So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good bye…

Sorry for the long blog entries lately – I guess I am more in the venting, cathartic writing stage than actual fun stories, but I hit another milestone while here recently – losing friends - and it has been tough.

Friendships while living abroad are an interesting sort. You meet such an international crowd and even the Texans we’ve met are people that we probably never would have met if we had lived in Texas our whole lives. Will warned me of the struggles and rewards of making friends abroad – to try to find them at first and then to watch them finish their assignment and move on.

Of course, I kinda believed my husband that all this occurs but I was a little spoiled that I had my former co-worker Patty move to Shanghai first so that by the time I arrived, she had lined up 4 20 or 30 somethings that became insta-friends known as the Tai Tai for Life club. I also found a few cool cats from the Dell Wives Club (a pleasant surprise since I figured the Dell Expat Wives would want nothing to do with the girl without a driver or the country club membership☺ ). They of course all joked with me that they were not going to call me for at least 6 months so that I could struggle like they had making friends when they first got to Shanghai – but I grew on them – either that or maybe it was the lunches I kept buying so they would keep calling. This friend making thing wasn’t so difficult at all. They like me, they really really like me!

I was content, no need for more friends – I mean – look at all the cool things we were doing – we got to have fun and dress up (above picture – Art Gala Fundraiser with Amy and Sarah), go to fashion shows (with my Dell Wives peeps), get pedicures and the lovely lunches – need I say more? That was until a few weeks ago when 3 of them decided to tell me that they were making plans to go back to the US or on to other assignments in the next few months. Huh, what? Say again? They TOLD me they were all staying for at least 2 years. This was not what *I* planned for – the nerve of these women.

In the last few weeks, I really do think I have gone through Kubler-Ross’ grief cycle – a little shock and awe, a big denial and depression stage…hmmm…testing stage? I think my first realistic solution was to not make any more friends, then I decided that wasn’t really realistic. I am not sure I have reached acceptance, and it sure does leave a pit in my stomach, but I wouldn’t trade these friendships for the world – well, okay, maybe a trip to Australia…. honey, can you look into that? ☺ JK – Miss you Mary and Maxine and I’m going to miss you to Sarah. No goodbyes, but see you in our travels.