Almost time to go home

So, I made it 7 weeks here in Sweden - foreign country, new surroundings, and at the end of tomorrow I will officially be a teacher and a 2012 graduate of UPEI.  I know that technically I can't say that until May 12 around noon, but I figure it's safe to say - I don't think that they would let me be the valedictorian if I wasn't graduating!  But the journey here in Jokkmokk is coming to an end, and despite my excitement to get home and get ready for the summer and whatever lies ahead, I can't help but feel some sadness.  It's the same feeling I think most pre-service teachers get when they are leaving a classroom, likely never to teach those students again.  I've learned a lot from the students and teachers I have had the chance to get to know here at the Bokenskolan, as well as the members of the community who see me and recognize me as a familiar face.  It might be small, but Jokkmokk has more charm than most towns that I have been in, and that is something that I will definitely never forget.

I had a chat with one of the gym teachers yesterday, and it was also a conversation that I will remember for a long time.  He told me a bit about his career - how he didn't start out in teaching, but worked in the Military for a number of years before working with the UN, and how his various positions allowed him to travel the world.  There were lots of things that spoke to him on his journeys, but overall he told me that he felt he would always come back to his hometown of Jokkmokk someday.  That opportunity presented itself when his mother got sick, and upon his return he decided to go into teaching, and he told me that he's never looked back.  I told him about what I thought I might do in the future, where I might go, and he gave me this suggestion: 

"If you want to travel, do it while your young. Labrador isn't going anywhere, and despite where you may go, it will always be your home."

We then finished up our conversation, and he wished me well in life, and told me that he hoped that I would make it back to Jokkmokk someday (which after this experience I fully intend on doing, although it will definitely be around the time of the winter market!).  It was nice to have that kind of encouragement from a fellow teacher who saw promise in me, and I felt incredibly reassured that I have chosen the right profession.  Leaving Jokkmokk will be sad, but there is no way that I could ever forget the wisdom I have gained while I've been here.