Dear America: Stop Celebrating

Warning: It is already very evident to me that this will turn into a rant of mostly political and then religion-in-politics nature. These are simply my views as they've occurred to me throughout the day.


Every morning I wake up and turn on my laptop. I check the weather before I get in the shower and then I usually check my e-mail pretty quickly just in case there's anything important I need to take care of quickly.


This morning, I woke up to three e-mails from the Washington Post: 
"Breaking News: White House says Obama to make late-night statement Sunday on an undisclosed topic"
"Breaking News: Osama bin Laden killed in CIA operation."
"Breaking News: Obama confirms that Osama bin Laden has been killed."

Thanksgiving 2010!

So in case you don't remember, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday of all time. I love it. 

I made a cranberry-caramel upside-down cake.

Screw the Timeline for Life

So I was reading this blog post about how we 20-something women have a tendency to set a life deadline of 30. By 30 we should be getting married and ready to have babies (or already have a litter brewing). Our career should be on the right track and then the rest of our lives will just magically fall into place during the fourth decade of our being.

I'm sad to admit that sometimes a little voice deep inside my brain nags me with similar thoughts. Though I'm happy to say that I know it's all crap. Deadlines for things like that are impossible not to mention absolutely absurd — and that's coming from the girl who thrives on deadlines. 

I'm torn

After the first week or so of being home had gone by, people started to ask me if I'm bored and ready to go back.

So after having been in Texas for nearly a month now (Wow, time flies!) I'm starting to finally be able to answer that question.

Cardio-tastic

I'm fairly certain I've mentioned this before, but I hate exercise. However, I also hate the idea of getting fat, mostly because the longer you wait to counteract fat the more exercise you have to do to make the fat go away. 

Sucks how that works.

Well I'm pretty sure you guys have also figured out that I love reaching goals and what's more is I love surpassing my goals. I love excelling at anything really. Finding out I'm really good at something is basically the best feeling in the world (right behind the feeling I have after eating a crunchy beef taco and drinking a Mexican martini, but still). 

It's like the freshman 15 all over again.

I remember when I first moved to Austin. I, like most other girls entering college, gained my freshman 15. Of course, back then, it wasn't really a problem because I was actually underweight. I worked so much and was so active in so many clubs that all the junk food I ate back then didn't even compensate for the calorie intake I probably should have had. (Oh how nice those days were.)

But again, the freshman 15 wasn't a big deal because I needed the weight. I just don't really want to go adding to that too much.

So remember how I said I'm probably going to eat the city of Austin? That's not faring too well for the belly.

Come back to Texas

Despite the fact that I'm not traveling right now I figured I could probably manage to entertain you with the few things that have been going on around here.

I arrived in Houston Wednesday afternoon and my dad picked my up at the airport there. We decided it would be much more economical for him to simply pick me up in Houston and drive me back to Austin. Besides, then he got a whole two and a half hours with me all by himself. 

The first thing I did was nearly die of heat exhaustion when we walked out the elevator doors onto the roof of the parking garage. The Texas sun was beating down, as expected, and it was a clear, sunny 88°F. 

It was 34°F when I left Prague 14 hours before so I'm sure you can imagine how that felt. I tried to dress in layers so I could strip off the extra when I got to Texas, but we all know that effort is futile. You just can't get cool in Texas unless Texas wants you to.

I have an announcement to make

So I know the blogging has been a bit sporadic (that word always makes me think of the movie Clueless) here but I promise it's because I've been very busy. Mostly.

I've been making new friends and going out a lot with them. And of course I have been studying hard. I'm happy to announce that it has all paid off!

On Monday I was informed that I received a Pass 1 grade in my TEFL course. That's the highest grade they give and it is accompanied by an automatic offer of employment. That means that I have both a TEFL certification and a job in the Czech Republic.

But wait there's more! I was also given an option between starting now or starting in January. 

What are your New Years resolutions?

So I'm generally really bad at resolutions, but I see the ones I'm choosing for myself more as lifestyle choices. They're really less resolutions and more goals.

1. More exercising: OK, I know this is on everyone's list but I truly need to do this. I was happy to get home and find out that I haven't gained any weight, but I also haven't lost any.

I'm not saying I need to run so many times a week or do yoga this many days, but just getting up and doing something. A few push-ups. Walk around the park. Anything that gets my body moving a little.

This is less for weight control and more for getting myself on track to a healthier lifestyle. I eat way better than I used to, but I still worry about my future health. My extended family's health problems are ominous at the least.

