I was surprised when my former head of the midwifery team from Oxford Brookes University invited me to be present at a very low key graduation of year 3 midwifery students for whom I was their first teacher and a tutor to 10 of them, 3 years ago.  I was very happy to be going, but apprehensive and had to hide my mixed emotions which were mainly proudness for the girls achievements during a difficult time studying with the Covid pandemic, and anxiety coming back to place I loved working at but don’t belong any more. 

 

The ceremony was short and sweet with the head delivering a funny but very relevant speech, and then the outcomes of the girls having organised a vote for the best of from the class; the kindest student, the most curious student, the most studious, glamourous, outspoken, cheeky, mummy of the class, diva of the class, baby of the class……you name it, which was very sweet and brought some fun after their 3 years of very hard work.  I was given a certificate of achievement too, for being “the best at creating memories to reminisce upon”.  So sweet of them.  The proceedings ended with singing and dancing to ABBA’s “When I kissed the teacher”, as you can see here!

 

Pizzas in the park was a lovely way to wrap up the occasion and I was able to speak to some of the students and colleagues who in going to Sri Lanka I left behind.

 

I am a person who does not like going back (such as the same hotel, same places, same events when all is done) for fear of disappointment it will never be the same like the first time. However, I braved myself going back, to show the students my admiration and how so proud I was of them, how far they have come to achieve their dreams.  For me personally it made me clarify that despite my love for being a teacher and pride in which I did, due to our relocation I have moved on with my life.  I am in a different place now with different experiences and do not belong there anymore.  A bitter sweet experience really. 

 

Rennie