Congs!

That's how one expresses congratulations here, though to me, it sounds like a plural of King Kong, like Kongs, and I always have to think about what someone's said.


But it's getting easier to decipher, because I'm done with exams, and am almost done with clearing through the school, so I've been hearing it more and more, though I've not yet adopted it as a saying myself.  I've decided that the clearing exercise is a bit like an administrative version of Capture the Flag.  There are five places to go for signatures to prove that you have no issue with the department.  That requires that you know who the right person is.  For example, I assumed I'd check out of the dorms with Rev. Susan, because she checks us in.  Turns out that she's delegated this aspect (which is GREAT for her, and I'm really pleased to hear it.  The vast majority of the students are women, so she's plenty busy).  She seemed surprised to see me for clearance, and when she asked who said that I needed to see her, I told her everyone.


And if you know the right person, they may or may not be there.  I've only had one misfire that took three attempts to get a signature, but the rest have been blissfully painless.  With the exception of the sunburn I might have on my face from crossing campus so many times on a day when I forgot to apply my moisturizer with SPF.


I still need to process all the emotions running around, but right now, I'm thrilled to finally be finished.  It's been such an amazing journey, and it doesn't seem quite real.  


And yet, it's bittersweet.  I'm always the first done with my exams (my explanation is that I think in English, which probably has quite a bit to do with it), and when I went up to drop off my answer book, my friend Isaac waved.  Then Beatrice waved.  I waved back, and it hit me:  this is it.  


And it hit me hard, and it still is.  I'm thrilled that I'll be coming back to lecture, but it will be so different.  My friends won't be here.  I won't be living in the dorm.  I won't be eating in the DH (not a complaint, but I'll have to buy food and cook).  Yes, I'll make new friends, and build a new life as a lecturer, not a student, but many of the people who made these two years so special won't be here.  So I'm grieving that.


And I'm hoping that after a great night's sleep with no reading for exams, I'll be rejoicing.  I think my Kindle's been missing me.  The feeling is mutual.