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Today is April 28th, the last day of work for my colleague and friend
Simone Steinborn, who will move back to Germany on Tuesday. She
has spent 2 years in China, and decided recently to start another
chapter of her life in the Motherland. We took many pictures for
her to share with friends back home, and to recall special moments to
herself in the future. Living in China leaves an imprint that I
can't imagine fading over time. As Simone remembers the many
times she has heard her own mother reminisce about the time when she
lived in Canada in 1969, Simone will surely tell similar tales to her
own daughter one day. " When I lived in China..."
It is in moments like these, where we have to say goodbye to a part of
our lives that our awareness of the present grows strong. Each
moment, a countdown to the last. Each shared meal commited to
memory. Moving to China has the potential to reveal remarkable
aspects of ourselves which we might not have ever known. Granted,
we learn more about the world in which we live, but more interestingly,
living here has exposed parts of our guts that leave an indelible
impression.
That's me looking exceptionally relaxed. Today is the last day
before I start a 9 day holiday. Whoever said that the Chinese do
not get any holidays, as I read in Glamor magazine or one of those
equally trashy publications, is completely wrong. It really bugs
me to reading blatanly wrong information like that because it
proliferates the vast ignorace about China to the West.
Lindala and I eating the lunch that Simone bought for everyone today.
Kristin, your Pi gu is hen da ( la) . Linda(la), your's is hen shao (la).
The same way that we NJ folks have our twang, the Shanghainese, say "la" after the last syllable of some words all the time.
The lao ban.
Our accountants Helen and Banny. They are amazingly
helpful. From setting up my apartment, getting a work visa, to
even reminding me to pay my telephone bill on time, these women, I
could not manage without.
Aileen, Simone, Linda (la), and Yvonne. This picture was taken in
our materials library which is exceptionally clean right now because
the May Holiday is upon us.
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