BAMBI News December 2015

View PDF  Dear Members,It's December, the very last month of 2015. Who would have imagined that 2015 would pass by so quickly? As soon as you get used to writing 2015 on letterheads, it is already 2016...Many of you will probably go on holiday during the School/Christmas break, either visiting your family or traveling somewhere else. Others will stay in town to enjoy the quieter days in the city and the fireworks of New Year’s Eve. I plan on the first option – visiting my family and friends back home, as we do every year in December. My kids are always excited to wear some winter clothes for a change…Every December I go on my holiday knowing that upon my return to Bangkok, a few of my Bangkokian friends will be gone to another relocation or back to their home country. It's the relocations season.This is the sad side of living expat life in Thailand – people come for a while, and then leave for another assignment in another country. Friendships come with an expiry date and then you can either continue them online (if you are lucky – you visit each other as well) or see them fading over time. Living expat life here you must learn to welcome the farewells with fewer tears and be open to new friendships that come (and later may go). I do keep in touch with many of my friends I gathered along the years here, but it feels different when you can't see each other on an ongoing basis. Luckily I do have some friends who are local or permanent residents so at least some of my relationships have a more stable future.One of the good friends I have had since my first days in Bangkok will be leaving this December. I thought she would never leave. It always felt that whenever I will be here – she'll still be here as well, but changes of circumstances led her to say goodbye. She was the last leaf that survived from the original circle of friends I met in my first months in Bangkok. Since then – everybody has moved away. Being here for eight years, I can't even count anymore how many people I bid farewell.Will you say goodbye to anyone this season?BAMBI is saying goodbye to Katarina Osterman who served as Co-coordinator of WOMBLES. She is not leaving town though, just clearing more time to develop her busy career. Thank you Kat for all these lovely dinners!We welcome three new volunteers: Anju Moses who is joining our website/e-news team, Triin Kassis who is joining our Events team, and Adi Ayalon who is joining as new Promotions Designer. Thank you ladies for stepping up!Enjoy the last month of 2015 and see you again next year! Ravit El-Bachar Daniel View PDF