Time nears to departure...

So today is my last day in Morocco and my last day in this house. I have mixed feelings about this- I am very excited to go home and am feeling homesick. On the other hand I love it here and will miss everything about it... apart from the driving skills they possess...
Some of us got henna done at the house on Wednesday night! I was a lot of fun, the only tough part was sitting with it to dry on your palms for an hour.. See, i don't even paint my nails because after five minutes i forget that i have painted them and smudge them. Luckily, I lasted without ruining the beautiful work. She did such an amazing job- she completed both hands in under ten minutes and they were so intricately done! I have pictures, but i will post them after i return home, i have packed everything already.Packing everything was difficult... I wished my mom was there to help me! I don't know why i bought so many souvenirs! The bags are pretty heavy, but if i could make it coming here, im sure i can do it again tomorrow, i mean hey, carrying babies all day for four weeks has gained me some muscle!
This week at the orphanage I cherished every day with the babies and kept reminding them I was leaving, not that they understood, but I still told them. Although I am a firm believer Zizu understands everything I tell him. I will miss him the most. Our looks from across the room that made him start smiling, which made it feel like he was older than he is, or when someone was annoying we would just look at each other with the same facial reaction. It felt like an old friend.
It was pretty much the same thing every day this week, we did not really go outside instead stayed with the babies and assisted the new volunteers. They picked up rather quickly, and it only makes me curious as to who will get my job of making the beds..
Saying goodbye to the nurses was very difficult. Since the babies will not grow up to remember the brief joy we have given them, the nurses surely will. They need so much help at that orphanage, always showing how grateful they are to us. Each day is full of "Merci" and "shokran" 's. When we said our goodbyes and they realized it was our last day, we were smothered in kisses and tight hugs. My favorite, the cleaning lady, started to cry as she hugged us which made it harder to leave. The sad part about the whole thing was when we arrived there this morning, i suddenly got very sick and had to stay in the bathroom the entire morning, so I spent no time with the babies! When i came in to say goodbye to Zizu he was gone, I found out he was taken outside for his first time ever. I was envious of the girl who took him out for the first time, and cursing being sick because it could have been me to take him out. So I found him right before I left and he was half alseep so it wasn't as gushy a goodbye as I could have made it. I will miss him terribly.
The new volunteers seemed a little overwhelmed at first, but quickly caught the pace. It helps to be very open-minded when you arrive and just go with the flow.
As hard as it was to leave, I did not cry, only because I feel like I am still going back on Monday... Maybe it will hit once I arrive home.
I will truly miss Mohammed and all of our witty banter. He became a good friend of ours and I hope we stay in touch, even though he threatens to kill me every day... hehehe.
So this is the point where I thank everyone. Thank you for all of your help to get to Morocco in the first place, and all of the good advice. Without you, I would not have made it! This trip has made me so happy and was extremely rewarding. Volunteering was hard work during the week, each day was tiresome, but also very fun. I loved every minute of the orphanage, even getting spit up on and all other sorts of baby things that happen to you. Our weekend trips were very adventurous and we got to see great places in Morocco. The pictures I have contain so many different views and places you would think I've been out of Morocco and traveling around the world! All of the friends I made here each had an impact on me and helped complete my memories with perpetual laughter. They felt like I had known them forever and we bonded so fast. Each place we visited had something unique about it and the most facinating people in it. Everyone was extra nice and beared with the language barrier better than I thought they would, some even tried to teach us!
Seeing the babies faces was the most rewarding. Each day all they wanted was to be held and the minute you did, their focus did not leave your face. Once one got love, the crying stopped and smiles were plastered on their faces. The nurses got to take breaks, after being there all day every day, and you get to play with some of the most funny little people. The toddlers i will also miss, just playing with them and running around... in short- i will miss the kids at the orphanage so very much, and being there has changed my persective as well as my life. If anyone has the chance to volunteer somewhere I highly recommend it!
Thank you again to every one, and I will see you when I get home!!
...provided we don't get stranded in France. ;)
-Lacey