Ah, I needed this.
I just came from this SALT Activity – the Despedida. It's when the community celebrates the success of members who are done with their fourth year in college. Despedida is Spanish for, “Farewell.” Salt is essentially a community that revolves around friendship and college life in the Ateneo. Since fourth year is usually graduating year for members, the year's end would be the time the member would move on and say farewell from life in college and from life as member of the community as well. It's not totally goodbye though. Friendship remains strong, if not stronger, after college. And if there's one thing about Salt that I know for certain, it is that it is about friendship – total, true, human friendship. Thus, former members still do stay part of the community as Alumni, who are regularly invited from their stress-filled responsibilities in the real world of life after college to again feel that magical feeling of loving togetherness and be reminded of a community of friends we will always belong to. Which is exactly what happened with me tonight. So, Despedida will simply be a transition from one state of belongingness to another, from a stage of relationship to the next. And its celebration is always one of bittersweet emotions, always between letting go of a life filled with fulfillment, of wonderful experiences and heartfelt gratitude, and welcoming another life of promise and great things to come.
For this and much much more, we will always be grateful for Salt.
On a side note, I personally think taking one's Despedida – that part on becoming an Alumni from a member – is quite less like a retirement and much more like getting a promotion. I mean, in every Salt gathering, which is usually a dinner party when it involves Alumni, the Alumni would be the ones to take a shot at the buffet table first. Members are the last. And then, the Alumni get to be entertained by this beautiful series of song numbers, wonderful serenades, while they eat their dinner – heartily. Members are the ones doing the entertaining and serenading, and preparing the entire event. Alumni just go there and enjoy themselves, reminiscing their beautiful memories back in those college days when they were still Salt members. So like, less work, more privileges. Sounds like a promotion to me!
Disclaimer: I sort of remembered I work in the government. So I might have twisted concepts of promotions. *sigh*
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