The Final Farewell....For Now

Sometimes the hardest part is saying "goodbye" to someone. In January I expirenced this first hand when my best friend Georgia went back home to Australia. It was hard to let her walk away at the airport and leave, but it had to be done and it isn't the final farewell. We will meet again one day.

A couple days before Georgia had to leave on the 12th, she organized the "last party" at her house. After school on that day, we met up with Charlotte from Germany and Emily, Mao, and I went with her to Georgia's house. We were there early to help prepare all of the food and just hang out.
We made all sorts of different Australian treats, from special cookies, to meat rolls, and veggimite sandwiches.
Being exchange students we made tons of food, but ate most of it before anyone else even arrived. Well, I guess you snooze you lose. Veggimite isn't as bad as I remember it either, but pretty strong if you eat a lot at once. All of the food was amazing!

At last all of the guests arrived, but someone them only popped in to say "goodbye" so really we only had two more actual guests come and stay. After eating more food, we sat down to enjoy some desert that Georgia had made for everyone.

Georgia styling one of her new gifts; some Finnish flag glasses from Mao. The party was absolutely wonderful with everyone just chatting and spending time together.

All of us wonderful girls and all exchange students now and former too. Such a great night!

The next day I woke up extra early and by 6am was headed on a bus to the center for a special Rotary meeting with several different clubs. It was Georgia's last Rotary meeting so we decided to wear our blazers, also because this is the day our announcements would play at school.
The speaker for the day was an older gentleman who spoke about Finland's impact on health care in Africa and what they are trying to do to help in less developed areas.

Ailey, Georgia, and I after the meeting. It was so early so we were pretty tired, but it was very nice and enjoyable. We also met a woman who works at the embassy in Finland, and she has offered to give us a tour of Parliament sometime. This is an amazing opportunity that I would have never gotten if it wasn't for Rotary and attending the meetings.

Ailey doesn't go to our school, but since it was Georgia's last day, she decided to come with us. We all wore our blazers and listened to ourselves on the announcements. It really was a good day at school! Oh, and I got rid of some of my business cards.

Early Saturday morning I was awake and on my way to Georgia's house. I got there just after 8am and ate breakfast with her and helped her finish packing everything up. Later on Ailey and Mao came too, and then it was time for Georgia to head to Helsinki for brunch with her extended host family and then to the airport.
Mao, Ailey, and I took a bus back to town, and then about an hour later caught a bus down to the Helsinki-Vantaa airport to wait for Georgia to arrive a few hours later so we could give our last hugs.

While we waited, we went to the only Starbucks in Finland which happens to be in the airport.

At last Georgia arrived with her host parents and we checked her bags and then went and sat down to have tea and coffee and wait a little longer before she had to go. After stretching out the time as long as possible, we had to at last get ready to let her go. Slowly we moved over to security.
I had been fighting back the tears for a long time as I waited for my turn to say "goodbye." Mao went first and started to cry which then made me begin to cry. Next Ailey said "bye" and then it was my turn. It was so hard knowing she would be leaving soon and I really didn't want to let her out of our hug. She gave me many encouraging words and then at last she went and hugged her host parents, and then hugged us all again. I got the last hug before she finally turned to leave.

Georgia giving one last wave before walking back into security.

I cried the entire car ride home and much of the night, but with the help of family and friends, I didn't cry at all about it after that day. I miss her terribly, but I know we will meet again and we still stay in touch. I also knew how she felt about having to leave, and that she was going to be with her family again too, so happy and sad at the same time.

Georgia was one of those people who came into my life for a reason and really opened me up and made me a better person, we have had so many awesome times this year that I will never forget. She really is an inspiration. Thank you my Aussie.