Farewells (or See You Later)

I'm not too good with goodbyes. You can ask my highschool buddies that; they'll testify about how I bawled when we all graduated and left for college. I get teary-eyed leaving my family when I check in at KLIA.

But some goodbyes are really more difficult that others. True, my own family is awaiting my arrival in the US anxiously. But sometimes even a family there can't replace some special things in your life.

And it's going to be particularly difficult saying goodbye to her.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Mmmm. Any Malaysian expatriate will tell you that we all miss the food. And I'm willing to bet my left testicle that you do this too: we ALL inevitably bring foodstuff back to the US/UK/wherever when we leave Malaysia. This one's a definite. The packs and packs of Brahims, Maggi, sometimes even belacan (and you hope you can sneak things in!) just to bring a bit of Malaysian cuisine back to make things easier.
As I joke with my friends there; you miss food and family, and in that order of priority (kidding, mom, dad. Not reducing you to a plate of char koey teow!). But really, with the internet, webcams, Skype, it's pretty easy to stay in touch and see how people are doing (though it never really substitutes the real people) but you can't replace the food. Seeing and reading about food on the net just makes it more painful (so to you people who post pictures of food on Facebook for the rest of us, this is torture!!)
Now, I've seen siew yoke for sale in the States somewhere in California. But even this, never the kind we see here with half an inch of glistening, heavenly fat (note to wife: I picked out the fat from the meat. Ahem).
We'll be back probably in a couple of years. In the meantime, Malaysia, you take care. I'll miss you- see you later!