Describe a reunion or farewell party that you attended

I'd like to describe a farewell party that my colleagues and I organised last summer for a friend of mine, Kamila, who was moving to Canada to continue her studies. We had worked in the same office for four years, and she was one of the people who made going to work enjoyable, so we wanted to give her a proper send-off.

We held the party on a Friday evening in a small restaurant with a terrace, and about twenty people came. A few of us arrived early to decorate the table and hang a banner that said good luck in several languages, since she was heading to a new country. We kept it a surprise, so when she walked in, she put her hand over her mouth and couldn't speak for a moment.

During the evening, we ate, took lots of photos and reminisced about funny things that had happened at work, like the time she accidentally sent an email to the entire company. Our manager made a short speech, and then we gave her a book of messages and a small gift. She read a few of them aloud and had to stop, because she was crying.

I had mixed feelings that night. On the one hand, I was so pleased for her, because she was following her dreams. On the other hand, I knew the office would feel different without her. It was a bittersweet evening, but we promised to keep in touch, and honestly, we still message each other almost every week.