Sad goodbyes

The reality that my time here in Cardiff is ending hit me today when the Assembly held a beautiful little lunch for us American interns. Our professors from Ohio University came, as did the Swansea University program coordinator, our Assembly Members, and various party colleagues.

In a cozy conference room, Ohio University, Wales, and American flags were draped across a table while pictures of our time here flashed by (like the time itself) on a projection screen.

My sponsoring AM, Chris Franks, arrived last, but not least, as evidenced by his speech that made me laugh and tear up. He was the only AM to speak direct words about an intern, teasing me about when I corrected him concerning Obama during the elections. He handed me a little certificate, which suddenly seemed unnecessary. My experiences here have transcended words and paper, flat 2-D life, and entered a realm of unlimited possibility.

For that hour, I completely forgot about the 3,000-word paper I'm supposed to finish by Friday. I forgot about packing and cleaning my apartment. I remembered only how much a part of Wales I have felt. Wales has been my home, my daily life, my reality, for three months. Once, living here was a distant dream for me. I cannot say what Wales has meant to me, and how much working in the Assembly has helped me grow as a person.

I haven't been able to write about politics on this blog because not only have I taken party sides, but I've also heard information that is not commonly known (or that I fear is not commonly known). None the less, politics have transcended abstract theories during my stay here; I have learned what it means to be a passionate human being trying to make a living on supporting -and acting as a resource for- a large number of people. Compromise drives every aspect of politics, and perhaps every aspect of life.

The people I have met here will continue to plug through every day, trying to improve the lives of those around them and simultaneously protect their positions. Such is life: we do what we can to help others- but to help others, we must also survive.

I am not ready to leave Wales, but who is ever ready to leave a dream?