The Final Post

“Aint it funny how time just slips away”

What I am going to attempt to do right now is impossible. To summarize my year. To turn my thoughts into words. It cannot be done. Okay, it cannot be done well. I’m still trying to understand what I am thinking and how I am feeling. But I will try my best.

In a year that saw 7 new countries, many different languages, some crazy stories, thousands of delicious edibles, and countless new friends it is an understatement to say I feel blessed. I’m not sure where in life I lucked out but I had an opportunity to do something few people get to and I feel like I took advantage of it.

It only took me a few months to fall in love with this country. Leaving was extremely hard. But there are more places out there to see, more things to do and more people to meet. I am sure to fall in love with other countries throughout my life, but Taiwan will always be just a little more special.

Before I left for Taiwan I had many people ask me if I was scared to move to another country, and I guess I was. But what’s even scarier is thinking about if I had turned down all of the international schools and stayed home. I would have robbed myself of so many great things. Don’t get me wrong, living abroad is not all roses and is definitely not easy. But most great things aren’t easy. Moving home and readjusting to life here was much more difficult than making the jump to Asia. I constantly find myself daydreaming about life back in TW. Anyone who is wondering if they should do something stupid like this, just do it, things will work themselves out elsewhere.

I’m still only 24. I’m still an idiot. But living an entirely different lifestyle can change a person. Walking in another persons shoes has definitely given me a different perspective on things. Instead of satisfying my desire to travel it has only made me hungrier. I want to live everywhere in the world, but Taiwan was the best start I could have asked for.

With that I would like to say goodbye Taiwan. I will miss you. But I will see you again. Thank you for the best year of my life!

Wo ai Taiwan

我爱台湾

This is my last post on Taiwan. Thanks for reading my blog, I hope I didn’t bore you too much.

Final blog stats before this post: 5478 page views from 27 different countries

Here is my year in pictures

First day in Taiwan and first time eating stinky tofu

First time at Sun Moon Lake

Scooter gang

First time in Taipei

Raft trip in Hualien

Full Moon BBQ

10/10 day at the persimmon farm

Hong Kong (not pictured is the many Hong Kong toilets I visited

On Penghu Island when my brother and cousins visited

Gangnam stylin Santa

Skiing in Hakuba Japan

My mom came to visit

Christmas party

Halong Bay Vietnam

Rock climbing

Riding elephants in Chaing Mai Thailand

Petting tigers in Thailand

Singapore Slings in .....Singapore

Bali sunset, the best my eyes have ever seen

Cliff top temple

World famous Pingxi lantern festival

In some unknown location not named monkey mountain in southern Taiwan

Surfing in Taiwan

Day trip to Tainan

Baseball game with the crew

Sun Moon lake again with the new teachers

#1 The People

Go grab some wine and crackers because this post will bring the cheese. And yes it is appropriate to make fun of me.

So here it is. My journey has come to a close. The year both flew by and crept along like the giant snails I see on the sidewalk. It seems years since I last climbed the steps of my back porch or wrestled around with my dogs. But I can remember being that wide eyed kid, who had no clue what he had just gotten himself into like it was yesterday. I have tried to turn my adventures into words on this blog. I will answer the hundreds of questions I am sure to receive. But I do not believe I will ever truly be able to describe this last year. The places I’ve gone, the food I’ve eaten, the cultures I’ve experienced are nothing compared to the people I have met. Both the Taiwanese and the Cornel teachers. Incredible! All of them. More than the sounds and the tastes and the smells, I will miss and already do miss the people I have met. Like most things in life, it's who you share your experiences with that really matters. I got incredibly lucky this year.

*I'm not going to name names because it would take hours to write them all down. You know who you are*

I will start with my fellow teachers. It's really more like a family than anything else. Only you don't get to leave this family when you go to work, or to play. They are your friends, your roommates, and your coworkers. I spent more time with these people than any other group I've ever been around. Nearly all of them are girls. So needless to say I learned a lot about girls and myself this year. (Apparently gym shorts and Mizzou shirts aren't stylish.) But for as much crap as we gave each other all year we are a great group of friends. I owe a lot to these people for making my year great. I mean could you imagine if I got to Taiwan and there were a couple ku fans working at my school. Eesh, good luck next year!
Hit the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Estizjk1Mk

Next, I will talk about the Taiwanese people. They are, without question, the nicest and most kind people I have ever met. I don't know if it is because they live on an island, because they are Buddhist or what. But the way they approach life and interaction with other people is something special. I moved halfway around the work and these people welcomed me into their country and made sure I had a great time. Everyday someone would do something that left me thinking, wow nowhere else in the world would that happen. 

