The Long Goodbye

My boss, Joanna, is on the home stretch of a month of goodbyes. After 34 years in & out of China, starting as a student in 1979 and then three British Council posts, she's moving back to Europe. I have an inkling of how she must be feeling, but only an inkling. Liz & I have gone through departures in Japan and Thailand but they were are a mere six and four years respectively.  Anyway, convivial reception at the Ambassador's residence this evening with many of her old friends in attendance - one of whom was Mao's interpreter in the early 70s.