Week 1 Back in Taiwan - What Friendship Means to Me
Since I typically suck at writing in this blog, I made it a goal in 2020 so keep a better weekly track of the things that I've done, adventures I've been on, or just my overall lessons learned.
If you have read any of my previous blogs you know that I love this place for a lot of reasons. The amount of drafts I have of un-posted blog posts also are a testimony of the love I have for this place.
I have been back for a little over a week and have been reminded of why this place is essentially my happy place. Not just because the sheer amount of food I have eaten, but also the friendships I have made here that last through language barriers and distance. Taiwan is everything I want for my life right now: not super cold, adventure everywhere, lots of physical exercise, and teaching kids that are terrors but still my lovable little nuggets. I have been able to spend a lot of time focusing on things I want in my life but also how I can be a fulfilled and happy person. One week in and I'm already doing a good job of feeling like myself again. Some days I have been off, but for the most part I feel like me, or at least the me I tell myself I am.
This week I have spent time thinking about what friendship really means to me. I have moved a lot in my life and each time I move I start to really evaluate my friendships with people and the benefits I provide for them and vice versa. To me friendship does not mean constantly communicating or even being on each others minds all the time, it means unadulterated support and understanding. As I am typing this I am having a conversation with my friend about how they want to be a part of my bad days even when I'm thousands of miles away. When I told people I was moving to Taiwan someone asked me what would I do since I will be so "alone" and "isolated" for the next year. Oh sweet summer child, I am never truly alone. My first conversation with a friend that was still here and she invited me on her Chinese New Year trip. A conversation with an old student and she already wanted to get together when I came. It's friends like these that no matter what, they know that I will be here for them when needed and when I need someone they will be available too. My whole life I have held friendship at such a hard regard, they are my chosen family for the most part and the friends that I have are really some of the greatest blessings in my life.
This week I want to spend more time thinking about what makes me happy, especially with this hiking trip I will be going on with my friends. I started a list, but it's not ready to share yet, but right at the beginning the first thing I realized that makes me the happiest: progress. When I can look back on something and see how far I have come, it makes me feel grateful for myself and for my challenges.
Until next week. For now here are some pictures to compare from last time here to this time. Just for fun.
So surprise: I came back to Taiwan.
I have been back for a little over a week and have been reminded of why this place is essentially my happy place. Not just because the sheer amount of food I have eaten, but also the friendships I have made here that last through language barriers and distance. Taiwan is everything I want for my life right now: not super cold, adventure everywhere, lots of physical exercise, and teaching kids that are terrors but still my lovable little nuggets. I have been able to spend a lot of time focusing on things I want in my life but also how I can be a fulfilled and happy person. One week in and I'm already doing a good job of feeling like myself again. Some days I have been off, but for the most part I feel like me, or at least the me I tell myself I am.
This week I have spent time thinking about what friendship really means to me. I have moved a lot in my life and each time I move I start to really evaluate my friendships with people and the benefits I provide for them and vice versa. To me friendship does not mean constantly communicating or even being on each others minds all the time, it means unadulterated support and understanding. As I am typing this I am having a conversation with my friend about how they want to be a part of my bad days even when I'm thousands of miles away. When I told people I was moving to Taiwan someone asked me what would I do since I will be so "alone" and "isolated" for the next year. Oh sweet summer child, I am never truly alone. My first conversation with a friend that was still here and she invited me on her Chinese New Year trip. A conversation with an old student and she already wanted to get together when I came. It's friends like these that no matter what, they know that I will be here for them when needed and when I need someone they will be available too. My whole life I have held friendship at such a hard regard, they are my chosen family for the most part and the friends that I have are really some of the greatest blessings in my life.
This week I want to spend more time thinking about what makes me happy, especially with this hiking trip I will be going on with my friends. I started a list, but it's not ready to share yet, but right at the beginning the first thing I realized that makes me the happiest: progress. When I can look back on something and see how far I have come, it makes me feel grateful for myself and for my challenges.
Until next week. For now here are some pictures to compare from last time here to this time. Just for fun.
Love this!
ReplyDelete2020 is definitely the year for blogs. I recently started writing again too!