When the story ends, the memories remain

This beautiful fan given to me by some teachers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd7CN7umchg My English! ELTDP

This week I was very fortunate to have been included in a few of the mentors farewell lunches with their teachers and it brought me back to September 2013 when I had too was starting to say my farewells. I don't think I could go through the tears shed and the emotional strain of that again but I have much empathy for all the mentors parting from their lovely warm, friendly teachers. The bond that grows between the mentors and teachers is  usually very special but of course there are exceptions and there may well be a few teachers and mentors who will not be shedding tears!

  I also took my dear neighbours out for a meal on Saturday night to my favourite restaurant on stilts in the Gaya lagoon. We had black pepper prawns, crab, grouper and the sunset was beautiful with colours that were magical. Bertie, who has just celebrated his 77 birthday, is a very active person who is constantly strimming, sanding or banging a piece of wood, which at 6.30 in the morning isn't always wonderful but he is always there if I need him and he drove me to the hospital when I broke my arm and on Sunday helped to put my bicycle wheel back on and has a spare key when I lock myself out! Rozalind is a diabetic and really can't move very well but tries her best to keep active - my malay is as bad as her English but she likes me and send plates of dahl or fried bananas when she is cooking. Sophia, as you already know, is my great friend and I will truly miss her. We spend most Saturday mornings together, walking to Tuaran, looking at bundles, gossiping and having our noodles. She recently heard that she is being made redundant in the new year and feels the sewing isn't enough to keep her going and pay the car. Anyway she went for an interview yesterday at the posh hotel Rasa Ria and seems to think it went well so let's hope that a door closed will open another for her.

Bertie and Rozalind

Which is what I'm hoping for too. There are talks about another extension to this project but I won't be coming back and I am applying for jobs which is a new thing for me, entailing updating my CV which is ancient! So in the last few weeks I am just trying to capture and remember the beautiful sunsets and everyday life of Sabah. However, I am off to Vietnam on Saturday for my last Asian adventure trying to see another country I haven't explored. I have my first night booked in Hanoi at a backpackers and after that I'm just going to see what happens! I am slightly nervous but I know that adventures are fun and I will have lots to tell you!