Chinese Proverb: He who returns from a journey is not the same as he who left.
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My Taiwan Adventure
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Having Faith
International Travel.
What a fantastic dream it has been for many a young person to go see the world. To just pack up and go. What a fantastic dream. I had a dream of this carefree journey and have been unpleasantly surprised to find out that I'm lacking in the self-confidence this kind of travel requires. This trip requires not courage, because Taiwan is a safe place, but confidence in yourself and your abilities to get through the language and culture barrier. I don't fear getting lost. I've my map. I don't fear getting mugged and I'm sure I am safe. I fear simpler things like not finding a place to stay at New Year's.
It is always the most unreasonable things that get under our skins and frighten us into paralysis. Instead of travel I'm trying to hole-up in ChangHua and hoping that travel will somehow magically happen. I know that isn't going to work. *laughing at myself* I've allowed some of the culture shock to get to me. I found that I'm homesick and finally the emotions of the move are catching up to me. Needless to say I just have to work through this and move forward... time does not stop for my mini-crises of identity.
So, having gone through the day, uncertain and emotional I have come to my turning point. Tomorrow morning I am heading out to see what the wide world of Taiwan can throw at me. Solo. I do have faith in myself after all. I'm a smart girl. I can figure this out and will be just fine.
After a flirtation with Taipei for New Year's I'm going to go south after all... Tainan, followed by Kaoshing. I hope to meet a friend of a friend there for lunch. They tested the new bullet train today, and I long to have that experience, but it is only slated to be open to the public in October of this year. So, I'll "make-do" with the existing train system which is actually quite nice. Still have to master the train system... the schedules are these huge 12 x 20 feet boards with every train in the country? listed. It's baffling at best. Mostly I just get the conductors to help me. I'm starting to figure out the electronic boards though. All in time, they say.
Hugs and warm thoughts to my friends and family.
T. Destiny
What a fantastic dream it has been for many a young person to go see the world. To just pack up and go. What a fantastic dream. I had a dream of this carefree journey and have been unpleasantly surprised to find out that I'm lacking in the self-confidence this kind of travel requires. This trip requires not courage, because Taiwan is a safe place, but confidence in yourself and your abilities to get through the language and culture barrier. I don't fear getting lost. I've my map. I don't fear getting mugged and I'm sure I am safe. I fear simpler things like not finding a place to stay at New Year's.
It is always the most unreasonable things that get under our skins and frighten us into paralysis. Instead of travel I'm trying to hole-up in ChangHua and hoping that travel will somehow magically happen. I know that isn't going to work. *laughing at myself* I've allowed some of the culture shock to get to me. I found that I'm homesick and finally the emotions of the move are catching up to me. Needless to say I just have to work through this and move forward... time does not stop for my mini-crises of identity.
So, having gone through the day, uncertain and emotional I have come to my turning point. Tomorrow morning I am heading out to see what the wide world of Taiwan can throw at me. Solo. I do have faith in myself after all. I'm a smart girl. I can figure this out and will be just fine.
After a flirtation with Taipei for New Year's I'm going to go south after all... Tainan, followed by Kaoshing. I hope to meet a friend of a friend there for lunch. They tested the new bullet train today, and I long to have that experience, but it is only slated to be open to the public in October of this year. So, I'll "make-do" with the existing train system which is actually quite nice. Still have to master the train system... the schedules are these huge 12 x 20 feet boards with every train in the country? listed. It's baffling at best. Mostly I just get the conductors to help me. I'm starting to figure out the electronic boards though. All in time, they say.
Hugs and warm thoughts to my friends and family.
T. Destiny
Posted by T. Destiny in Taiwan at 5:40 PM 
