Lunch

Yesterday I went out to lunch with fellow teachers Carolyn and Hannah.  It was a combination of the past and the future: lovely people from the school I'm leaving and delicious food from the country I'm going to.  We went to Mamma Roma's Italian Restaurant.  I had penne all'amatriciana (a DELICIOUS sauce made with diced tomatoes and guanciale, a type of bacon).  Carolyn and I have been desk-mates, sitting across from each other in the same classroom, for the past two years.  She taught 10th grade biology and 7th grade Latin -- a strange combination, I know, but she is a woman of many talents (and great sense of style!) -- while I, of course, taught 8th-10th grade Latin.  It was great comparing notes with her throughout the year and distracting each other from our grading after the students left each afternoon.  Hannah just started teaching last August, but she has been inspiring in her mastery of the material (and quite literally, since she has a masters in literature) and the respect and admiration she immediately earned from the students.  We talked about summer vacation, plans for next year, and other things like that.  There were a couple of times where Carolyn and I said, "Next year, we..." forgetting that next year we would not be teaching together anymore... :(

It was great to have one last chat with them.  Well, one last chat for a while.  I can definitely imagine coming back for a visit.  I really am leaving a great community.