It's now been two years since I first arrived in the city that I've come to call (my second) home. As I reach the second anniversary of my arrival I can't help but to feel some pride, both in making my original decision to move and, more recently, making the difficult decision to move back. My life in Taiwan has continued to be full of joy and adventure and life here is as fun and rewarding as I've become accustomed to.
It's now been four and a half months since I returned to Taiwan and following the somewhat hectic and stressful initial search for employment and subsequent bureaucratic pursuit of legal residence; I've managed to, once again, settle into comfortable normalcy.
Unfortunately, the normalcy of my current lifestyle leaves my with less to write, explaining the growing gaps between these blog posts. When I last posted, I was preparing for the Chinese New Year holiday, for which I had made no plans.
While many of my close friends travelled abroad during the national holiday, due to my financial ineptness, I had decided to stay in Taipei while the population of the city drastically decreases as many Taiwanese travel to the cities and villages of there elderly family members. I expected a lonely and quiet New Year break but due to many new friends since I'd come back,it was not to be.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, a night when most families are having traditional feasts, I was invited to a very non-traditional yet delicious meal of lasagna. I was very grateful to spend the evening with new friends enjoying excellent food.
As the new years holiday progressed, the time came for the traditional scaring-off of evil spirits with the clatter of cheap fire-crackers. While this was my second Chinese New Year in Taiwan, I had not yet partook in the fire-cracker festivities of the holiday. Much to my gratitude, I was invited by two Taiwanese sister's who are great friend's of mine, to join their family as they rung in the new year with small, clamorous explosions.
On the same night as our fire-cracker festival, I met up with a good friend of mine from high-school. My friend, Chris, lives in Hong Kong, where I've visited him several times over the past few years; however, this was the first time we had met up in Taipei. Chris and I reminisced about old-times as we had a few beers on the street. It's always a delight to see familiar faces when you're far away from home, and I'm always happy to welcome anyone who might want to visit me.
Once back at work following the Chinese New Year's break it was nearly time for the Olympic's to begin. Although the fervor of the Winter Olympics is close to entirely absent here in Taipei, I was excited to relive the my 2010 Olympic memories, on a much smaller scale, here in Taipei. There are more than enough rabid Canadian hockey fans here in Taipei for several bars to have justified screening all the men's Olympic ice hockey games live and I was sure to attend the most important games and some of my favourite locals bars. It was a also a great opportunity to share some Canadian culture with my Taiwanese friends.
With the coming of March, so came the new issues of the magazine that I work for, and I was satisfied to see my face smiling back at me from several of the glossy pages. Finally, everything in my life was back in order as it was before I'd left Taiwan.
As an Irish citizen, I was obliged to go for a few drinks on March 17th. My favourite craft beer bar, here in Taipei, was serving up pints of exquisite green beer.
The weather has been great lately and I've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible before the spring rains submerge the city. Taipei's excellent shared bike system makes the city increasingly more convenient as more and more stations are installed. One of the things that I love about living here is that there are always interesting art installations and events taking place in every corner of the city. One of the more interesting art installations of late was a display of 1600 papier-mâché pandas (the number 1600 represents one of the lower estimations of how many pandas currently live in the wild).
The weather has been great lately and I've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible before the spring rains submerge the city. Taipei's excellent shared bike system makes the city increasingly more convenient as more and more stations are installed. One of the things that I love about living here is that there are always interesting art installations and events taking place in every corner of the city. One of the more interesting art installations of late was a display of 1600 papier-mâché pandas (the number 1600 represents one of the lower estimations of how many pandas currently live in the wild).
Sadly, in recent weeks the city and country which I love has in recent weeks been gripped by student protests demonstrating against the undemocratic actions of the current Prime Minister with the passing of a trade agreement with China. As a foreigner, I'm legally barred from participating in political demonstrations, however; I have been a keen observer and supporter of the demonstrations. Taiwan's political status and relationship with China is always complicated, but this is by the most tense the situation has been since I arrived here. I can only hope that the efforts of the protesters will help to maintain or improve the country that I've come to love.
So, two years on, I took a look back at the first post that I wrote on this blog which I concluded with the statement, "life is good here and everything has been really easy thus far." I've gotta say, this statement continues to sum up my life here in Taipei.
So, two years on, I took a look back at the first post that I wrote on this blog which I concluded with the statement, "life is good here and everything has been really easy thus far." I've gotta say, this statement continues to sum up my life here in Taipei.
