# 64 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College-Farewell to Friends!

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After the celebrations in April and the adventures of my May Day Holiday week in Gansu (blogs still to come!), it was time to say good-bye to my good friends Rick and Dorathy. Rick & Dorathy and their two children Tara and Shane are relocating to the USA after eight or nine years in Shanghai.

I first met Rick & Dorathy in Cardiff, Wales in 2004 during an international hashing event. (Hash- an international group of social running/walking clubs) Hashing, as people who know me well are aware, has been a large part of my life for the past 25 years or more. I even had a niche merchandising business for hashers for 8 years.

While in China, however, my hashing has been severely curtailed for a number of reasons. That is, until I met the Drunken Dragon H3. The D2H3 (it’s shortened name) is a newly formed club, whose members run bimonthly on a Saturday afternoon in the countryside outside of Shanghai. Rick and Dorathy, together with good friends Cathy & Mark formed the club last July and have been encouraging me to attend the runs as often as I can. I try to make it once a month and am now considered a regular! I have even “commandeered” my friend Stef to join me on some occasions. Needless to say she absolutely loves it! Great bunch of people, a bit of exercise in the countryside, charming small villages and a socialize afterwards. Finally for the stalwarts, we head out to a local restaurant for dinner once we are back in town. Who could ask for more?

The move to the US is the beginning of another adventurous chapter in the lives of this dynamic family. For Rick, the first time living and working back in his home state of Ohio for about 25 years; for Dorathy, who hails from Penang, Malaysia, the first time to live in the USA and without ayis (maids) to assist her with the children and the daily routine involved with running a family household! She had three in Shanghai! Finally, Shane (6) and Tara (5), born in Shanghai, amazing kids who speak English, Chinese and some Spanish, who will be without their beloved ayi. She has been with them since the day they were born. I believe it was probably even harder for her to say goodbye to “her” children.

So goodbye and good luck! We all wish you the very best and miss you dreadfully already!

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Photos

Rick and Dorathy at home
My good friends Dorathy and Rick relaxing at home in Shanghai.

Drunken Dragon H3
Some of my hashing buddies from Shanghai on one of the bimonthly country runs.

Founding Four
From left to right:Dorathy, Cathy, Mark & Rick, the founders of the Drunken Dragon Hash.

Scenic trail
A typical trail for the Saturday afternoon runs winds in and out of small villages. Yes, they still exist, even relatively close to Shanghai!

Rick explains the trail markings
It looks so complicated but is actually quite straight forward!

Running across the bridge
The small towns and villages surrounding Shanghai are crisscrossed by waterways, much like Suzhou and Hangzhou as featured in earlier blogs.

Bridge over tranquil waters
.....and there's more water!

Local canal
Flat-bottom boats are the easiest way to navigate through the often weed clogged remaining waterways.

It's harvest time!
Locals harvesting their wheat encouraged us to run across the wheat to assist with threshing!

Farmers drying their wheat
Farmers greet us with a smile!

Hand threshing the wheat
An ingenouis but simple tool for separating the wheat seed from the chaff. Hard work indeed!

Among the poppies
Rick and Dorathy's farewell run featured a local natural reserve as well as local villages.

Down downs for the departees
Rick and Dorathy drink a farewell beer!

Stef toasts the departing couple
A cold beer at the end of a long, hot run!

Rick and Dorathy looking pensive
It's a difficult farewell!

The "girls"
Some of the ladies of the D2H3 are given a drink for some misdemeanour or other.

The regulars farewell Rick & Dorathy
Dorathy, where are you?

Bubu's special award
Bubu new GM of Shanghai H3 presents Rick and Dorathy with a photo montage of their years in Shanghai.

Ellie steals the limelight from Dorathy
One of the younger hash members decides that the microphone is hers for the night!

Pav's presentation
Our eccentric friend, Pavarotten, presents Rick and Dorathy with some odd piece of plastic. I'm unsure of it's significance but it gave everyone a laugh!

Dorathy gets emotional
It all gets a it much for Dorathy.

Comments

[Flasher]

Running!!
Now come on Treddie. it looks like it's a walking hash!! On On Flasher

[pussy galore]

about time!
So glad you have found a hash club in China Treadie.....was getting worried about you not having anywhere to 'let loose'. They look a great bunch and hope it continues. Well the Harriettes had their changeover recently with the new committee consisting of all past GMs with a new idea - every 6 weeks or so they will change GM so every has a turn but no one has the full responsibility.

[TBA]

D2H3
Hi Flasher, as Sue stated its a running/walking hash we set both trails, and even have rambo runs. We don't call her tail-end Treadie for nothing you know. If in Shanghai we would welcome you on a D2H3 run, and lets see if you can stride out with your namesake Flash on our hash. Treadie, great post my dear, have great travels around China, and look forward to seeing you next time your in town. Plus cathy and I will be able to accomodate you by then. ON ON TBA