Happy New Year and Goodbye Simao
on Tina's Journal (China), 02/Jan/2010 11:31, 34 days ago
It has been a strange week. I could feel it was the ending of something and I think there is always a sadness that goes with that even if you are excited about the new beginning. I spent the week packing, clearing up my desk and saying goodbye to friends. I was taken out for a'Goodbye dinner' on New Year's Eve arranged by Hou Wan Xia. It was a lovely way to say bye and get thanks for the bit of work I have done in the time I have been in China. I received some lovely gifts off friends and students who had really thought about what to get me and lovely kind words about how I have touched their lives. I left Simao yesterday evening after a lovely send off at the airport. As the plane took off and left Simao I looked down with tears and felt sad to leave some people behind. The world is getting smaller but it is still a big place, I can't just pop over to see friends in Simao for the weekend if I take the fancy. However, the good thing with technology means I can still keep in touch with e-mail and Skype and I truly hope to go back in the not too distant future. One thing I have felt in Simao is accepted and special. Students are always happy to see you, chat and want to learn what they can from you. In my personal experience most other teachers seem to respect you professionally even if they don't totally agree with you. It was heart warming to be told by the college leaders you are welcome back anytime, please come back!I am now in Beijing. I stayed last night in Kunming. It is freezing here, when I landed it was -5C degrees so now it's probably colder and I do not feel like venturing outside the hotel. I am spending the evening in my room but tomorrow I am going to see the Great Wall with a friend from the VSO office so really excited about that!