On Monday I told my kids I’m leaving them.
I’m not a parent, but a teacher saying goodbye to her students is pretty darn heartbreaking too.
This week, I’ve been faced with questions like:
“Why do you have to go?”
“When are you coming back?”
“You’re missing our Winter Performance!?”
“Who’s going to be our teacher?”
and my personal favorite,
“MISS MONAGHAN, DON’T LEAVE US!”
It’s so hard to answer these questions.
I don’t want to leave my kids.
As excited as I am to go, it still doesn’t make it any easier to leave.
The best I can do is try to explain The World Race in 8 year old language.
Let me preface by saying that my kids think San Diego is a country and that it’s located somewhere in the vicinity of China.
[That sure says something about our education system]
Anyway, I’ve spent the last week teaching my students about the countries that my squad will be traveling to.
Each group picked a different country and has done research about the national language, the weather, what a normal day looks like, neat things to see and do, and some facts about history.
They have compared and contrasted these cultures to ours, and asked questions about things that are new and unfamiliar.
They’re writing letters and decorating cards for kids all over the world.
We’re crafty and excited.
But it doesn’t make leaving easier.
I’m doing everything I can to help them understand that the people around the world need some help.
We’ve seen pictures of earthquake devastation in Chile, learned about volcano eruptions, and seen hurricane damage.
We learned what orphanages are.
My kids have opened up and shared stories about times they were taken from their mommys and daddys and had to live with people they didn’t know.
They talked about their own fears of fires and earthquakes.
They have expressed compassion for the people who are hurting because of extreme poverty and natural disasters and disease.
And we decided together that since they have so much love and support here already, it’s okay that I go and help the kids that don’t have as much as we do.
But that doesn’t make leaving any easier.
Some of my kids strongly expressed to me
[AKA yelled at me]
that they don’t want to go to those places.
I told them they didn’t have to, but I do.
Some of my kids looked at the pictures and heard the stories and felt an empathy that makes my heart ache.
They couldn’t express the feeling, but a few have said that maybe one day they would go help people too, and take care of the kids without families.
That doesn’t make leaving any easier.
But it reinforces the necessity.
Knowing that my students will get to hear stories and see pictures from all around the world makes my heart smile. 
They are going to be pulled out of their San Diego bubble at an age where it doesn’t totally make sense, but they will still remember and be able to recognize that there is more to this world.
I’m excited to see their understanding grow and their love for others thrive.
When they finish, I’ll make sure to post pictures of their letters and artwork for the kids of the world.
I desperately hope to keep in touch through email and postcards with my students this year.
They have made me who I am, and I hope that I have left a fraction of the impact on them as they have on me.
So, goodbye room B11.
I will miss you tremendously.
But I promise that you will continue to inspire me for the rest of my life.
I have less than a week before my biggest financial deadline.
I am just about $2600 shy of meeting it!
Thank you so so so much to everyone who has made this possible.
For 5 years, I chickened out of applying for The World Race because I didn’t think I could raise $1,000, let alone $16K.
BUT YOU ARE PROVING ME WRONG!
And you’re increasing my faith every day.
If you can become a financial partner, please click the Support Me link at the top.
If you use social media, please share my blog with your friends/followers.
I will be matching every donation made between now and December 18th.
I appreciate you all!
