Thinking positive about leaving

Three full days to go and then I get on the plane out of Nicaragua. I'm sad to be leaving but in an endeavour to try and see some positives three have leapt out at me over the last week or so.

First it forces you to sort through all that STUFF you accumulate, especially when you have to whittle it down to three checked in bags (hoping they let me through with number 3 all be it paid for) and a maximum of one cubic meter of ship freight I won't be seeing for at least 3 months. I didn't think I had a lot of clothes until I started packing, I thought books would be my problem. Writing the packing lists of what is in each box or bag makes me realise just how much stuff I have. How did I keep thinking I didn't have enough socks? I have 30 pairs I discovered and my laundry is done 4 days a week!

Secondly and more fun than the stuff sorting is the fact that suddenly spending time with people becomes a priority. The fact you are leaving means both you and others suddenly try and make space in the diary to meet up. For example for more than a year now a couple at church and I have been making sporadic attempts to meet up for dinner and it has never worked out, once I heard I was leaving suddenly we were getting together for lunch on Sunday that very same week and chatting for more that three hours.

Monday's fine dining. Goodbye to friends.

Sunday brunch at my flat with friends in anticipation of my departure

This too seems to be one of the advantages of living out of your home country when you visit home because you are only there for a short period people are much more willing to find ways to accommodate meeting up since there isn't the option of leaving it for another week or another time when it'll fit in better. Doesn't always work of course, but it seems to be the general trend.

Finally people consciously start saying nice things about you and what they'll miss. Of course you hope they are being honest not just polite:-) It almost starts to feel like getting to eavesdrop on the nice things one hopes they will say at your funeral, only better - well maybe not better depending on what happens after death. I also find myself thinking what I will miss about those I take for granted around me every day.

Well more packing awaits.....