5 years in Taiwan (and still smiling :)

Wow. It's a hard fact to wrap my head around, but I have officially been in Taiwan for

5 years. Sometimes it feels like longer, but most often than not it feels like I'm fresh off the plane. Am I a glutton for punishment, or can I just not get enough of a good thing? I'm pretty sure it's a little of both with a cup of stubborness and a pinch of curiousity mixed in for good measure. Whatever the case may be, it's been....memorable.

Here is a short list of the lessons/things I've taken from this place:

- open yourself up and the rewards are untold
- humility

- what racism and stereotypes feel like

- patience (an ongoing lesson)

- the value and importance of a support network

- you can go home, but you can never go back

- frustration can be a positive emotion if it fuels the fires of change

- first impressions may be important, but they are not the only impressions that should leave a mark

- it is possible to have a life and be happy doing; in short, to have it all

At times, my time in Taiwan has been trying; the language a pain, the enigmatic cultural differences seemingly insurmountable at times, as well as the sheer amount of obliviousness exhausting. At the same time, I encounter something or someone that brings my joy and wonderment almost daily.

That keeps me coming back for more, but more accurately, that's what makes me stay.

Thanks Taiwan; I'm happy to be here and look forward to what else you have in store.