April and May is when we begin talking with the seniors about transition. Their lives are all about change as they move from one host country to another and then come to boarding school. Poorly handled transtions can lead to excess emotional baggage. With this in mind the school works diligently to help the kids say goodbye well and enter on the other side with realistic goals. JSB was the beginning of the closure for the seniors. But we often don't do a good job as adults dealing with the closure issue as our lives are constantly in flux here as well. I have seen many people come and go. Sometimes I postpone the goodbye thinking I have more time and then I miss my chance. I can think back with regret of the people who have left my life for good without my saying "I appreciate you. I'll miss you." This year my good friends Cathy and Kristlyn are leaving. I don't want to bungle the closure since they have been a constant in my life for many years now. There will be an emptiness when they go.
Sometimes a person's last weeks here are hectic because everyone waits to make closure until the very last possible moment. Then the leaver feels stress due to too many appointments in the midst of moving and the goodbyes get strained. Betsy realizes this and she began her closuere a month in advance before life gets too crazy for Cathy and Kristlyn. Betsy took us out for breakfast so she could affirm her love for the two leaving and to give me a chance to begin my closure with them as well.
Sometimes a person's last weeks here are hectic because everyone waits to make closure until the very last possible moment. Then the leaver feels stress due to too many appointments in the midst of moving and the goodbyes get strained. Betsy realizes this and she began her closuere a month in advance before life gets too crazy for Cathy and Kristlyn. Betsy took us out for breakfast so she could affirm her love for the two leaving and to give me a chance to begin my closure with them as well.
She took us to the English Rose Garden for tea and scones. The Rose Garden (not its official name but that is what BFAers call it) is a slice of England at the edge of a German village. Now isn't the high season, but soon the emaculate rose gardens will be in bloom and tourists by the busloads will come to view the gardens.
Cathy, Betsy, and Kristlyn. Unfortunately, we had already eaten our scones and drained our English breakfast tea before we got around to pictures!
