Tears stream down my face as we stand outside the airport. I look around to all the people who became my family within four days. Crying, I continue to give everyone hugs even though I had already hugged them four times, never wanting to let them go. I have gained so much from this experience, and learned so much, that I dreaded the moment where I had to look at my new family and say “Goodbye, I love you, I miss you already, and text me every day.” Now that it was here, it was harder than I ever imagined.
As the tears roll down my face, I try to commit everything to memory, the way my friends are standing clustered together, saying goodbye to one another, how I laughed one more time at something they said, and how many of us have tear streaks running down our cheeks.
Our teachers start leading us into the airport, telling us that this time, we really need to give one last hug or we will miss our flight. I give my friends a fifth hug, the final hug, except this hug draws out a new set of tears, and causes my heart to shake. We start to head to the doorway, as we walk, we turn around and wave one last time, and every three seconds I glance back to get one final look.
Three hours later I’m sitting on an Air Canada flight, and, as we ascend, I look out the window, say goodbye to Hungary, and to this amazing opportunity. Once again tears begin to fall. I already miss my friends and want to go back to them. I think of the quote I once heard that said something along the lines of “how lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” This means that I am so incredibly lucky to have made such good friends that make it so hard to say goodbye to. It’s a silver lining to the sadness of leaving, even if I see the silver lining with tears pooling in my eyes.
