My last weekend

Saturday my host took me on another amazing hike - this one called "silver mine." My friend joined us, as did another young professor in the department. The four of us had a great time together - I am still waiting for them to send me the pics of the 4 of us at our picnic spot.



This hike was at times easy and at times challenging. There were places where you had to pull yourself up a bit, and believe it or not, there is a trail in that pic on the right. Mom said it looked more like a drainage ditch! It was well worth it though... Overall we hiked 4 hours, and had an amazing picnic with a view that couldn't be beat. My host really knows how to pick a picnic spot!



On Sunday I had a busy day. A prof from the center for higher education took me out to lunch at a nice fishing village. We walked out on the peer, saw a whale (which became a casual thing by the end of my trip) and ate with a view of the ocean. Then my new friend invited me to his sister's house to meet his nephew who is 1.5 years old and very cute (though not as cute as my 2 year old nephew!) Then my host picked me up for another terrific game of scrabble at his cousin's house, and later that evening my friend had me over since it was my last night. I felt like I was being shuffled from here to there all day! It was good to feel I would be missed.

The scrabble game was again fun - my host and his cousin were good fun. They made lots of jokes; both clever and silly ones. They also teased me a lot about my new "friend" and made lots of flirtatious words on the scrabble board in my honor. I managed to come in 2nd - not bad! I didn't have the luck this time of drawing the big scoring letters, but I managed to hold my own. I think my host is a little sore I beat him two times in a row! I wish I could join them weekly to play :)

Alas Monday it was time to go home. I spent as much time as I could with the students; conducting interviews and looking at their work. I also cleaned out my office, organized my papers, packed and did all that necessary stuff. When dinner time came both my host and my friend took me out to my favorite Thai place (nice I stayed long enough to know the restaurant scene!) then to the airport for my midnight flight. I was sad to say goodbye to both of them. I know they will miss me, and I miss them quite a bit.