SURPRISE!

There's nothing like a good surprise and the other days my friends got me real good.  Since we've had an English day camp at the dar chabab for the past few days, we've been trying to figure out when to have my good bye party.  My closest friend in site, Ahmed, had been telling me that some people from Rabat might be coming to Massa because we've been having issues with our delegue.  I believed him when he told me Hassan (my director at the dar chabab) might call me that night because they had finally come.  

I got the call from Hassan and pulled myself together as quickly as possible.  As I was on my way out the door I called Tania (the new PCV) to tell her that I was heading up to the dar chabab to meet with them and that she should come too.  She told me she had run into our host mom on the street and would be up shortly.  I got up to the dar chabab and didn't see a car which made me wonder if people from Rabat had really come.  I walked into Hassan's office and he told me that they left but would be back in a few minutes.  He walked me over to the door to one of the side rooms and knocked.  Again, suspicious.  He opened the door and I walked in and yelled.  All of my favorite people were lined up against the wall.  They got me :)

I was so touched by the small gesture that I had to keep myself together from starting to hug Hassan (very inappropriate in this culture) or crying.  The girls had made some cakes and they had brought soda.  I couldn't believe it when Hassan started bringing in the gifts one by one.  He gave me a box topped with sunflowers to remember the dar chabab.  He gave me a painting of one of the neighborhoods here in Massa that he had done himself to remember Massa.  He gave me a medal from the ministry to remember my time with Peace Corps at the dar chabab in Massa.  I couldn't believe it.  I started hugging him like crazy (in my head so it was ok).  

We turned on the music and had a little dance party.  Since it was hot we only kept it going for half an hour or so.  When we were all danced out and sweaty, we sat down and Ahmed starting telling Tania about the first time he met me at the old dar chabab.  He told her how much I've done for the dar chabab and for Massa.  I know that he was telling the truth and it was so sweet I had to kept it together again or I would have started to cry.  Hassan had said some of the same things earlier as he was giving me my gifts and I just couldn't believe how much they appreciated the things I've done here.  I feel like my projects were so small but now as I'm getting ready to leave, I see how big of an impact they have had on the community.  

We left the dar chabab when the sun was almost down.  It was such a great surprise and a great start to my final week in Massa.  I can't believe how little time I have left here and how many people I still need to say good bye to.  This week is going to be so very bittersweet......