2024-10-31
I've met so many people who've spent five, eight, twenty years here. They all say the same thing:
"I was only supposed to be here for one."
At the end of season 2 of Emily in Paris, her friend says, "This isn't just a fun year abroad anymore. This is your life."
At what point does it become your life?
I had this problem when I went back home this summer. While I was here in Taiwan, I was dreaming about home: my mom, my brother, sitting on the porch, seeing my friends, living in a house, eating chocolate chip cookies.
But then when I finally was there, I was dreaming about Taiwan: the food, my friends, driving a scooter, walking everywhere, the convenience stores.
And I noticed that I wasn't quite sure what I meant by "home"... because home could be here or there depending on what I was missing.
Back in the States, that's where my life is. That's where I grew up, all my family and friends, all my schooling and experiences and cultural context up until I started traveling. But I had always longed to get out and explore beyond the lines of Naples or Florida or even North America.
Once here in Asia, I'm excited and stimulated and open and just feeling an expanding sense of self. But over time you get homesick, and start appreciating what maybe you had missed when you were there at home all along.
That's why I look forward to getting back there every year.
But once at home, I'm reminded of what I don't miss, why I left in the first place, and then in turn start appreciating more what I left back at my humble little spot in Hsinchu City.
I was talking to a man from Spain who had been here for over 7 years. When I told him I was thinking of moving on, he said, "You're gonna be back. They always come back. Taiwan is like a drug."
It was hard to argue with. Almost all of the foreigners I'd met here are in for life. The only variable is when they first got here. The rest is just time ticking away.
For myself, I'm coming up on the 3 year mark. It seems to be a checkpoint. It almost seems that, if I don't leave soon, I'll end up like all the other lifers. Here forever.
That's a scary thought. I would've never seen myself up to this point. It was scary enough just to make the jump and come here for that first year.
At five years, you can apply for a permanent resident card. So it's tempting to stick it out just a little longer. Just another two years?
I was only supposed to be here for one.
To go back to the blog click here
To go back to the main page click here
Enjoy!