2. Have some what of a sleep schedule: Being jet lagged is probably the best thing of my life right now. I woke up at 7 a.m. Saturday morning with absolutely zero problems and I have been super energetic in all of my classes. It's nice not to be dragging along every day. If I keep this up then it might help with my next goal.

3. Get out of the apartment more: By this, I mean during the day during the week. I want to make a goal of going and doing something each week, but I hesitate merely because sometimes it's nice just to sit and do nothing. As long as I go out and do something most of the time I'll be happy. This is also coupled with getting more exercise because walking around the park or neighborhood can count.

4. Drink less: This is for a number of reasons including the fact that it will help all of my above goals and it will help out with this whole money situation. Not that drinking in Taiwan is all that expensive, but it sure does add up. That and honestly I've been drinking less and less as the months have gone by anyway. I'm not cutting it out all together but I am going to stop drinking like a college student.

5. Practice Chinese more: OK, I guess this is actually kind of a resolution. I still speak quietly when it comes to Chinese; I don't study nearly as often as I should; and Tones just get kind of thrown out the window when it comes to basic survival sometimes.

Enough of that.

I'm feeling really good about being back in Taiwan. I bought a new (good quality) helmet today — for less than $30USD! — so driving in the rain shouldn't be quite as miserable.

I have been happy to see my kids and they've been happy to see me. That said, I'm glad I only have to work two days this week simply because it's a good way to transition back into everything.

I only intend to take one more vacation before my contract is up and that will be during Chinese New Year when we're all on break. I can't decide what I'm going to do yet, so if anyone has suggestions for things in Taiwan or things in countries that aren't very expensive, let me know.

Otherwise, I'm saving up for my big trip with my sister in July where she's coming to Taiwan and then we're going to Thailand and Cambodia together (and then I continue on to Vietnam and maybe Nepal).

From there I'm either moving to Europe to get my official TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certification OR I'm going back to the States. This all depends on the outcome of my job search that will commence around May/June-ish.

So that's the plan for now. Can you see the little OCDs coming out in me? :)

Are you jet lagged?

I'm glad to be back in Taiwan and my bed and with all my stuff.

I actually fell asleep to the garbage truck song last night. I got back, took a shower, read for a bit and as I could just barely hear the garbage truck song from the street, I started dozing off.

But despite all the things I missed (GREEN TEA!) I can't say I missed driving in the rain. In fact... I still kind of hate driving in the rain.

I still feel a little disconnected, but I also haven't seen any of my students yet and I'm not really back in the swing of things at all.

I just planned lessons again for the first time in about three weeks.

Later I'll give more details about my trip and my (ridiculously long) travels including why I will probably never fly Delta or Northwest again (at least after I've used the $100 voucher they gave me).

When will she go back to Taiwan?

Well to answer that question, from this moment I will be back in Taiwan in about 22 hours, give or take a few minutes.

I have to say I kind of miss Taiwan, but that doesn't mean that I miss America or my family any less. I know it has only been six months, but it took coming home for me to see how much I've really changed.

I went in pretty independent — despite the fact that I bawled like a baby for 12.5 hours and everyday for the first week I was in the R.O.C. — but now I'm almost detached. I have people that I'm around everyday in Taiwan, but not for more than a few hours at a time.

It was weird being constantly surrounded by people (actually I did have a couple of meltdowns related to this).

Also, I had heard people say it before, but it really is difficult to tell people what it's like. Granted I write this blog and that helps. Telling the story as I go is a whole lot easier. Maybe if I looked back at all my blogs I could sum it up a little better, but as it goes, could you tell me exactly what your life has been like for the past six months without leaving out some details?

The way I see it, everything there is so normal now. And while strange things stand out at the time (and some continue to) they eventually pile into the category of "once was strange but now is normal."

That and conversations tend to circle around Taiwan and teaching abroad and such. Sometimes, believe it or not, I don't want to be the center of attention. I know that's hard to believe, but sometimes I just want to talk to everyone exactly how I used to. That's not to say I don't want to talk about it at all, but it's really difficult to just shift really easily in and out of that conversation.

Of course, given that my entire life the past six months has taken place in a foreign country, it's hard even for me not to talk about it all the time. It's like when you spend every waking moment with a particular friend or boyfriend. Most or your stories begin with "Oh well we went and did such and such..." rather than "I did..."

You just can't take the Taiwan out of my life.

Probably my biggest thing was seeing my nieces and nephew again.

