We have finished our term of service at Rift Valley Academy.
Last week saw the final classes taught and the final exams sat and marked.
I used the following cartoon for the last lesson of the year:
There was a final flag raising and a final singing of the Kenyan national anthem.
A last look at my classroom, decorated with the poster my Calculus students had prepared for their final presentations.
Around 30 staff are leaving at the end of this term, either retiring, going on home assignment or moving elsewhere. All their belongings have to be removed from their houses. Our next-door neighbours gave their sofa and washing machine to a local children’s home, transported by one of the local Kenyans.
Saturday morning was graduation for all Year 12 students, attended by family, friends and staff.
Seventy-two students graduated. Looking through the programme, I realised that I had taught 67 of them at one time or another. A moving experience, watching them come to the end of their schooling.
Some will go on gap years in Europe or elsewhere, most are off to university, predominately in the United States, but also in South Korea and the UK.
In addition to the presentation of diplomas and other awards, there was a guest speaker and a graduation choir, made up of graduating students, other students and staff.
Afterwards there was the tossing their hats into the air in traditional fashion, followed by a delicious lunch.
On Sunday we went out for lunch. On the way we saw baboons, warthogs, giraffes, hippopotamuses, zebras and some beautiful birds. It was a fitting end to our stay in Kenya.
We have packed up the contents of our household, which we have sold to an incoming teacher.
And we have packed up our four suitcases, ready to fly back to Germany.
So, almost two years to the day since we flew from Frankfurt to Nairobi for our Africa Based Orientation training, we return to Europe.
We are very much looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends, in particular our two grandchildren, of whom we have seen very little in person since they were born. We are very glad of the technology of video calls each week.
It has been an amazing adventure. Not always easy, but very rewarding, in particular building relationships with the students inside and outside the classroom, pouring into their lives, whether teaching maths, helping them achieve their potential, supporting their sporting fixtures, playing board games, organising Wizard card game tournaments, coaching the robotics team, writing recommendation letters for university, or just talking about life, the universe and everything.
I am looking forward to starting a proper retired life, but it may not be the end of my involvement with RVA. I have offered to cover if one of the Algebra teachers goes on home assignment for a term. Nothing will be needed for the next academic year, but after that … watch this space.
Thanks for reading this blog over the past two years, and for all the lovely comments which many of you have made.
Proof of the pudding 
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