The Taiwanese staff at my school is nothing short of amazing. They helped me in anyway they could and always did it with a smile on their face. I will also never forget my Taiwanese friends who helped show me around and teach me the language. They made me feel like a part of the culture rather than just a long term tourist. That was one of the coolest feelings. I cannot wait until I can go back to Taiwan and see them all again. Who knows, maybe they will come see me.

            Last but definitely not least are my students. They are all unbelievably smart and funny and cute and crazy. (Emphasis on crazy) I never knew what was going to happen in my classes. But I do know that they are all going to do great things. I did my best to turn them all into Mizzou fans. By the end of the year they were doing the M-I-Z- -Z-O-U chant without any prompting from me. I would say my work was done. Who knows maybe there is a future tiger in the group.

Sorry if that was boring, it had to be said. I'll post one more time before the blog goes bye bye.

#2 Food

As with me anywhere I go, food is always near the top of my priorities. In this, Taiwan is the perfect place for me. You can be as adventurous as you want, or as safe as you want. But if you want to be safe, stay in America. I've eaten hundreds of new foods this last year and surprisingly most of them have been really good. No matter where you go there will be cheap convenient and delicious food near you.

Here are some of my favorites.

Favorite weekday dinner- Ma and pa's pineapple chicken fried rice. Filling, delicious and only $1.50 Taiwanese Teppanyaki is a close second.

Favorite "Nice Restaurant"- I forget the name because it is in Chinese but we will call it the Soup Dumpling Restaurant. As seen on Travel Channels "The Layover" this place has dumplings that have soup on the inside. When you bite into the dumpling a burst of warm, juicy, happiness enters your mouth.

I'm only a little hungry restaurant- Fried dumplings with peanut sauce on top. This might be my number one favorite food in Taiwan.

Favorite drink- surprisingly it isn't Milk tea. Banana Milk is my choice. Milk+banana+ice+sugar+blender= awesomeness.

Favorite desert- Mango shaved ice. First off, Taiwanese Mangos are the best fruit ever. When added with Sweet and condensed milk ice thinly shaved you get something I like better than ice cream. Yeah, I said it!

There are simply too many insane foods in this country to list. One year is not enough to try them all.

My bus leaves in 6 hours. Maybe I will post #1 from the airport. If not, I will post it as soon as I have free time.

#3 Filling up my passport

364 days ago my passport was blank. I had been to exactly one country...America. My real motive for getting a job overseas was not to make money or become a better teacher, although I hope both of those happened, it was to travel. And travel, I did.

Taiwan is located on the tropic of cancer, and a four hour flight to nearly every must see East-Asian location. And flights are cheap. So I saw quite a few places. I've been to 7 new countries since leaving America. Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and of course Taiwan. Im sure everyone will want to know about my favorite places I have traveled so here are a few. I didn't include Taiwan in any of this because that isn't fair.

Favorite city: Tie- Singapore and Hong Kong-Both of them are city-states. Both of them speak English. Both of them are expensive. Both have jungle and ocean in the city. Both are clean. They are both beautiful, and most asian cities are not.

Favorite country to relax: Bali, Indonesia- The island of the gods. Temples at every turn. Beaches that bring the shopping and drinks to you. Bali can be as wild as you want or as relaxing as you want. But not matter if your laying on a beach, exploring a temples or biking through rice terraces, your pulse is slow.

Favorite country to eat: Thailand- Thai food duh

Best outdoor activites: Halong Bay, Vietnam- Kayaking into caves and through the bay is cool. Treking up mountains was fun. But rocking climbing on a secluded beach, with no humanity in sight, in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, is something I will never forget.

Most culture: Hanoi, Vietnam- Hanoi is crazy. Like seriously crazy. It is exactly what I pictured SouthEast Asia to be like. Do not go here to relax.

Country I would most enjoy living in: Japan- It is most similar to Missouri in terms of weather. It has mountains with good skiing. The culture is very different from anywhere else I went and the people are kind. The only problem is that I might get mercury poisoning from all of the sushi I would eat.

Sorry for the poor grammar, Ive been super busy saying my goodbyes. Tomorrow is my last full day. Sadness

#4 Cost of living

This post is pretty plain and simple. Living in Taiwan is cheap! I mean it’s not Vietnam cheap, but compared to America it’s very cheap. The difference between a place like Vietnam and Taiwan is the standard and quality of life here is much, much higher. Nearly anything you can do or buy in America can be bought or done in Taiwan, and usually for a cheaper price. When I can afford basically anything I want and still be able to save, life is good.

