I hate Au revoirs

Holy Heck, I’m beat! What a week and it’s only Tuesday. The countdown to our departure day is on like donkey kong and my Australian lady-friends here in France have been keeping me as busy as Ryan Seacrest on the E! Channel.

My fingers are mildly numb from typing up a butt-load of online ads for items that my girlfriends are selling before returning to oz for good. My ear is slightly pinker than usual and has a Nokia imprint on it. That’s from fielding phone calls from bargain-hungry frenchies wanting to nab a clothes dryer for €5,99. My brain is fried from translating french to english, english to french, and back again. My fingers have paper-cuts from the pile of paperwork I’ve processed (tongue-twister?). The gears of the car are a little crunchier from racing around town picking up farewell presents that were meant to be delivered three days ago, but you know, we’re in France so delivery/pick up? Same diff (grrrrr).

I’ve welcomed the onslaught of odd-jobs for several reasons. One, I genuinely like to help. Two, it makes me feel like I’m some high-powered, foreign liaisons, interpreter, PA extraordinaire. All I would need is an ear piece and a UN badge and I could totes play the part. Three, I believe in The Karma Bank. This week? Mad-ass deposits.

So yes, our little Expat Girlie Gang is dwindling before my very eyes. 9 down to 4.  Four of my gals are heading back to the green and gold koala home-land for good. One is moving 2 hours north. Boo. Hiss. For the love of Oprah and Gail, why is expat life so gut-wrenching at times? These girls are the spaghetti to my bolognese. We’ve gone through engagements, marriages, pregnancies, child-birth, relationship highs and lows and a SHIZ load of coffee and cake together. When our partners are away on work trips? We meet up in pjs and slippers and sip on vodka red bulls herbal infusions. We look after each other’s kids. We message and ‘comment’ on each other’s facebook pages like it’s going out of fashion. We genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

Ah, the memories. I know one day we’ll all meet up again in Australia. And what a reunion that will be! Pink champagne stocks will go up in a matter of hours.

So this little post is a tribute to the women who have made the past 3 years of my life a social joy. You have enriched my time here, you have shared your wisdom, you have made me laugh. You will be missed ladies!

Au revoir! A bientot! Merci! Bisous!