Last Day of School

There have been a lot of tears shed over the past few days; Friday was the last day of school for the children… A day full of emotionally-charged goodbyes, tremendous kindness, delicious cakes, touching words, and a surprise party to boot. The UP School community has genuinely left an indelible impression on our hearts.

Sullivan and Frankie have really made their mark here in Cagliari, slotting into their new school so effortlessly. They skipped in through the school gates every morning throughout the winter, making fast friends with all of their classmates. At home they talk endlessly of school activities and the games played with friends. And now they play them together in their newfound language, suddenly fluent in Italian too. We could not be prouder.

Our hallway is piled high with the kids’ schoolwork and art projects, lovingly prepared for us by their teachers. We are full to the brim with happy memories from a final afternoon spent in the sunshine at the park with all of their friends. And we will always treasure the farewell gifts and thoughtful momentos from the beautiful families we have met here. It was an overwhelmingly emotional day.

It’s hard to take the children away from something that has brought them (and us) so much happiness. The sadness of leaving goes to show the tremendous impact this school has had on all of us. But how fortunate we feel to have experienced the warmth of this extended family. And how grateful we are to have had this opportunity at a time when so many children around the world are not able to attend school.

We have been welcomed into this community with open arms, and we leave with full hearts. One day, in the not-too-distant future, we’ll return for a visit to La Città del Sole.