I find after living in Boston for a bit of time, it is always hard to say farewell to friends. Especially when you have alot of time to hang out and do things it is still hard.
This year of 2006 saw my friend and "honey" leave for better and brighter things at A & E and Brooklyn. Then you have a community activist and all around sweetie pie Thien leave to return to California with her fiance. Most recently, Etienne went to TOKYO for a few years to live for work. But not as an expat but local employee.
With Etienne, we were not sure when he was departing so there were many outings and farewells. The final one was a group (four of us) dinner of a few of us at Fugakyu in Brookline.
Fugakyu Japanese Cuisine
We did have a nice dinner Minh and I with Etienne to a Moroccan place in Charlestown back earlier in the summer. I have to say, after thinking about it, I have gone to many places to eat with Etienne. I will always remember Deep Sea fishing in Plymouth. Meeting his friend JLIN and Rich who are cool people as well as Joy. Bonding over Korean and Japanese stuff---I saw many a great movie, drama and tried other things thanks to his suggestions. But I will always remember meeting at the Breast Cancer walk right after I was "free as a bird" last year in October on cold, sunny Sunday.
The final day, I hung out with him and I was the sounding board on the omiyage to his colleagues. Unlike us in America, the Japanese were big into giving gifts which is ingrained in the culture but it is also a great and nice gesture. We were concentrating with lack of time and also limited on his carry on luggage (weight too) for about 10 people. We resorted to chocolates and jelly beans. Though we realize the Japanese are big on presentation, he could get away with not having beautiful wrapping being a "gaijin". I assured him the jelly beans since they are more an American thing it should go ok. It was the same small token for men and women. Turns out, the jelly beans were a success. I was relieved since I was constantly reassuring him it was ok.
The Birth of the World's Most Famous Jelly Bean The idea was born in Los Angeles, just next door to Hollywood. Yes, the home of countless famous movie stars is also the birthplace of The Original Gourmet Jelly Bean.®
(from the official Jelly Belly website --blurb)
I envy the fact Etienne is living and working abroad. He will experience many great things with hardships along the way. Once he finds his niche, he will be good. I plan to visit later on in the year. I expect he will be talking circles around me in Japanese. Mine is child like at best in terms of my Japanese ability. *Nihongo totemo tai hen desu ne! Dai tai wasure chatta! Maybe I can get the kick in the butt for inspiration to go and discover the world but not in the "visiting" and "traveling" sense perhaps?
My friend "honey" is my social butterfly friend. I appreciate his wonderful company, cooking and great conversation. Thanks to our mutual friend Aud we have bonded over our tirelessness when we worked and volunteered together. I am blessed he is still nearby so I can hop onto a Chinatown shuttle to visit. He is the globe trotter having been to London twice and Spain this summer. (Envious!)
Thien is younger sis of my great friend Thai (who left a few years ago too). We bonded over food and over the years I have went to many a tasty gathering from "banh xeo", Pho and other great food we have hung out. I loved the Sarah Brightman concert or making the afternoon tea bday gathering for her and her sister Khanh with special thanks to the lovely Hien. What will I do now I want great Vietnamese cooking?
Though there were farewells, there were other friends I got reacquainted with as well. Someone I always wondered about, a friend's ex we got reunited thanks to MSN Messenger. I have not been able to use it for a bit of time due to work. Plus not owning a computer can put a damper on that sort of communication. Thanks to Etienne's great suggestion of (http://www.meebo.com/) a great website using the webbrowser to sign you up on all the "chat" softwares--Yahoo, AOL, MSN , Google and ICQ. Before, I would sign on for only two accounts as it takes up too much space. Now I don't have to worry. I have spread the word thus far to all my friends as a result.
This friend is doing very well. In my opinion, this guy a a stand up fellow. The last time I saw him I was crying alot. I just told him that one. It was more the situation and I was being the usual empathetic self I am. It pained my heart to see him go through what he was going through. Now I see he has moved on and is in a great place! Plus cutting out a vice he has been wanting to do! "We Bruise Easy" "Fighting" "Ganbatte" all phrases for good luck I am told (for the first one) and keep it up! Health is King! You are WORTH it!