They're all growing up so much and, especially when I look at Evan, I freak out a little about what I'm missing and whether or not they'll remember me. I know the girls will remember, but Evan is still so young that will be more difficult.

That's why I love Skype. As soon as I have extra cash I'm buying Webcams for my family and sending them all back to them. Then there is NO excuse (except the time change I suppose).

This time is also a little more indefinite. I'm getting more and more used to being abroad not to mention, it would be stupid to go home without a job.

Until I find a job in the States, I'm going to have to stay abroad. Maybe not in Taiwan the whole time, but somewhere.

More on this later. I have to go shower and finish packing so I can drag myself to the airport.

See you in Taiwan!

What to do? (Texas, not Taiwan)

I'm starting to think that if I had a real job here (as opposed to the bartending job and internships that I had before I left) then I could be really happy here.

Austin is a totally different city when you have time to spend in it. I missed out on a lot considering I was working or at school all the time.

At the same time, I have this nagging voice in my head telling me to "Travel, Travel, Travel!"

I'm torn.

But I guess I have six or seven months to decide what to do, and really I suppose the job market will decide for me.

It would be nice to come back to my friends (and family). Of course it would also be nice to one day say that I've lived on every continent except Antarctica.

What's the difference?

My two days in Seattle are coming to an end.

I'm headed to Texas this afternoon and will arrive tonight.

I'm almost adjusted to the time here in the States... I say almost because I woke up at 6 a.m. today and couldn't go back to sleep. I think that's something like 11 p.m. in Taiwan.

Things that are "weird":

• Not feeling like I'm near death every second of driving
• Being in a car rather than a scooter
• Seat belts
• Throwing toilet paper in the toilet
• Not having to separate out every single little bit of my garbage
• The lack of a garbage truck song

Small list so far. I'm sure there's more.

I've been drinking a whole lot of chai and coffee to replace that fact that there are no tea shops that I can get a drink at for less than $1.

I can only imagine how many more differences I'm going to notice when I get to Texas.

Countdown: 16 hours 'til I leave

It is amazing to me that by this time tomorrow I will be more than halfway to Taiwan already. Hopefully I will be asleep.

My flight leaves at 2:10 a.m. PDT. I know that sucks, but I think leaving before dawn and only having to deal with 12.5 hours of flight is way better than leaving at some "normal" time only to have a million layovers and 32 hours of airports and planes. 

That was seriously my other options.

This way, I'll hopefully sleep for the majority of the 12.5 hours and be relatively awake when I arrive in Taipei at about 6 a.m. I think adrenaline will probably carry me through the rest. 

I don't have a lot of experience with jet lag, but it seems to me that if I can stay awake most of the day Friday and just crash from exhaustion that night, then I might be able to adjust fairly easily.

Of course, nothing ever works this way, but I can hope.

I am full of hope and nerves in case you hadn’t noticed. I had this terrible dream this morning that did not help at all. It was just really sad. Honestly, it had nothing to do with Taiwan so much as my anxiety.

Again, that’s something I can get over. It will just take time.

I am also full of excitement. Megan said she would be at the dorm waiting for me with a cup of tea in hand. It’s really great to know someone on the other side. That little greeting is going to be a HUGE help.

She said she’s putting together a little packet of sorts that will help me through.

Also, one of her friends started this Web site called Taiwan English. It’s a helpful Web site for people teaching ESL in a foreign country. It is, of course, specifically geared toward working in Taiwan, given their experience.

I was looking over it and it seems to be turning into quite the helpful Web site.

I have a few last minute things I have to do before I leave. I need to get to the bank and to repack my bags.

At least it will keep my mind busy.

 

Goodbye Austin

I hate crying. Even when it’s reasonable, I hate crying.

Breathing is labored, you get all snotty and you can’t see anything clearly. Stupid tears.

Unfortunately, while I seldom cry, those tears have been welling up pretty often lately and today at the airport was certainly no exception.

I’ve already been kind of an emotional wreck for the past week or so. The closer my departure date got, the more I started stressing out. Stress always makes me crazy. Usually I just get irritated, but there is a distinct sadness involved with it this time around.

My mom did really well at the airport today; I expected her to be a complete wreck but she managed not to completely break down which really helped. Hell, just thinking about it makes me start welling up again.

Honestly, what did it was when my dad started crying. My dad doesn’t cry and I’m pretty sure the only time I’ve seen him cry before today was at his own father’s funeral.

