I have been very active in the Girl Scout
Movement ever since I was in high school. I met a lot of people in our school
as well as from another school. Serving people in need is the one thing that bond
us together. Camping is what made us closer. From school to school, we met other
people from different councils, our friendship grew. When we reach our college
years, the people from another region whom we met before came to Manila to
attend school and became part of our group too. Our relationship became much
closer and more personal. We attended different universities and colleges with
different courses too but we remain in touch with each other. We thought after
graduation, everyone will have their own lives and separate our ways but we
remained close to each other.
It became difficult for us to say
goodbye to each other when we started our careers. Some nee to migrate to other
countries for better opportunities and some had to start a family. In my case-
both. I have to leave everything I have- even the family I grew up, my close
friends and relatives and my career in order to start a new life with my
husband here in America. It was really difficult and the hardest times in my
life because I have to leave the people
I love and care about but through their support also that I find the strength to carry on.
Though my heart is breaking, I have
to show my strength and pretend that I am alright in order for them not to
worry about me. They planned for a reunion even though the intention was really
a despedida (farewell) party for me. Everyone
wishes good things for me and my husband and I remember the one thing that my
mother and father told me is not to worry about them anymore because I already
have done and more than what a daughter should have done to their parents and they
were grateful for everything. When my parents personally thanked me and shown
me their affection, my parting with them became a lot easier. With my friends,
we find comfort on each other's company knowing that we are parting ways in a
good way because each one of us has a good future ahead of us. We know where ever
we go, we will carry with us the memories of our friendship.
Adjourning from this group of people
who were seeking to achieve the master's degree in early childhood education
would be sad but at the same time I will feel a sense of joy knowing these
people who became a part of my journey towards achieving this educational
goal. I believe all of us will be relieved to know that our hard work has been
rewarded and with all the lessons learned from this course hopefully will bring
us to share with our other colleagues and advocate for the families and children
in our care and hopefully worldwide.
Adjourning an essential stage of
teamwork because this is when we realized if we have been a part of the team,
what contributions we made and reflect on how other people touch our lives and
taught us how their contribution is vital to my success as well as theirs.
(Adapted from O’Hair and Wiemann,
2009, pp. 254–255)
