Departures

Ex-pat life has plenty of positives, but a downside is that, no sooner do you make some friends, they, or we, leave. This month we say goodbye to the Frenchs (who are British), returning to London after just two years; and the Schliekers who are going back to Germany after many years here. And with one foul swoop, that 's N's two best friends in her class gone. Meanwhile A still misses Marika, her Japanese-Kashmiri (!) best friend in Bangkok. However, one of the upsides is that we have friends all over the world, to visit and be visited by; later this month, Remi, her Tokyo soulmate from way back, will come and stay.