The luxuries in Taiwan are typically the same price someone in America would pay.(Or maybe just a little less) So if you are coming to Taiwan to find super cheap electronics or cars, you will be disappointed. The real saving happens on every day things. For example:

-I spend about $3 on gas every week. Sure, I’m driving a scooter instead of a car but in my opinion scooting is more fun.

-My rent and utilities combined are less than $200 a month.

-Food. You can eat a delicious meal that will fill you up for $1-4. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. “Well I can eat McDonalds for that price.” The food is legit good, homemade food. Cheap food is also incredibly convenient to get. Actually eating out is cheaper than cooking for your self. Perfect for me.

-Medical bills. 20 minutes with a doctor, 2 hours on an IV, 1 month of 4 different types of medicine cost me $12. Getting your teeth cleaned cost $1.60. Getting an eye exam, frames and lenses is about $17. Seriously, when going to the doctor doesn’t cost an arm and a leg people are more likely to go and prevent future illness. What an idea (cough America cough)

-Anything from the night market is dirt cheap, but the quality isn’t always awesome.

-Buying a house in Taiwan costs around $24,000usd

Altogether I would say that I can live well on $600usd a month. (everything included) That’s pretty awesome!

A couple days ago a friend asked me how I was feeling about leaving Taiwan and this is how I replied. It’s most similar to the feeling when you realize you need to put your dog to sleep. You try to enjoy your last few days with it, but everything you do makes you sadder. It is an understatement when I say I am going to miss this place. 

#5 Being a Big Deal

Finally, somewhere in the world gets it. I'm a big deal! 

I can stop a crying baby with a crack of a smile. Girls giggle and blush as I walk by. I cannot spend a night in the club without ten guys telling me I am handsome. Infants stare in amazement at my awesomeness. People ask to take pictures with me. Random mothers hand me their babies and then take our picture. Strangers try to sneak pictures of me and my friends. Basically, I'm a rockstar.

Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little bit. But when you live in a city that has very few white people, you definitely draw more attention. Some people just want to practice their English. But most others are just really excited to have a foreigner in their city. Everywhere we go people go out of their way to make sure we have a good time. 

People love to sneak a picture of us as we walk by. This is especially true when we are in large groups. I would say that people ask to take my picture or take a picture with me at least once a month. Four times now there has been a professional(ish) photo shoot going on where they ask me to join in. One time in public a random woman handed me her baby without speaking any English and then took our picture. Shop owners and restaurants are so excited(or intimidated) when a bunch of use white people walk in. Girls will approach me at clubs...and thank goodness because we all know I'm too much of a wimp to approach them. I mean seriously, what's going on here? Whatever it is, I love it. (BTW I think it is just because Taiwanese people are awesome and they want everyone to love their country...I do). 

In too short of a time I will go back to being a nobody. Oh well, I enjoyed it while I had it! Hopefully I didn't come across as an arrogant, conceited idiot.

Number 4 will be posted sometime this weekend.

A professional photographer was doing a photo shoot with a Harley and they wanted an American made person on the American made motorcycle.

This was early in the year. We were playing football in the park when a Taiwanese boy asked me if I would take a picture with his friend. Without knowing who his friend was I said sure. Turns out this happened....I mean, who wears clothes like that to the park?

#6 Time for two wheels

When I got off the plane 12 months ago I remember seeing a sign, "Taiwan: Time for two wheels." They sure were right. I've spent the last year scooting almost everywhere I've gone. Scooters give you a freedom few other vehicles can match. Driving through a crowded night market in a car would be impossible, it's a breeze with a scooter. Parking nearly anywhere in Taiwan with a car is a huge hassle. Not with a scooter. If you are out of the way of traffic and your scooter fits, you've found yourself a parking spot. A trip to Taiwan isn't complete without a ride around town on a scooter.

My scooter (named Sasha after J.D.'s scooter on Scrubs) wasn't the prettiest scooter on the streets. Actually it was one of the ugliest. It had Mizzou ducktape holding the front casing on and scratches everywhere else. She also wasn't the most legal as she was in a past teachers name (past as in 4 years ago), with no paperwork or insurance. But she always started, never broke down, and got me to anywhere I needed to go whether it was high in the mountains or a trip to the beach.

A drive through the streets of Taiwan can be sensory overload. But there is no better seat to watch the world go by than a scooter seat.

Less than 2 weeks left. Ill try to post #5 in the next couple of days.

Random picture out the window of our apartment

I'm so cool!

I took the Mizzou ducktape off to sell it.

 Below are random videos of scooting and a typhoon. The first two are near a night market. The third video is down the busiest road in Taichung...altho it was nearly empty during the video. The 4th and 5th are near the coast on our way home from the beach. The last video is Typhoon Soulik. Sorry if the videos make you nauseous.