Friends....
Having spent my entire life moving around the globe I have developed ways of settling in quickly and establishing my ‘home’…usually with a pile of books that go everywhere with me, a few collected ornaments and some general ‘clutter’.
However, I find it incredibly hard to make new friends….I am what one of my best friends calls me a ‘social nightmare’ when put into a group of people I don’t know. I clam up and pull myself quietly into the nearest corner until I can make a dash for the nearest exit.
My collection of friends in Hong Kong has been built up over a very long period of time. For the first few years here I had only about three friends...one who had come out to HK from England with me and the other two I had met through work...
So my impending departure for pastures new is more than a little daunting. The thought of having to start over and make new friends is not really something that makes me leap with joy. The new job excites me, the travel possibilities in The Philippines appeals, the chance to do my PADI course is enticing….meeting new people and creating my new social circle is terrifying.
Whilst being moved around the world by my parents and then later moving by myself, I developed this rather strange way of keeping a connection with family and friends….all to do with land mass! I make my connection based on which of my friends are on the same land mass as I am…being in Hong Kong is quite convenient as Asia is a pretty big land mass…I am lucky that whichever landmass I travel to I have friends or family on it…except the islands of The Philippines.
I hope that in six months I shall look back at this post and will be able to count some new friends on at least one hand…
However, I find it incredibly hard to make new friends….I am what one of my best friends calls me a ‘social nightmare’ when put into a group of people I don’t know. I clam up and pull myself quietly into the nearest corner until I can make a dash for the nearest exit.
My collection of friends in Hong Kong has been built up over a very long period of time. For the first few years here I had only about three friends...one who had come out to HK from England with me and the other two I had met through work...
So my impending departure for pastures new is more than a little daunting. The thought of having to start over and make new friends is not really something that makes me leap with joy. The new job excites me, the travel possibilities in The Philippines appeals, the chance to do my PADI course is enticing….meeting new people and creating my new social circle is terrifying.
Whilst being moved around the world by my parents and then later moving by myself, I developed this rather strange way of keeping a connection with family and friends….all to do with land mass! I make my connection based on which of my friends are on the same land mass as I am…being in Hong Kong is quite convenient as Asia is a pretty big land mass…I am lucky that whichever landmass I travel to I have friends or family on it…except the islands of The Philippines.
I hope that in six months I shall look back at this post and will be able to count some new friends on at least one hand…
posted by Madame Chiang at 7:40 am
4 Comments:
LIke you facing an impending move means loss, myabe abstinance is a better word, of freinds...like you I have many friends here that I have built up over a long time, and will miss...the thought of a new city and having to start over on the friends treadmill is one I don;t relish the idea of either...
...need to find some tips to help me get out there.
Have no suggestions...no doubt I will be sitting in Manila like a lost lemon for a while until someone takes pity on me!! Either that or my annual expenditure on air fares is going to grow! Seriously...will try to pick up my fencing classes, try to find some tennis partners...the usual kind of thing!
we're a friendly people and you'll be happy in no time!
I am sure I will be...it is just a little daunting at present...thinking about setting up a whole new 'social whirl'!
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