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Early Foxtrot & Early Sierra Day 14: Heavy Hearts On Departure Day

By wpdev June 24, 2017
written by Early Foxtrot & Early Sierra mate, Luka Walshe
June 22, 2017

We awoke this morning with heavy hearts. Today is the day that we must say goodbye. As bitter as the words will taste, we must remember that saying goodbye is an intrinsic part of life, travel and adventure. Yes, it means that we will not see those we have grown so close to for a time, or maybe ever again; however, the act of saying goodbye involves the pre-requisite of saying hello, and everything in between those two moments. The laughs, the smiles, the hard times and the good, all culminating to one moment where we must express our gratitude for having met one another, our appreciation for our time together, and our hope to one day meet again. Goodbye is a rushed affair, no matter how long it takes.

The trip over to St. Thomas accompanying the majority of the departing students is a surreal memory, played in reverse. Just two short weeks ago we made this journey, full of hope, a little anxiety and wonder. Now we sit on the taxi bus, looking longingly at the rolling hills of Tortola and the horizons which we so eagerly chased. This experience has been a dream, fleeting, but it has left us with knowledge and understanding, of ourselves, of those around us, of the skills which we will take away with us.

We arrive at the ferry terminal, and before long we are cruising towards the U.S. Virgin Islands. Once we get to St. Thomas, we taxi to the airport where we make our final goodbyes.

Bitter-sweet, tears and smiles, we’re up on melancholy hill. Salar, Salut, Slainte, See you ‘round, have a good one, See you soon. What an incredible two weeks, may everyone have a fantastic rest of their summer!

Please enjoy the full photo album of the Early Foxtrot & Early Sierra 2017 Adventures on our Facebook page!

 

The greatest challenge during the program was staying entertained during the quarantine period. Not being able to leave your boat and not having a phone, which was a crutch against boredom, it was difficult at first to stay entertained.