Good-byes

Today M is at a play date.  I can't say this kid is any super-close friend, but they have now been in school together for two years.  I was sad to learn a couple of months ago that his family is relocating to Hong Kong.  I was sadder to learn last night that they move on Friday.

A good friend is returning to her home country in the Southern hemisphere this week, maybe for the summer, maybe permanently.  Her child is one of three that M selected as the kids he'd like to have in his class next year.   Another friend is waiting to hear if her husband's company will extend their stay past August.  Yet another may return in January.

I guess I knew what I was getting into when we moved here.  No, correction, I didn't know.  I thought we'd be the ones moving back after a year. Sayonara.  It's much easier being the one leaving than the one staying.  At least if we were leaving we would be going on to a new adventure and back closer to family.

We do genuinely love it here, but after not even two years I feel like I have said goodbye to a lot of very special people.  Just to make myself more miserable, the song M used to sing at the end of the day in Nursery is playing through my head,

Goodbye, Goodbye, it's time to go now

I must say, you made my day

Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye

But, there are still lots of adventures to have here and lots of new friends to make.  That's one of the great things about being part of an expat community; people are interested in connecting with one another.