Bye Bye Kim!

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As the end of June approached, Kim prepared to go home. Her sister, Lisa came to spend a month with her, first working then traveling. For the past year it was our tradition to have dinner every Sunday night. Before Kim and Lisa left for their trip we decided to have one last tadoo at one of our regular haunts, the Doublestar Café and we capped it off with a trip two floors down to Coldstone Creamery. Last Wednesday Kim and Lisa departed for the U.S. Now, if I see a hilarious chinglish t-shirt or experience a particularly frustrating ‘china’ moment, I can’t just send her a quick text. We both arrived in August of 2008 and we both returned in June of 2009. Then we returned to China within a week of each other a couple of months later. But now she has left and I have two and a half more months ahead of me. Honestly, it’s rather inconsiderate of her to leave so early.  Who will have nerdfest movie marathons with me now??

Several of my other foreign friends are also preparing to leave for the summer. Shenzhen will be much emptier in a week or two. But I have my own travels to look forward to. I will only work for another four weeks. Then (whoopee!) my friend Mary is coming! And I’ll be able to show her the country that has been my home for nearly two years.

Not much else has been going on. Life has been fairly quiet. It’s hot but I know the real summer heat hasn’t arrived yet. I’ve already started hauling things over to my friends’ apartment, things that I no longer need and won’t be taking back to the States. And I gaze around my apartment at all the cool stuff I’ve picked up and wonder, sometimes aloud, “How the heck am I going to get all this crap home?!?” I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Maybe.

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Photos

A really crappy job
I walked out onto my balcony and saw something odd on the side of the building.

Men dangling on swings
They were washing the windows and just watching them gave me the heebie jeebies.

Finally!
An instant coffee for the hip hop enthusiast.

Mmmm...cheese tea
If you want to know what this tastes like make a Jell-o no bake cheesecake, tip it into a blender, blend well, add tea. There ya go. It was gross.

Too cool for school
From left: Lisa, Kim, Tiffany, Rosemary, Nadia, Ivy

Beware!
Nadia is a professional ice cream thief.