Last Day at the OSB

Right, so Friday was my last day at school and it started very early as I wanted to clear out my cabinets and pigeon holes, hand in my keys and books and generally tidy up after 7½ years of myself. Clearing out my things was quite a clinical affair. The English teacher who is taking my place next year asked me to just leave all materials that I wasn't taking with me so that he could have them. Unfortunately for him that means there is very little room left in either one of the two cabinets I have left him.

We had a section meeting and it was mostly looking back at some of the projects we'd done last year and evaluating them so they can be made better for next year. We also talked about how the team worked together and if there was anything that needed to be addressed in that area for next year. This is where I, once again, had to be a bit clinical, as my belief (and that of my colleagues) is that our section of the school is one of the best teams. The support, cameraderie and general fun we all have together is reflected in how happy the students are at school and how often they visit us once they get promoted to their senior years. Surprisingly, it was another colleague, one who isn't leaving but who had a bit of a rough second half of this school year, who cried, as she was very grateful for the support and genuine concern we'd felt and she felt a bit guilty for missing so many days. It had been a rough year all round, I think, as there were a lot of people sick for extended periods of time, myself included. Luckily, having anticipated my own tears, I had a bag full of Kleenex for her and the laughs started again, partially at my expense. Which I never mind in situations like that.

After the meeting we did a general tidy of the classrooms and hallways and then we went to the school garden where a statue was being unveiled. Our previous principal died two years ago and it was a bitter end to his reign. He was working towards his retirement that school year when he discovered that he had a benign tumor in his brain. Benign though it may have been, the fact that it kept growing made it lethal and, despite several bouts of chemo and endless optimism on his part, he passed away just after the spring break. An award in his honor was created by the city of Amsterdam (my former school was quite well-known for its approach to education) and the award itself is a group of children sitting in a circle. Our lessons all start and end in a circle, unique for high schools in Holland. Or anywhere, I would think. The statue in the garden was a much larger version of that award and the idea came from our former principal. It was made by the art teacher who gave me that gorgeous album (I will post about that later). I took some pictures on my mobile. It's breathtaking. I could have snapped pictures of it for hours if I'd had my camera with me.




We all moved on to the main hall after that for the "last lunch" which is a tradition at my school and is usually catered by a company from outside the school. I sat with some of my colleagues from the C section (har har - it's not funny in Dutch) and we chatted and such. Then came the bit I was dreading. There is no clear end to the lunch. People stay as long as they like and then head home whenever. It's always tricky deciding who to say goodbye to as there are over 160 colleagues there and some of them you work with in varying degrees. Since I wasn't going to be seeing any of them after the holidays, I more or less had to get as many people as I could. Which I managed quite well. I almost avoided my boss from last year (she'd been my section boss for 6 years) as she always manages to make me cry. She didn't fail yesterday, either. I managed to stay dry in the dining hall and all the way to my bags upstairs and then all the way downstairs again. I was hoping to sneak out but there were too many people I knew too well standing near the doors. Waiting for me, I soon discovered. My previous boss was one of them and she announced that I simply couldn't sneak out after being part of the family for so long. That's when I cried. We stood around delaying the inevitable for quite awhile longer, repeating that this was a good move for me, that I wasn't regretting it, simply sad at the end of an era, that we would see each other again, etc. Then I finally had to go and one of my colleagues from my section walked out of the building with me so I wouldn't have to do it alone.

Oddly enough, this time, I was fine in the train (I had been crying a bit in the train all week up the that point). A bit deflated and numb, I think. I slept a good portion of the way and, once I got home, I slept three or four hours straight through. Woke up, ate something, checked my e-mails and the boards and then went back to bed with a book and a large rum.

I didn't get a chance to wallow in bed on Saturday either. My sister, suspecting that I might, I think, made sure I was signed up for the launch of the new classes at the gym. I was allowed to sleep in a bit as the first class I was signed up for (Balance) was at 11:00. The woman that I usually have when I go didn't teach the whole thing and the one that did was awful. I had no idea what was going on half the time and, trust me, I was paying attention. Jenn agreed that her part of the lesson was below par. Once my usual teacher took over it was fine again. After that I joined in the class that Jenn teaches (Vive) and she did an excellent job. It was good to be out of the house and distracted.

So there you have it. I now have a month paid vacation and then ... who knows? I honestly don't have a clue. -- videbimus -- I suppose.

:)