Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts

Saturday, November 9, 2013

What Super Typhoons have taught me


How Do You Find a Super Typhoon?

I have found, in my limited experience, that Typhoons are not to be messed with and are kind of an inconvenience. They disrupt school, work, the government and most annoyingly, my travel plans.

So far in 2013, there have been exactly 2 super typhoons that have been in Asia (since I've arrived). Where have they hit? They have hit Hong Kong (in September) and they will hit Vietnam (tomorrow).

Where was I? I was in Hong Kong in September and I am currently in Vietnam. Each time, they have changed my plans in regards to what I want to do. Not that this is a bad thing, but it is kind of ridiculous. However, in staying in Hong Kong, I was able to really evaluate my feelings on Taiwan and that helped me decided to move away. Here in Vietnam, I've had to change and delay a few plans because of the impending storm.

As my wonderful friends have pointed out, they seem to follow me around when I am traveling.

So I've come to the conclusion that I need to stop worrying and planning and just go with the flow. I have always had a tendency to worry and fret. I've been making a conscious effort to stop worrying as much and these typhoons have given me the chance to practice.

I can't control the weather, I can't control anything else (for the most part) and trying to makes me feel unaccomplished. So instead of trying to control other things, I focus on controlling myself, my worry, and it has made all the world. Life is a lot more relaxing when you stop worrying. This doesn't mean that I don’t worry about anything, but I've stopped worrying about the things that are truly out of my control. I do what I can to make myself ready for whatever comes but worrying about 'what if' isn't a healthy place to be.

Now, this has been quite frustrating for some friends and family because I always say 'No worries.' It's not that I don't care about impending storms that might be deadly, or whether or not I get my deposit back from a landlord, or if I safely make it through a night of drinking in a new city. It's that I set myself up, as much as I can, for success and realize that is all I can do about it. I can't live my life in fear of what might happen and not do things because what might happen. I don't put myself in stupid situations (i.e. traveling to Central Vietnam where the Super Typhoon is about to hit) but I also don't sit inside of a padded room. 

Live life, love life and have fun!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Next step in the Epic Journey of Life

My first blog, where to even start?

I have decided I should blog for a multitude of reasons. The person that told me I need to start blogging (and I actually listened to her) is someone that I haven't known for long but I really admire. She had the strength to move abroad to China when she was 27 years old (like me) and has made an amazing life out of traveling, loving and experiencing the world. She has lived through the experiences that I worry about the most, from losing a loved one back home, to meeting her soul mate, to finding a path in life that allows her to follow her passions. I have thought, many times, "WOW" I want to do that. And she kicked me in the pants, as we were having dinner on my last Wednesday night in Taipei. "Why not?" She asked.

"Why not?"

It's funny because that's the answer I give to so many people, all the time, when they ask why live abroad, why live in Asia, why leave a life that you loved with friends and family that are amazing.... Why not?! Well, she threw the same question back at me and after mulling it over for a week, I decided... well... ok. Nothing to stop me, no reason to start but no reason not to start.

So here it is, my personal blog about living in the world, experiencing each moment and reminding myself that I love my life. I loved it in Seattle, WA, I loved it in Cambodia, I love it now here in Taiwan (even though it got off to a rocky start here on this island paradise). I have exactly 24 hours left in Taiwan before I leave for the next step in my adventure.

My next post will be about my experience here.... but that's to be saved for another day (or time when I'm sitting at the airport with nothing but homework to do.. Because we all know that creating a blog is much more important than homework for my masters degree!)