Suitcases, Sandwiches, and See-You-Laters!

What it feels like to say goodbye (again) when you’re a kid who moves a lot!

1. The Top Slice: Saying Goodbye

Hey, Jed here again! And guess what? I’m writing to you from an empty house! I’ve lived in the kingdom by the sea, The Netherlands, for two years now, and I am going to leave at the end of this month. I move a lot, so moving is used to me and I have to get used to it. I am going to miss a lot of things though, including my friends, teacher (Mrs. Mattson), my favorite Dutch snacks like stroopwafels or hagelslag, and my favorite places that make the Netherlands “home,” including my school, house, park and Luciano’s ice cream shop. But when you’re a Diplo-kid, you know that moving is just part of life even when it’s hard and sad. From my experience, it’s helpful to have a goodbye party so you get a chance to hug and play with the people you love, and to do fun and special activities like a final bike ride to school or a climb up your favorite backyard tree. When you’re doing it for the final time, remember to tell yourself that’s the last time you’ll do it so you can really remember it and keep it in your heart.

2. The Filling: The In-Between Days

Before you pack your house up, it’s a good idea to imagine what it will look like when it’s empty. Let me tell you, it’s going to look very weird and unfamiliar! During the pack-out, or my fun nickname for it “The Great Pack,” you might feel a lot of emotions. You will probably feel smushed together like a sandwich.  A very emotional sandwich that feels big things like: excitement, sadness, nervousness, boredom, happiness, etc. Like my mom says, “You can feel more than one thing at the same time.” And that’s definitely true when you are saying goodbye to your home and friends. To make you feel not so nervous and emotional you can start a family tradition. For example, my family asks our friends to write notes to us at our goodbye party and then we pack the notes deep into our suitcases without reading them. Once we get to our next destination, we read the kind, heartfelt notes. Some of our friends write down funny memories, too. That’s great for a laugh at a time when you might be feeling a little scared or unsure or your new home. By the way, my new home is going to be Abuja, Nigeria. I think it’s going to be very different from the Netherlands!

So what do all those feelings add up to? A moving sandwich, of course! Here’s a recipe to guide our way!

Jed’s Famous Moving Sandwich Recipe

Warning: may cause feelings. Best served with hugs and snacks (like the ones we talked about in my first blog post).

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of “See-You-Later” bread (preferably toasted with love)
• 3 tablespoons of excitement for new adventures
• 1 overflowing scoop of goodbye tears (I hate to say it, but it’s bound to happen)
• A pinch of nervous butterflies
• 4 memories you don’t want to forget (folded gently)
• 1 crumpled packing list you lost but found again
• A sprinkle of “I’ll miss you” messages
• Optional: melted chocolate to remind you that sweet things still happen

Instructions:

1. Start with a slice of goodbye—this part might feel heavy.
2. Layer in the feelings: stack your excitement, nerves, and memories any way you want.
3. Add a generous helping of hugs, favorite songs, and one inside joke from your old home.
4. Top with your second slice—hello, new place! Press down gently. Wrap in kindness, pack with courage, and take a big bite.

Serving tip: Best eaten with your favorite people (even if it’s over video call).

3. The Bottom Slice: What’s Next

You always need to look forward to what is coming next. I am going to spend my summer in the USA before we move to Nigeria. Of course, I am looking forward to things like the Maple Bacon Duck Donut or the famous Cosco hotdog. Not only that, but I’m also excited about seeing my cousins and making new friends at Summer Camp. Also, of course a shopping spree at Target and Trader Joe’s. Other than summer in the States, I’m really excited about Nigeria. My new school, teacher, friends, community, house, etc. But there is a lot that I don’t know yet, like what my neighborhood will look like, when our shipping container will arrive, and who my new best friend will be. Lots of mysteries to be revealed. I guess you could say, “The sandwich of goodbye is messy, but it’s also full of flavor.” I don’t know exactly what’s in the next sandwich… but I’m hungry for it (just hold the pickles)! Yummmm.

Thank you for reading! I’ll have more content up soon. Please come back!  And check out the new coloring pages on the Badges and Games page!

🌍 The Kids Explorer Club With Jed