Saying Goodbye to Friends

This week I've had to say goodbye to two friends here.  :'(

One I met when I first arrived. Funny enough, she was one of the very first people I met here (It took me a month or so to figure that out though!)  She became a good friend and I've spent many hours with her getting foot rubs, coffees, and just vegging out on her patio.  I'll miss calling her up for a chat. Some people you know you'll probably never see again.  But her?  I think I will.  I hope so, anyway.  She's just the type of person who I could go to her house unshowered, in my pajamas at 3 in the afternoon and she wouldn't blink twice.  She'd just ask "want coffee or gin?"  Damn, I'll miss her.  

My other friend I actually met due to my blog.  I'm a bit sad that I'm going to stop blogging, because one of my biggest rewards is meeting people like her.  She came to Balikpapan as a single, working woman.  She lived way down on the other side of town, but we tried to meet regularly for coffee on the weekends or I'd go to her house for lunch (yippee for long lunch breaks!).  We also did Manado together and I really was planning other trips for us!! But, no... :(  She's moving back to the States.  Sniff, sniff... I guess I'll have to take Damian! HA!

Anyway, Balikpapan is a really transient town.   I've seen people just get settled and they get transferred out.  It's hard.  Bella and I came here just about the same time, so I think we just bonded looking for people to talk to.  But I tend to be drawn to the "tenured" expats.  Those that have grown roots here.  Ones that have history to share and know the best hidden secrets of BPN.

But I like meeting newbies and connecting new people to others who have similar interests/lifestyles. Families with families; singles with singles (I've had a few suggest I create a BPN dating site! LOL!).  I've introduced teachers from one school to teachers from another.  I don't need to be people's close friends, but it makes me happy when they settle in and find others to socialize with, finding their own niche.  In between those people, I find ones that I personally connect with, which makes it all that more rewarding.

Anyway, my blogging days are almost over, so I'll have to figure out how to reach out and meet more people.  Unless they show up at the door of Yuli's, I don't think it will happen as often as them emailing me over my whack-a-doodle blog!