May 4, 2014
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Goodbye?
Friday was my last day working at the UN. During the past seven months I met some incredible people. And, it’s harder leaving some than others. Also in the past week another intern, who in a lot of ways was a kind of “rock” and kind of a point of reference, left. So, basically, last week was filled with goodbyes–not only as the one leaving, but also as the one being left.
And goodbyes are hard. I think they’re the worst.
Almost everyone I’ve met here lives and will continue to live in Europe. The rest are from East Asia. Being from the US, that’s not an easy distance to traverse. I had resigned myself to recognizing that this would be the last time that I would see any of them. Even those from the US lived at the northern reaches of the East or West coast. In sum, I was sure that I would never see any of these people again.
BUT! Then I thought, in a world where technology connects people like never before, do we actually have to say “Goodbye” as was once required?
For everyone that I’ve met, I’ve made friends on Facebook. We’re (so far) on good terms. Everyone will be able to see everything that I post for like ever. So, keeping in touch is a an entirely different game. It’s like people don’t need to actually say goodbye anymore.
Even when Xanga as we used to know it died, there were no real goodbyes between humans. Many of the goodbyes were to a platform that wouldn’t continue and to the potentiality of meeting someone on that platform that we might not otherwise. But, did anyone actually LOSE anyone? Maybe some did, but I think that was rather exceptional. The point is, I’m not sure that
Now I feel silly that I bothered to make thank-you/farewell cards…
When was the last time you ACTUALLY had to say a (permanent) goodbye?
Comments (2)
Death is a definite good-bye but there is hope of a reunion… Electronic communication has evolved from telephone to facetime/Skype. It is so good to be able to see those people that we want in our lives but are physically separated from us by great distances. With a shrinking world you just might be reunited with then since we are all becoming “globe trotters”!
I am happy you had such a good time in Switzerland, and were able to make such good friends. You will maintain your friendship with them for many years to come I am sure. AND, when you start working you and your own family will want to travel the world, and I am sure you will meet up with these same friends in future.