Today we set off for our last teaching day at Hitataya, armed with kids games, party poppers and parcels! We arrived to hear the usual clattering, banging and laughing sounds coming from the preschool. We all spent extra time interacting with the children; I particularly enjoyed spending time with the ‘lovable rogue’ Netmony and the angelic Angenina who I’ve become quite attached to in these 10 weeks.

As we played a game of pass the parcel and musical chairs, it was soon the end of preschool and we were faced with out final goodbyes. The children were not at all oblivious to this; with Angenina crying “don’t go!” which was really touching. But because the cultural show is coming up on Sunday, it didn’t really seem like a final goodbye (or so we told ourselves…!).

The afternoon club was chaotic but as successful as ever, as we played their favourite games such as bingo and musical chairs (with 60 children this is harder than it sounds!). Pass the parcel was a particular novelty as the children had to do forfiets such as ‘imitate a member of the team’.

As we headed outside into the warm weather, we took a final group photo and we could not think of a better way to finish the day than a huge ‘Hoki Koki’. Hopefully this is the last time I will ever have to sing that song! We then fired party poppers to mark our 4 o clock finish and we were mauled by children asking for our addresses and phone numbers. We felt like celebrities as the kids clambered over each other to say their goodbyes. I left feeling a mixture of emotions, at the same time I was sad to leave the children but also proud of the work we have done and what we have achieved.