a good feeling to know that it has meant something to people.

There is no doubt that these have been some of the best years of my life, hard work, exciting, scarey at times, full of highs and a few lows, but all part of my "journey" with God. I am looking ahead with excitement now to what else He has in store for me, but part of my heart will always remain here in Paraguay.

Before I left somebody took a photo of me with the girls in the Primary English department. They are now being left with no English person among them. Five and a half Paraguayans and one South African will be left to run the department. (and Babs, the furniture is much better arranged now!)

I could not relax this afternoon (we broke up at midday) so now I have made a good start on packing up my flat, washing curtains etc. It is better than sitting and reminiscing or moping. I want to leave it all shipshape for the next inhabitant. (At least we do not have a white glove inspection like we did in the army when we moved on.)

Ben's Birthday Bash

There is now only half a day to go to the end of term and lots of the children are going down like flies with influenza. Little Sam who lives nextdoor to me has had it and now his mum, Kim has it, just as they are finishing their time here. I am hoping that I do not succumb.

On Sunday it will be Ben's birthday so today he had a pizza party in school for all of his classmates and a few teachers who helped to put it all together.
His Mum, Kim managed to come along to cheer him on but she was not at all well. She is waiting to see what type of flu she has, because we have a few cases of the bird type of flu in third grade. Her results of tests are due this evening. Hopefully she does not have that.

Anyway, Ben thoroughly enjoyed his party, but goodness knows how he will fit all his presents into his luggage ready for Monday when they fly out. I leave in a couple of weeks so have time to pack up my flat and do all the last minute things like getting dental treatment finished before I move to NHS prices (if I can find an NHS dentist!).

Politics

The latest news from here is that Paraguay has been thrown out of the Mercosur until we have new elections. In the meantime they are allowing Venezuela to join the Mercosur. Interesting times lie ahead.

Today the General secretary of the American States Organization is visiting Paraguay. This morning he met with ex-president Lugo. He is also planning to meet with members of the senate, members of the Supreme Court and with leaders of the political parties, as part of an investigation into the state of political affairs in Paraguay.

He acknowledged that this is a delicate situation.

Thanks to the Mums

This morning some Mums were invited to our assembly so that the children could thank them for all their hard work, when they helped to run the Inter Schools sporting event a couple of weekends ago.

A break from the stresses

I have just had a lovely weekend taking a break from the stresses of finishing off at school and beginning to pack at home.

On Saturday the Primary head of department, Profe Eva, invited me out to her house. It is quite a distance from where I live so she picked me up. The traffic going to her place was the worst that I have seen for a long time.

I had been apprehensive about spending the day as the centre of attention and having to speak nothing but Spanish all day. However, I found myself thinking in Spanish and had no problems. We had a lovely lunch.
Later Eva asked me how to make scones. In the way that only Paraguayans can she produced the ingredients and left me in the kitchen. The result was afternoon tea, British style.

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day with a light breeze, so I took myself out to lunch. In the afternoon the Hickmotts invited me to go for a walk. We "marched" five kms through the botanical gardens, moving fast to avoid being bitten by the millions of mosquitoes that were around.