Day 40 – My last day!

Yesterday was my last day in the classroom. In the morning the students were in the gym practicing their Lucia play that they are getting ready for on December 13^th. The students spent the entire morning practicing singing their songs and walking out to where they needed to be. With about thirty minutes left until lunch, the 5^th graders had physical education and the 6^th graders had time to work on their homework.

I ate lunch with the students for one last time. The lunch menu had chicken tacos and it was a fabulous meal. I sat and had an interesting conversation with the 6^th graders. They did not want me to go and they were still asking me questions about the United States. The students enjoyed having lunch with me. And after lunch, they were explaining to me that I needed to stay away from the classroom. They would not let me go into the classroom to get Katarina’s laptop because I was helping her with some lessons! So I decided to go sit in the teacher’s lounge for a bit and talked with Katarina. While we were talking the students came in asking me which movie I would like to watch. My choices: How the Grinch Stole Christmas or Where The Wild Things Are. When we were sitting there I did not hear my first option, which was The Grinch, I decided on Where the Wild Things Are. I could not figure out what the students were doing when they were asking me all these questions. Finally I was allowed into the classroom where the students planned a surprise party for me on my final day! There was the Saffransbröd, gingerbread cookies, and lemonade laid out on the tables and they were all set up to watch the movie. After the movie ended, the students gave me a present that they made. It was very thoughtful of them and they all gave me hugs. They told me that they did not want me to leave. They had the idea that everyday I get on a plane and travel back and forth from Sweden to the United States. In the morning in Sweden I could teach them and then in the afternoon in Sweden, I could be teaching the students in the United States. I told them that I wished I could do that, but unfortunately I had to get home to my students in the United States. They all got really sad but told me they could not wait to hear from me!

After the students left for the day, I was talking with Katarina and Frida about the experience of being in the school. I have created a life long friendship with the students and staff at Linblommans skola. Everyone in the school has been very grateful that the students had an opportunity of speaking more English and having a teacher like me in the classroom!