December 15, 2003

Saying Goodbye

I’ve fallen in love - with Sydney. In leaving, I feel like I’m deserting a lover and best friend.

I can't believe this is my last night in Sydney and my plane’s due for take-off at 1pm tomorrow. It seems somewhat surreal that this time tomorrow I'll be in Singapore.

In the past couple of months, I have grown to love the lifestyle in Sydney very much. The lifestyle here suits me to a tee what with my love of the outdoors. I’ve really embraced the Aussie way of life with all the walking I’ve been doing (apparently that’s the favourite outdoor activity of Sydneysiders), going to the beach, going for picnics at the park with friends, yumcha, eating alfresco etc.

I take with me many beautiful memories of the ocean, the beaches, the blue skies, the varied experiences which I have had, and most importantly I take away with me the new friendships forged in the months I had here. Oh yes, I forgot – I take with me a postgrad diploma too. That was the reason for my coming here but yet I almost forgot about it. Haha.

This has been a fantastic year for me and I can’t remember a time where I’ve been happier. I think I’ve found what I truly like and want to do in life, that is, to teach English. It’s not going to bring me heaps of money but I derive great job satisfaction from it.

I got to meet people from many different walks of life in my stay in Sydney. I also made many friends and these are friendships I treasure and am thankful for.

I have to give many thanks to my uncle, aunt and cousins for all the care they have given me throughout my stay. They have been most wonderful and I can’t thank them enough. Most importantly I want to thank my parents, whom I know are reading, for giving me the opportunity to come here in the first place.

In my time in Sydney, I had many new experiences and those of you who have followed my blog would have shared vicariously in these experiences. I hope you have enjoyed the journey with me and that you’ll continue sharing my experiences with me as I move to another part of the world.

But for now it’s goodbye to Sydney and I hope that one day I will find myself back here again.

Posted by DSD at December 15, 2003 11:25 PM
Comments
byebye Joan in Sydney...hello Joan in Singapore! Posted by: tiggie at December 16, 2003 12:25 AM
I think Sydney's gonna miss you, too. :-) I am so glad to have met you. It's been heaps of fun, and thought-provoking at times, too. Thanks for letting me and your other friends take you to fabulous and arcane new worlds (covered toes or otherwise). Thanks also for showing me around parts of my own city I'd never seen before. Like everyone was saying last night, you are more of a Sydneysider than a lot of Sydneysiders are (I first realized this when you said that Bondi Beach is overrun by too many tourists). Hopefully you will come to realize, if you don't already now, how much you've achieved off your own bat this year--studying abroad, making new friends, getting around on Sydney's crazy public transport. And btw, you are *frighteningly* well organized and disciplined with your studies. You really show up the rest of us who are procrastinators! No doubt you will go on to do splendidly in your new-found career as a TESOL educator, and do a lot of good for many people. Wherever you end up working, and whatever challenges you face, you will certainly leave your mark, on your students, your colleagues, and your field. The world's your oyster. Or rather, it's your dimsum. See ya on MSN. Posted by: Adrian at December 16, 2003 9:27 AM
Thanks for your lovely words Adrian! Posted by: joan at December 17, 2003 2:54 AM
What a lovely entry, Joan. I feel sad that you're leaving Sydney because I've really enjoyed reading about your adventures there! I hope you'll have more in Japan next year though. You're really lucky to have discovered waht you like doing - teaching English. Not everyone is as lucky as you are to have that sort of knowledge - knowing your vocation. I hope you'll always be happy wherever you go! But that you'll wind up back in Sydney again, at least for visits! Posted by: Van Heng at December 17, 2003 10:40 PM
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