After travelling many kilometres to reach to beautiful wilderness of the Great North, we had to retrace our steps to come back home.
So, we rose early (around 7:30 AM), packed and sorted our bags, loaded the bus and stopped at Tim Horton’s for a take-out breakfast. Eating on the road saves a lot of time.
As Marie-Neige, Stéphanie and Andréanne will return to Chicoutimi by car, it’s farewell time already. Heartfelt accolades confirm the strong relationships that were created in record time. For sure, we will miss our new friends, but the thought of them and our time together will bring a smile to our faces.
It is with a heavy heart that the rest of the group heads on to Montreal. Tiredness limits the conversations and it’s comforting to rest on a friend’s shoulder for the remaining time together. The organizers warn our young friends that it’s normal for them to feel lonely and sad over the next few days. It’s called the post-expedition syndrome. It’s hard to loose contact with so many dear friends. But, things will get better… and there’s Skype and Facebook, those wonderful tools.
At Montreal airport, many families are eagerly waiting for their children. Our adventurers are torn between the sadness of separation and the joy of being reunited with their families. Farewells follow naturally. One by one, the participants must leave. The harsh reality sets in: the euphoria of arrival is always followed by the sadness of separation.
There are hugs and kisses, a few tears, promises to keep in touch and to get together again. Our planet is not that large, after all.
Even with teary eyes and scorched hearts, those youths return home with a new tool in their arsenal. Through this experience they discovered their incredible inner strength. In hard times, they will know where to go to find the energy to go forward.
Goodbye dear friends. May the winds be at your back and may we meet again soon!