A Farewell Party to Remember

This time I thought I was prepared for my farewell party at S.K. St Benedict. I had managed two in last two days and had said my speech and a few words in Malay without crying. How wrong can you be. This was the Farewell Party that I will never experience again in my life. I arrived by the back gate, wearing black as requested and before I got out of my car I was in tears. All the staff were out to meet me and the 400 children of the school had lined up, making a corridor, all holding flowers. I was immediately attired in a Dusun skirt and told that there was more to come and started the very long walk through all the children, trying not to cry. I had my own private Dusun girl, holding a basket to collect the flowers and I really did feel like the Queen, except I bet she doesn't have her own basket carrier.

The Queen

Oh my goodness!

   Before I entered the hall I was given the top of my Dusun costume and the gongs played and a few men on the staff did a sumasau dance. By that time all the children had gone into the hall and when I entered they all clapped and cheered.  The group of children who had represented Sabah in the folklorique competition then did their amazing dance. I was brought up to the front and sat on the cane sofa and served coffee and cake while the show commenced - there was even a programme! Every year group went up and sang a song with the Year 1's ending with their version of the Hello Song - Fiona, Fiona, we love you, please take care, please take care, we'll miss you!

The welcoming gongs

The dancers

The year 6's then came on and unfurled a banner featuring me "Farewell Party for Fiona Wright" with the grammatically incorrect words (after all my efforts!) of "We gonna miss you!"
  Before the speeches began we had a slide show with lots of photos featuring me over the last 2 years with some sentimental music. Then the speeches..... First up were the English teachers and my dear mentees, Asmah and Sister Caroline. Asmah broke down and got everyone crying which wasn't the best start, then the Guru Besar, Winnie helped us to regain some decorum.

Asmah!

My English teachers

 Then after that it was me and I think I had cried myself out by then because I managed to deliver it without crying and even sing a song. Surely that was it now - but no, there was more to come- the final bits of the costume including the hood and the sash, with sequinned words of farewell embroidered on.

Not so sure about the hood!

The finale must be close now - all the staff had come onto the stage and we cut the cake and Auld Lang Syne was being played but there was one more event to go through which was perhaps the most touching and difficult. All of the pupils filed onto to the stage with presents and cards for me and so many of them spontaneously gave me hugs and told me they loved me ....and started me off again! Finally the pupils went home and the staff and I had a lovely lunch in the canteen. I returned home with my car absolutely laden with presents and drained of all emotion. Thank you so much all the staff and pupils of SK St. Benedict - that was a day that I will always remember and treasure. " I gonna miss you too!"