Don't cry, teacher . . .

Yesterday was my last day being an English teacher in Taiwan. In many ways the realization hasn't hit yet. There were many times yesterday when I was painfully aware of leaving. My students kept showering me with useful little gifts like bears in pig and elephant costumes, cell phone holders, and my favorite, an autographed baseball from Kevin who doesn't like the Red Sox. Their cards and letters were so sweet. When I'd tear up, the kids would stand around uncomfortably and try to soothe me, saying, "Don't cry, teacher. Don't cry." It's hard not to cry when a little nine year old boy is bawling his eyes out at his desk because his Jennifer Teacher is leaving him. I guess even if I wasn't the best teacher ever, I'm definitely loved.

My brother Gregg and I leave for Bangkok tomorrow. We'll take a bus to the international airport outside of Taipei and then Thai airways will take us away to the land of elephants, rafts, and stunning beaches. Our itinerary isn't set in stone, but will essentially be Northern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and then some Thai islands. We may try to squeeze Angkor Wat and Cambodia in. Six weeks is much too short a time. Hopefully I'll write again from Bangkok.