The Beginning of Good Bye

I've officially told most of my young clients about leaving my work, and by extension them, for Peace Corps. I chose about ten that I am particularly close to (those that would notice my absence if I forgot to mention it), and took them aside. Beginning by explaining where Africa is, I told them I was leaving and going to work on making water cleaner for people there. Simpler tends to work better. If there were questions, I tried to be as open as possible, and finished by telling them that I love my work, and only something really big would pull me away from it.
The responses were a huge surprise. Clients I'd been fairly close to were fine with it, and one client particularly-one I'd almost not even worried about talking to- cried. The younger kids gave me side-hugs (a hug with the absolute least amount of body contact possible) and talked about their favorite memories with me. One client I'd been particularly excited about informing. She'd heard a coworker teasing me about the video "Poop in a Hole" (funny video), and been asking me for months when I was going to poop in a hole. This lead to more than one extremely awkward situation, when professional moments were interrupted with her checking to see whether I'd pooped in a hole lately. Her excitement was touching, and it was with more sadness and nostalgia than hopeful anticipation that I closed out my workday.
Leaving anything tends to lend rose colored glasses to it. People tend to fear change, and I am no different. Walking into any change, a job change, a housing change, starting a big project or saying goodbye, it's terrifying. We tend to hold on as much as we can, remembering the great things about our current situation, like our minds are making excuses for us to keep everything the same. Even the times that work has driven me crazy, the times I've wanted to quit, the moments when Peace Corps seemed far away and I almost did, they seem distant to me now. In this clarity, I know that my work has taught me countless things about patience, resilience (the kids and mine), and humor. I am excited to keep learning, but there will always be a place in my heart for the years I've spent there.