Last night we had our Farewell Party from the Foreign Language Dept at Sa-Nguan Ying School.

First, we made a card. Saying thank you all the ways we know how.

But it still felt like not enough.

We arrived at the party, at a restaurant in a traditional Thai house.

Beautiful. We had never been there before.

We ate a LOT of delicious food. Then the department showered us with gifts.

We gave speeches and cried.

Cash gave the speech from Bridesmaids.

Tissues were rushed up to us, and we continued on laughing and crying.

There was happiness all around.

Our Thai moms read our giant Thank You card.

An announcement was made: It’s Fujiki’s birthday! (One of the Japanese teachers.)

Cait was still wrecked.

Fujiki and his wife, Tomiko, blew out the candles on his cake. We all sang.

(A sidenote: Tomiko is the kindest human I have ever met. She radiates.)

We took countless photos of the whole department.

There were hugs, and squeezes, and I love yous, and smiles.

AND KARAOKE.

The three farang girls got right on it.

With an eclectic mix:  “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Closing Time”, and “Hey Ya!”

And (dare I say) we were pretty good!

Fujiki sang “Hotel California.” English is not his native language, and that is not an easy song.

Cash brought it home with “I Will Always Love You.”

And, as we did four months ago, we hopped into a car, no longer noticing the rain, and were shuttled home.

Our faces hurt from laughing and crying and singing. We were wrung out.

The night was happy, and sad, and it’s the first time I’ve cried while holding a microphone.

All of the things that make you realize you’re surrounded by goodness, and light, and love.