I hate goodbyes.

I love the idea of going somewhere new and exciting in life and with new people, but it is so hard to say goodbye.

Which is why Sunday was so hard.  It was our last full day in Recife, and we had to say goodbye to everything and everyone.  (Even without having made any particularly good friends at church, it was hard to leave what really felt like my ward; my calling, etc.)

Then we had to say goodbye to all the other stuff we love:

 Carbonel and his super cute wife.  Carbonel seriously was great.  I was sad that we didn't see him any more after our trip to the sertão, because that's really when I got to know him and felt like we were really friends.  But he was so nice to me the whole time! (Except when he was teasing me like a brother.  He picked up on the fact that I'm exceptionally jumpy/scream really loud when someone tickles me.  He thought that was really funny...)

Shawndeen and I eating at Chinatown for the last time

And of course, saying goodbye to all the delicious Chinese food we ate in the last month...  I'm going to miss egg fried rice for breakfast.  And every other meal...

Saying goodbye to our beach.

It really sort of felt like "my" beach, because I was there so much.  Running every morning, plus spending a few hours there with Shawndeen or Natalia at least once a week?  I'm going to miss that.

 This was my thank-you for my host family.  I had a few pictures in colored pencil that I was going to give them, but didn't love any of them. So on Sunday afternoon, I just drew the Great Wall of China.  Ya know.  Because I'm awesome like that.  Haha. :)
I really liked the way the card turned out, too.

 And saying goodbye to our "family".  I'm really sad I didn't get any pictures with Xu (he left for work before I could catch him), and Shawndeen has my pictures with Melissa.
But here is Jane.  My cute, Chinese, host mom.  I'm going to miss her.

Have I mentioned that I hate goodbyes?

But then I remember some words of wisdom from Dr. Seuss:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!"

It did happen.

It was wonderful.

And I'm not crying---

I'm smiling.