Another pal from college, she shares my name is now living in DC. I was so excited to catch up and see her even if it was brief. We hung out and caught up on life and I have to visit her at Tyson's corner.
My only friend from my graduating year from BHS , Mateo is now married to a lovely bride. I went to the nuptials over this past weekend. You usually hear the bride is radiant, with this wedding this was no exception, but my friend was grinning ear to ear and full of joy and happiness. Now I have known him for over 20 some odd years (he is my oldest pal) and I have never seen him THIS happy ever. I am glad he found his lovely bride! It was awesome to see his family. His dad and mom and siblings. Two of his much younger ones are no longer kids anymore one having graduated college and the baby (the last time I saw her) is a beautiful and gracely young lady at 15, a junior at BHS and accomplished pianist who could even moonlight as a model if she wanted to put her mind into it. His sister Lisa (the one closer in age to him), speaks beautiful Mandarin and studied Japanese in college. She is happily married and might be moving abroad soon within the next few years for work.
Whilst in DC, I got to see friend number two out of three HS friends Jen. She is my bro's year but we bonded while working at Angelo's which changed to Purity and now is Shaws. I got the lucky fortune to see her briefly two weeks prior. We made our meeting date at the Portrait museum which just only reopened July 1, 2006 after being closed for quite a bit. It looked great but we really only got to see a small fraction of the actual musuem (I have to visit it again). We need to go on a trip again--we have travelled to New Orleans and Miami together before.
Xiao mei mei Wen Wen is an expectant mom and also beloved lil college sis. I met up with her and her due date is in two weeks for her first baby. She looked radiant and was sweet as ever. I met her her folks ---the first time in many years and it was lovely to see them both. According to her, I was a big reason she went to our alma mater. I made such a deep impression on her folks when I participated on a student /parent panel (I was one student out of two). I had not realized I was so pursuasive. It is true, you never know what type of impact you have on people's lives with every word/action you do and say. So I strive to be cognizant. But as any person, I am human and have my foibles and flaws. I just strive to be me.
I got to reconnect with my "oh nee" (big sis for a girl in Korean) parents who are moving over from Korea. The last time I saw them was when my "oh nee" got married in 2001. I always love seeing them. They are very sweet and since I have been picking up a smattering of Korean it has been good. They were testing my knowledge, I know words and a few phrases but I do not know the grammar "chincha moo lah yo". I did learn I have to end with "yo" to be more respectful to my "oh nee's" parents. I guess after watching over a year's worth of drama's can do it for me. I need to know a bit more before I head to Korea.
Lisa is one classmate I met via Chinese Class---Yu Lao Shi's Chinese 101 (intensive daily class that started at 8am). We knew each other in ASA but bonded over our struggles learning PinYin and tones in Chinese class. I reconnected with her while in LA over March. Her kids are cutie pies and I had a great time hanging out with her. Or my other college pal S.C. Chan who just had a beautiful baby girl! She is always the hostest with the mostest to me kindly opening up her home whenever I visit.
I even had a bonding moment with her sister and we hiked in the Hollywood Hills and I could see the Hollywood sign from afar. It was fun and I got to see some of Sammi Cheng's classic films such as "Needing You" or Chow Yun Fat, Cherie Chung or Leslie Cheung (deceased but still missed) in "To Catch a Thief".
CC recently left earlier this summer with her husband Justin and moved to LA. One more friend to visit! I am glad that we are friends! She is a great friend, loves ice cream and monkeys (MONO is #1), but also her observations are wonderful. We share our crazy road trip to go to Sandusky, Ohio to check out CEDAR POINT (now it has 16 roller coasters---drat it!). The main amusement park for roller coasters (when she lived a good 8 hours away driving in Indiana bordering Chicago, Illinois). Now that is what I call dedication and I loved that we have been able to maintain our friendship despite our time apart.
not enough time to ride this one
new one --looks good though
looks like a new ride
Magnum XL 200- we rode this at night --ultimate scream at 205 feet above ground going at 72 mph, we were scared but thrilled at the same time!
But there are many more great people out t here.....to friendships and great bonds!
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