Missing Nicaragua

The saying sounds so cliche, so cheesy... but it's so true, that at times we don't know what we have until it's gone. Though we try to appreciate things in our day to day lives, we realize how connected we are to some people and things, how much they mean to us and how happy we were when we are with them, it sometimes isn't until they are more than a phone call or walk away that we realize their impact on our lives. I tried so hard to soak in every day with my students and with the families in the community who made me feel so at home, but there is absolutely no way to spend enough time or take enough pictures to make up for the time that will eventually be spent apart from each other.

I knew I would miss them all. When I bawled my eyes out my last few days, I realized how truly hard it was going to be to leave, not knowing when I'll get back to visit. My first few weeks here at home I have been so busy and focused on transitioning back, starting work, catching up with friends and family, that my mind has been preoccupied and taken away from thoughts of Nicaragua. But now all of my emotions and thoughts on them are catching up to me and I'm finding myself missing them more and more, thinking of them more often and looking back on my pictures.

Don't take the people in your life for granted. Soak up the time with them and make the most of it. Thankfully, I can look back and feel as thought I passed a ton of time with the families, made the most out of the time I had with each of my students every day, and accomplished enough in my every day work over all, that I can smile knowing there wasn't more I could have done to make my time more worthwhile or fulfilling.