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.