It wasn’t like it was a full out balling and wailing, but tears in my dad’s eyes are just a little shocking and made it all seem like the big deal that it really is (and I’ve been attempting to pretend it’s not).

They stuck around and watched me get through security. I looked back once and instantly started crying again. I avoided looking back again through the rest of security because it’s really hard to take off your shoes and organize your things when you can’t see through your tears.

Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t freaking out and thinking that I don’t want to go anymore. I was just sad. I love my parents and I love Austin.

When I got to the gate I sat down and just cried for the next 10 minutes. I had to make myself pull it together though. There were small children around and they get kind of freaked out when people cry, even complete strangers.

But the plan was never to go somewhere that it would be incredibly difficult to see all of the important people in my life.

The plan was to go to D.C. where it’s a mere $400 round-trip plane ticket to come home (funny how that’s suddenly a small fee). I probably would have been able to make it back for Christmas and one other vacation at the very least. Maybe more if I saved up properly or found good deals online.

While I will be making a significantly larger salary in Taiwan and have virtually no bills, that plane ticket skyrockets to $1,500, which is obviously slightly more prohibitive.

Everyone makes conversation about coming to Taiwan to visit. While I would absolutely love that, I’m not holding my breath. I would like to think I’m enough of a reason to get someone to come to Asia. But, again, that’s an expensive trip. Though, even without the excuse of going to see me, I imagine it’s a trip that’s well worth it (I’ll let you know after I’ve been there for a week or so).

Hopefully I will be lucky enough to have at least one visitor (though I hope everyone who has made a comment about traveling out there makes it).

All I know is, I’m sad and being sad and stressed at the same time is never a good thing. I tend to blow stupid things out of proportion.

For instance, I don’t know why, but it really bothers me that my sister doesn’t intend to take me to the airport when I leave Seattle for Taiwan.

I guess when I was booking the tickets I had this romanticized version of how it would go down in my head:

I would leave Austin and the last people I would see there would be my parents. We would, of course, break down.

Then I would leave Seattle and my sister would be the last person I see there. I would inevitably begin to freak out and she would give me some sublime wisdom about how I am a capable and competent woman and this will be one of the best experiences of my life. (Side note: Obviously I know this already, but it’s nice to hear it out of someone else’s mouth, particularly someone who I know wouldn’t just tell me what I want to hear.)

Now, it seems as though some random shuttle express guy will be driving my sobbing soul to the airport at midnight next Tuesday so I can get on a 12.5-hour flight to Taipei at 2:40 a.m.

I have no idea why I assumed that my sister would drop everything to take me to the airport, which is an hour away, at midnight when she has work at 6 a.m. the following day. When I think about it logically (and by logically I mean without crying) it doesn’t really make sense. But being the emotional freak show that I am right now, I suppose I thought this for the same reason I figured my mom would not go to work today so that she could see me off.

Apparently, I only have the luxury of being correct about 50 percent of the time.

But, while it’s disappointing, I get it. And given that I do, I need to get over it so I can have a good time with my sister and her family for the last time for a year. I would hate to ruin that.

Hello Seattle.

 

Day in Dallas

I decided that leaving the country without seeing a few of my people in Dallas would just be criminal. That and really rude.

My best friend from high school came down graduation weekend and we had a blast. But, of course, all things must end and I felt this time it ended too soon. I rarely get to see that girl and I love her to death.

Also, her parents were like a second set of parents for me in high school. I haven't seen them since Spring Break (when I came and went like the Pony Express). I decided that with as much as they put into getting me to where I am now, I owe it to them to see them before I go. 

So, I'm about to head out to Dallas. Oh, extra bonus this trip, a friend of mine has an extra ticket to the No Doubt concert. I'm trying to turn up another one so Terena can go with me. I have loved No Doubt since I was 10. Amazing!

It's going to be a quick trip though. I'm going up today, hanging out with Terena, going to the concert, hanging out some more. Then it's breakfast with my brother and his family on Sunday (and maybe a little hanging out) and then it's back to the ATX to finish moving all my junk.

So, Dallas, this will be our last hoorah for awhile now. Let's make it a good one.

Last week in Austin

I just wrote a break-up letter to the job I've held for almost four years and posted it on Facebook. It's pretty funny.

Basically, I told them I'm happy to be out. 

So I am officially in my last week in Texas. I was considering going up to Dallas this Saturday. Graduation weekend didn't go so well with some people and I would really hate for that to have been the last time I saw them before I leave for a year. 

