Auf Wiedesehn, Jason

It is sadly time to bid farewell to Jason, who has been at RSIS for the past three months working on his dissertation on Myanmar (and humanitarian intervention following Cyclone Nargis). We first met by the simple virtue of being seated next to each other in the Graduate Office, as I was winding up my work at RSIS and transitioning towards being a full-time student. 

It was rather unsurprising that we hit it off, if only because Jason seems to have the rare and innate capacity to have long conversations with just about anyone. He spoke of long conversations with his roommate over endless pots of tea, which were replicated with me on a number of occasions (though beer, in Jason's case Guinness, was our beverage of choice). I owe Jason a debt, not only for his wonderful company, but for introducing me to so many other professors at the institute, be it Chris and his wife Tui to Wendy, who was moving in to Jason's flat even as he was on his way out.

Sadly, he has to return to KL after three months here in Singapore, and from there he is heading back to the US with his wife, where he has a cross-continent trip planned (I am rather envious). So, auf wiedesehn it is Jason, thanks for the great times and wonderful conversation!