There's a saying in Chinese 相見恨晚 /xiang jian hen wan/, which literally means "to regret having not met earlier".
As we're about to say goodbye to a close friend, for most of us, that sentence describes perfectly our feeling.
Until today, I've been on the island of Formosa for 3 and half years. It's definitely not a short time comparing with other foreign students who came to Taiwan only for the purpose of learning Mandarin Chinese. That's why I've seen many friends off at the airport. The feeling of sadness always overwhelmed at that time because that might be the last time I saw that person in my life.
However, the life must go on. As time goes by, I've gradually got used to that feeling and been able to accept the facts that nothing lasts forever in this world. Anyway, I've learnt a precious lesson through this experience: cherish every moment we spend with our beloved persons because you'll never know when you're going to be separated by time or place.
Goodbye Mathieu, see you later (in August), on the condition that I still stay in Taiwan at that time.