That and I kind of wanted to go see No Doubt. But, I have enough money to pay my bills next month and take myself for a couple of activities this next week. I think going to Dallas would use up pretty much all of my extra cash. 

I love the look on people's faces when they find out for the first time that I'm going to Taiwan. It's a look of shock and awe all at once. Hilarious. I kind of wish I had a camera out each time. Their eyebrows raise, jaws drop and eyelids shoot wide open. 

Anyway, immediately after the shock wears off they ask if I know Taiwanese, why I'm going and if I'm scared. Then they realize I only have a week left here. This results in everyone saying, "Oh my god, we need to hang out before you leave!" 

I need to create a list of activities I'm doing over the next week so people can join me. 

Any suggestions for things I need to do before I leave? 

I am planning dinner Friday night I think. Nothing nearly as formal as graduation weekend. Something cheap and easy, but American (or Mexican) and yummy. 

Though I have been craving sushi. Maybe I'll drum up some people for Kyoto happy hour on Thursday.

Man, there are a lot of things to do before I leave and not enough time. I'm starting to get nervous and maybe a little bit scared. This is a BIG deal.

Countdown 'til Taiwan: 17 days

So I am utterly impressed with the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Houston.

I sent out my visa application 

Tuesday afternoon. According to the delivery confirmation, the office didn't receive my application materials until mid-afternoon on Friday, which sucks considering I sent it Priority Mail. 

Apparently things come back from Houston a lot faster than they get there (and I can't say that I blame them).

I checked the mail last night and there was my passport with my visa on page 9 right next to the stamp from when I went to Mexico two years ago. 

Not really sure how they processed my entire application and sent it back in enough time for that sucker to end up in my mailbox Saturday, but what a relief!

I am slowly realizing this means there is literally nothing keeping me from going to Taiwan now. I just need to go pick up my degree from UT June 1. I have a passport, a visa, a plane ticket and a (little) bit of cash. 

My mom's taking my car (and the payments!) and my roommate's cousin is taking over my lease.

Hell, I even got someone to pay me $250 so he could take my bedroom furniture and my kitchen stuff. He and his girl friend (girlfriend, maybe?) are moving it out as I type — and listen to '80s music. 

Not looking forward to the strategic packing I have to do.

Countdown 'til Taiwan: 18 days

Graduation from college was eminent, I didn't have a job and the market didn't look good. After applying to upward of 80 jobs, I decided to take a step back.

"What else can you do with a journalism degree?" I thought to myself. "Teach English, of course."

Given that I now hold a degree in Journalism and not education, I don't have many of the necessary qualifications to get a teaching job in the States — even the great state of Texas where our education system ranks number 49 in the nation for SAT verbal skills.

That coupled with the fact that everyone was having tough luck finding a job, I decided maybe I could weather the storm somewhere else. I could use the change in scenery anyway.

A friend I met while working at The Daily Texan in college is teaching in Taiwan now. I started by asking her about half a million questions and then she referred me to her school and a recruitment agency. I scored interviews — and subsequently jobs — with both the Gloria English School and Reach to Teach Recruitment within the next week. 

Let me recap: After four months of searching across the nation for a job at any newspaper, magazine, trade publication, non-profit, etc., I found nothing. But I was offered two jobs in Taiwan after only a week. 

The Taiwanese don't waste time when it comes to their kids' educations.

I accepted the position with GES. They offer housing options and are just outside Taipei so I can get the hustle and bustle of the city when I want it, but I won't be overwhelmed by it. 

I'll be the first to admit that since we moved out of the East Texas country when I was 12 I have had no problem with being a city girl. But, being in a smaller (though what I believe to be still quite large) town, I think will force me to be more aware of my surroundings and really delve into the local culture. 

What's the point in moving to another country for (at least) one year if you're not going to jump into the culture? 

Over the next couple of weeks postings will be relatively slow but I intend to talk about my expectations, concerns and general feelings, which will mostly be described as "overwhelmed," "nervous," and "excited."

Once I get to Taiwan, I'm sure postings will be frantic but, hopefully, regular so that we can take this journey together.

I say goodbye to my lovely friends, family and life here in Austin in a week. Then I visit my sister in Seattle for a week in the Northwestern outdoors where we'll be crabbing, whale watching, and almost definitely drinking beer. 

From there, it's a 12-hour, non-stop, one-way flight to Taipei where a guy named Steve will be my first impression of Taiwan. Let's hope it's a good one.