After a very long 30+ hours of flying, I'm back in the land of the 小龍湯包 or juicies as a friend of mine calls them. I treated myself to a simple lunch of dumplings and fried rice on my first day back at one of my favorite restaurants, Din Tai Feng. After that, I took my scooter out for a spin. Followed by long chats with old friends.
Its so familiar, yet so strange, to be back here. Most days, I wake up and think "what are you still doing here?" My priorities and purpose have taken a complete 180 degree turn and I have ultimately decided that I am done with Taiwan. For one year, while living in the States, I kept wondering what it would be like to come back...and now I know. I have zero regrets for following my heart back here. And I don't see it as a failed mission. In fact, I think I was meant to come here. Had I not, I would have continued to regret leaving here in the first place. But now I see things for what they are. Taiwan was (and always will be) a huge part of my life. It was where I grew up and became an adult. It was the first time I lived so far away from home and completely out of my comfort zone. And frankly, looking back, I think I thrived here. I learned a new language, received a masters degree in record time, learned how to rebuild my life when everything fell apart, formed some of my strongest and deepest friendships here, and became a better version of my previous self.
I will always look back and remember Taiwan in a positive light. I will learn from my mistakes and from my failures but more importantly, will always be thankful for all I learned and gained.
Stay tuned. More adventures in the near future.
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