In many ways, living as an expat is similar to going off to college. The experiences are new and exciting, yet daunting. The world becomes a much smaller place; one that you can navigate confidently as your perspective broadens. Above anything else, you build a support system of close friends that become more like family. Together, you and your friends take advantage of the limited time you share in this strange, exhilarating, life-altering experience.

The most difficult reality of expat life is that, unlike college, your graduation date from this journey will not coincide with that of your friends. Some will move on before you and, inevitably, you will move on before others.

As we face this reality, we look forward to future adventures and reunions with departing friends whom we will forever consider part of our Shanghai family.

Appropriately, in China, the term for “goodbye” is zàijiàn; a word formed by combining the characters “zài” and  “jiàn” which literally translate to “again” and “see.” So, instead of saying “goodbye” to our dear friends, we look ahead to when we will see you again. We’re so incredibly lucky to have had our lives cross here in Shanghai and just as excited to add your new locations into our travel itinerary.

It’s all in the perspective.

Zàijiàn!