4ever Discovering
The End of This Chapter
Every Good Thing Comes To An End (Or So I've Heard Anyways)
I hate to break it to you everyone, but my 10 months in Taiwan are expiring real fast. I have finished my first year teaching, and am busy packing up my bags for their journey home. Let me tell you, it’s just as stressful packing to go home as it was to come here. I find it so difficult packing your life into one (or two, or three) suitcases. The moral of the story: I HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF. Everything is so cheap here, I guess I went a little overboard on my shopping. Oh well, worst case scenario, I have to pay a little extra to ship them home via boat. And my prediction is, I will be shipping more than one box. LOL. My bad.
These 10 months have flown by; I cannot believe everything Emily and I have accomplished and everything we have seen in such a short time. I have no regrets from my time here. I think we made the most out of every weekend, and took advantage of this beautiful country. We traveled all around Taiwan; we went to the North, East, South, and West coasts, and even spent time in the heart of the country. Although we didn’t see it all, we saw almost everything we wanted to. That was my goal for the year, and I can say with a smile on my face, I accomplished it. Of course there were a few scratches and bruises along the way, but what journey doesn’t have that? If I’ve learned one thing from traveling Taiwan, it’s that nothing runs perfectly. We need to take all of God’s surprises as they come, and embrace the moment.
It hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m leaving. Yes, I’m starting to clean everything, and my room looks a lot emptier, but it is still surreal. I have been stressed this week trying to cram everything into my suitcases, and think I am freaking out a little. I’m not ready to say goodbye. Taiwan has truly been my second home, and I am so grateful to all of the people who made my time here so special. I will miss everything about this country (well, maybe not the stinky tofu or the language barrier). I think when I get back to Canada, I will be so taken aback by hearing English. I have gotten so used to blocking out people talking around me, it will be strange to be able to understand everyone when I return home. I can finally join in on a conversation again!
The month of June has passed so quickly, and has been filled with a mix of emotions. I’m sad to leave, but excited for my summer travels and to see my family. My time in Taiwan is so important to me; this was the first time I had to be an adult. And to make matters worse, I had to learn how to do it away from my family and friends. I learned so much about myself this year; I’ve overcome a lot, and am proud of where I am. I have worked hard to get here, and I won’t stop now. I know there are so many more good things to come, and I am excited to see what the future has in store for me. All I know is there better be more traveling! That’s one thing I will never get sick of.
This month has also been particularly hard because of all of the farewells. Some of my students started leaving as soon as their exams were finished, so I had to start preparing my goodbyes early. These kids will never know how much they have impacted my life. Emily and I attended 3 farewell lunch/dinners last week, and after each one, I thought about how much I’m going to miss everyone. The hardest one for me was the farewell lunch with all of our grade 2 students. The parents planned an afternoon last Saturday for us, and the amount of gratitude shown was overwhelming. They made a little video composed of all of the kids saying goodbye, and ‘I love you Miss L’. If that doesn’t melt your heart, I don’t know what will. Saying bye to the parents and kids was tough. Everyone was so grateful to us for coming to Taiwan in the first place, and they couldn’t help but express their disappointment when we told them we weren’t staying for next year.
I’m definitely still reflecting on my time here. I know when I go back to Canada, I am really going to miss my life here. But at the same time, I know my heart will always belong in Canada. That’s my home; that’s where I will always love the most. No matter where my heart leads me, I know it will always take me back home. As I write this, I can’t help but shed some tears. I am so excited to see everyone; but, I am so grateful for my time abroad. It was definitely different than my travels in Europe. I am a little older now, a little wiser, and a lot more mature. I know what I want in life, and I know the people who are going to help me achieve it.
And that’s a wrap. I am officially closing this chapter of my life, and am looking forward to a bright future. This is just the beginning. I now know what I am capable of, and know how far I am willing to go to get where I want to be in my life. By no means am I finished with my travels; I am just ready to return home for a little while before starting back up again. I can’t wait until I can sit at the beach with my family and friends, drinking a Caesar and telling them stories about my Taiwanese adventures. It’s true what they say: home is where the heart is. My roots keep me grounded, and always remind me of my home. I can spread my wings as far as I want to, but I will always find my way back home. Always.
So, thank you Taiwan for an amazing year. Thank you for showing me who I am, and giving me the strength to take on a new challenge each day. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn more about myself with every passing day. I will be forever grateful to this country and everything it has taught me. Words can’t express how much I appreciate everyone who has made this journey so much more rewarding. I will never forget how genuine Taiwanese people are. It’s with a heavy heart I say goodbye to my life here.
Thank you everyone for your endless support, and I promise, I will see everyone in 2 short months. The Thailand beaches are calling my name this summer!
As they say in Taiwan, ‘bye-bye’! Don’t worry, I will be back one day.
Danielle <3
