[Please hum Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’ in your head whilst reading]
Today, this friday, marks the start of our last two (TWO!) weeks on Pulau Weh. The lovely, beautiful island that has been my home for the past year.
And god, I’ll miss this place.
Time is going so fast now. The dive center is surprisingly busy for a post-high season September so there is not so much time for reflection, but while my students are working on their exams I can’t help but looking down memory lane.
It has been an amazing year. I’ve met lots of amazing people from all walks of life. There were some less amazing people too, of course. Made new friends from different corners of the world.
I’ve grown a lot as a diver, too. The currents around Pulau Weh will definitely teach you a thing or two about respecting the ocean. I’ve had wonderful encounters with marine life. Watching dolphins from the boat. Observing octopus (octopi) going through their mating ritual. A school of 25+ mobular rays flying over our heads. Finding the cutest critters in our backyard and on our house reef. It was my first year as an instructor. I hope my students learned as much from me as I learned from them. (note to self: people WILL keep coming up with ways to surprise you.)
I’m pretty sure I’ll be back here. It is just too perfect. If I would be rich (hah, if ever) I would by a little plot of land here, looking out over the ocean, to spend some lovely quiet holidays.
But after a year it is also time to be on the move again. The world is such a big place, full of other fantastic places just waiting to be explored, that it feels wrong to spend all the time here. It has also been more than 1,5 years since I saw my friends at home and we’re terrible at keeping in touch, so it’s time for some serious catching up.
I’m excited to go home, but will leave a piece of my heart on Pulau Weh.