[On the Way Home]

Do you see what I see?

After three absences, I went to Shaberoukai (しゃべろう会) tonight after giving up on work at about 7.30.

“Shaberu” is to talk in Japanese and the Shaberoukai is a small get-together of Japanese and Australians organised by one of several Japanese clubs in Melbourne.

Apart from the educational benefits (cough), it’s a nice way to unwind after work and I can hardly refuse food … (yes, dinner usually follows though not part of the official agenda). I’ve met some great people here and many of those I travelled to visit on my recent trip to Japan I’d met through the Shaberoukai. The sad part however, is that the majority of the people I meet are only here temporarily – on study or working holiday visas. A never-ending cycle of hellos and goodbyes.

Still,  as the Chinese say, ‘where there are meetings, there will be partings. Because there are partings, there are meetings’.

Ok, so I need to work on my translating skills

Even a short encounter can become a long-life friendship. Sweeter than it is bitter.

The above photo was taken in my friend’s car on the way back from dinner at a Shanghai dumpling restaurant in Chinatown. What you _can’t_ make out is the incredibly bright, yellow, round moon sitting low on the horizon – left of the middle of the photo