As my time here draws to an end I am reminded of something a good friend told me "don't let this be all there is."

Thank you Leonie, I promise I won't.

Nanjing, and indeed, China, has been a singularily extraordinary experience. Everything here is the opposite to what I am used to and that has been instrumental in gaining a resonable and fair perspective on my time here and my attitude toward life, lifestyle and civilisation in general and in specifics.

The friends I have made in Nanjing will be sorely, and in many cases painfully missed, but I believe that we will all continue friendships if we consider them to be worth continuing. And there are many that I consider to be vital.

I will not be returning in the forseeable future.
There is an entire planet, and then some, that is open for the experience. My future will be filled with as much as I dare to venture into.
I fervently hope to return to visit the crowd that I have come to consider friends  - no, not friends, more than that, but indefineable. I hope they find as fulfilling a future as I intend to.

I shall be less a person for want of the friends I have made here and more of a person for the difficulties I have overcome.

As I have stated; China has been extraordinary. The country itself and the people, asian and 'old strangers' (don't think you are anything but) have been the singular defining points and contradictions in this country that have made it so incomprehensible to me, yet I feel I am more wordly for it. I understand less now aboout the human condition - impulse, response and conditioning - than before I came and yet I am more resolved in the dignities and civilities of my own culture that I can thank China and the experience gained from living here for it.

I will miss the friends that have shown their worth and I hope you will stay in touch.

Despite the bashing that caused my permanent hearing loss, I hope I will be able to fly for a company that services Nanjing one day and visit those of my dear friends who are still here. The rest of you - I hope I have the opportunity to fly you somewhere one day. For free, of course!
If not, I sing at weddings, funerals and Bahmitzvahs!!