I contemplated for a bit what to title this post. Seriously, I don’t hope next year will see yet another goodbye from day activities. I really hope I will be able to stay at the day center in Raalte much longer than I did at the one I left last year and this one. I know, I didn’t have to leave this center because the team or management no longer wanted me. I’m so glad I left knowing that the reason was mostly down to my own choice and circumstances.
So today I had my leave-taking party at day activities. First, we had French fries with a snack for lunch. I loved them. Most times I’ve gotten a choice of snacks, it was just between the two most commonly-eaten Dutch snacks. I told the staff I wanted a type of spicy snack called “mexicano” and suggested another client, who is non-verbal but about whom we know that she likes spicy food, might like it too. She definitely enjoyed it.
Then when having coffee break in the afternoon, I presented my group with “stroopwafels”, a type of Dutch caramel-filled waffle. I also gave each of the staff a small handmade soap. The staff gave me a large stuffed panda bear.
Then some clients and staff from other groups visited to say goodbye. I got a lovely huge card, the size of a small painting you can hang on the wall, from another group. It had a greeting in wooden tactile letters stuck on it. I also got chocolates. Another group gave me a card and two huge chocolate bars. Now my attempt at losing weight when I go to the care facility will have to be postponed a little
I do not know whether the clients on my own group will notice I’m gone. I guess they will, but most probably don’t have the words to ask about me. People from other groups have definitely been asking about me leaving for a while now and some say they’ll miss me. I will for sure miss them too.
A Multitude of Musings 
That sounds like a very nice party, of course they will miss you. I’m glad you enjoyed the french fries.
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You left – if not on your terms fully – because of a better and stretching opportunity.
No shame in that!
Mexicano tastes so good – I have all too few opportunities.
[Did go to a Malaysian Hawker restaurants and ate some of my favourite desserts and seafood and drank cherry tea for less than twenty Australian dollars].
Waffles and soap – very fine and they will remember you and remember the experience this way.
It is something to attach and be attached; to miss and be missed; to understand and be understood in whatever form this understanding will and would take.
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What a lovely party you’ve had. I’m pretty sure the other clients will remember you. It’s a pity you haven’t been able to stay in any of those day activities centres for too long but I do hope as well that it will be different in the next one and that you will like it at least as much. 🙂
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Thanks so much. Yes, this saying goodbye was definitely bittersweet and I sure hope I can stay at the new facility much longer.
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