A Goodbye Dinner.

Last night I had my last dinner with my sponsor here, his wife and their four sons. Since they knew I was here alone, they have basically treated me like part of the family. Throughout the year, I was invited to holidays, played games with the children, helped with projects around the house, assisted with cooking and even at times simply joined them a regular dinner guest. Such generosity was rather welcome in a place where I felt so lonely at times. They will certainly be missed as part of my life, but I also know they will always be a big part of my life from here onward. Hopefully I will manage seeing them once a year or so, but even if not they will remain important to me for all they did to help me survive here.

My first day when I was carrying everything I would own here in Germany for the most part and spoke hardly any of the language, my sponsor met me, guided me through signing all my paperwork to get my apartment, helped me move my things here, took me to a grocery store for some basic food items and finally left me to simply pass out due to exhaustion. I was under such stress at the time moving here alone, it is just impossible to imagine how I would have done these things without him. At the same time, his family was finally joining him here in Bonn, so they were leaving behind their old schools and home to start a whole new life. Perhaps the fact that we were all in uncharted territory somehow made it easier to understand and support one another through the transition. After all, shortly after arriving I was invited along with the family to a concert or a dinner here and there, eventually gaining acceptance with the four boys who span the ages of 7 to 14 by agreeing to play games early and often.

As a parting gift they gave me the Michael Ende book "Momo" and an old book about German schools in German, which should be great fun to read. I am especially looking forward to "Momo" since I love "The Never Ending Story" and cannot wait to continue improving my German through reading what is considered by most Germans to be a better book actually. I gave them two puzzles, one of the New York landscape and one a map of old Berlin, which hopefully they can enjoy as a family. It is hard to find something meaningful for six people I must confess.

It was strange saying goodbye knowing how long it might be until I see them again, yet knowing I have another week of work before leaving. Somehow it does not yet really seem possible I am moving, yet feels remarkably like it is time simply to go home.