Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for Frank Fradella’s fabulous, funktastic Friday Five! (Yeah, that’s right. I can alliterate with the best of them!) Today, I have the distinct honor and privilege of delivering to you a small interview with my very good friend and co-host of the Greatest Saturday Show in the World™, Colleen!

A small word here before I begin the interview, though. Colleen and I started swapping e-mail almost a year ago and she was the first really personal contact I had with the great folks at ChinesePod. We hung out a bit when I went to Shanghai and I’m utterly heartbroken that I won’t get to see her on my return trip. You will seldom in your life meet anyone as spectacular as my friend, Colleen. This interview does not do her justice. (I can say much the same of all the people I met at ChinesePod, but Colleen will always hold a special place in my heart.)

Now, onto the interview.

FRANK: You’re leaving us!!! Why why why why why?! (Feel free to answer any of those.)

COLLEEN: I hadn’t stayed in the same place for more than 4 months in over two years, so 7 months in Shanghai has been a breakthrough! But yes, I got into grad school in London and am ridiculously excited about living in London and being a student again (I’ll be studying Local Economic Development). I was in London three years ago and on my first day said ‘Ok, I’m going to live here someday’, and look at me now!

Unfortunately, living in London (and paying tuition) will be absurdly more expensive than Shanghai, so I’ve got to go back to Mom and Dad’s and work and save money for a few months before I go. Plus, its drop dead gorgeous in Vancouver in the summer:)

FRANK: What’s the dating scene like in China?

COLLEEN: Haha, sweet question, but I haven’t really done any dating here. Lots of my western male friends have Chinese girlfriends, but not vice versa, so there are lots more single western girls here. Also, online classifieds are a really popular way to meet people (language partners and/or dates). I responded to one classified from some business man from England who just wanted someone to take of for dinner for the one night he was in town, sounds slightly sketchy, but I thought ‘why not?’ and responded. His driver picked me up and we went to the most expensive (and delicious) meal I have ever had, had a great time, then just said good night and goodbye forever. So I really like the classifieds, for pure randomness:) Also, thats how I met most of my friends here, via craigs list.

FRANK: You used to live in Shenzen. I’ve heard Aric speak unkindly of that place. What’s the deal?

COLLEEN: Yah, I kind-of second his opinion. Maybe it has lots of great attributes… but I didn’t see them. Its a brand new city, I think less than 25 years since it went from a fishing village to a giant city, so it lacks alot of the charm that other cities have. The worst part is that you can see HongKong right across the water, and just yearn to go there all the time. Somehow I met this Chinese socialite girl there, and I had hardly any hours for work, so I spent of of my time here driving around in a red sports car and going to VIP clubs… Theres not much to look at. I lasted a month before going home. I also lived in Chongqing though, and that’s a cool place.

FRANK: What are you going to miss most about ChinesePod? (Feel free to mention your scores of adoring fans. Start with me.)

COLLEEN: Alright: Frank.

Actually, I’m sure I’ll actually miss it here (and I’ve never thought that about a job…). The people are really nice (except Eileen, she kicks me when no ones looking!), I like doing the Saturday show, and I actually like answering emails everyday because I somehow feel in touch with this whole world of generally cool people. As vain as it sounds, it’s fun when I meet new people in town and they know me and some of the things I’ve done lately, its kindof wierd. Some guy I met was like, ‘how was your hash house harriers run’? and it took me a while to figure out he just knew me from the show, and not real life, and I could stop pretending we’d met before and I remembered him.

Plus I’ve met some really cool people who have come to visit, like Frank, and Beau, and some of our users I’ve become kind-of online friends (as nerdy as that sounds) with and will be visiting when back in BC or in London. I was kidding about Eileen kicking me btw.

I’ll also miss my free subscription.

FRANK: On your last Saturday Show, what will be the title of your Top Five list?

COLLEEN: Haha, I love food, and I reckon what i will miss most about China is the food, so probably some kind of cheap food rundown. Also, this isn’t a top five list but I’ve figured out the 3 pillars of wonderful laziness in Shanghai that I wont be able to have all the time back home: Taxi’s,cheap delivery food, and having an Ayi. Sigh….

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Sigh, indeed. I miss you already, sweets. We all expect to keep seeing your name in the comments section around here!