Photo from the beautiful Walami trail in southern Hualien County
Hello again!
I wish I could have updated this blog more often throughout my second semester
in Taiwan, but I’ve honestly been too busy. This busy time has been my deliberate
choice to fill as much of my time when not teaching as possible. The truth is,
three months ago, I wasn’t feeling so great. I try to keep an upbeat tone on
this blog, because I know I’m lucky to be here, but living abroad is a series
of both ups and downs. At nine months away from home, I was starting to feel
the fatigue of homesickness, even as I wanted to love my time in Taiwan. Around
that time, I was in a scooter accident (long story short, I hit a truck) which
while it could have been a lot worse, took me some time and effort to
physically and emotionally recover from. Beyond that, at certain point in one’s
year abroad, the newness and excitement of everything wares off and one falls
into a rut where boredom and sadness take over.
But I
didn’t want to spend my last few months in Taiwan miserable, just counting down
the days until I returned to Minnesota, so I decided I had to try something
new. Actually, I had to try several new somethings. So, while I previously
believed I would only ever run if something was chasing me, I joined a gym and
began running almost every day. Running helped me blow off steam. It got me out
of the house and out of my head. Last week, I completed my first 5k ever in
Taipei. I finished at 29:10 minutes, which for someone who ran fourteen-minute
miles in high school, was pretty impressive.
Running a 5K on a very rainy day in Taipei. Rewarding myself with bubble milk tea afterward.
I also
learned how to rock climb. Several of the people in my program regularly go to
the bouldering gym here in Hualien, and though they often invited me to join
them, I always said no. I associated rock climbing with the middle school horrors
of being halfway up a wall, paralyzed by fear, with all my peers judging me
from down below. But when I finally decided to give rock climbing a chance here
in Taiwan, I discovered that adult climbing gyms are actually really supportive
environments focused on reaching personal goals. Rock climbing isn’t about
being afraid of falling but learning how to fall so that you don’t injure
yourself. I now try to go to the bouldering gym at least once a week. My hands
are calloused. My arms and legs are speckled with bruises and scrapes. But I
never feel stronger than when I’ve just finished a successful
climb or a long run.
I was
able to put all of my new physical abilities to the test when a few weeks ago,
some other ETAs and I went river tracing. River tracing involves a guide
leading you up through a river to special spots like pools and waterfalls. It’s
like hiking, except all uphill, against the current, often submerged up to your
waist in cold water. Throughout the whole journey, we were lifting ourselves up
over rocks, planting our feet on the riverbed while the current fought against
us like a firehose. When we got past the part of the river where all the other
tourists stop, the water was so clean and we were alone in this beautiful river
that snaked through the forest up into the mountains. We stood underneath three-story
waterfalls and jumped off (small) cliffs. The whole process was intense and
exhausting but also one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in Taiwan.
My time
in Taiwan has taught me that one has to look at the whole picture when it comes
to their own health. Before coming here, I was pretty good at paying attention
to my mental and emotional health, but I thought little of my physical health.
Now I realize that my physical health directly impacts my mental health, and
vise versa. I’m stronger, both physically and emotionally, than I previously realized.
I have more power than I thought to overcome the obstacles of a year abroad and
fully enjoy my time in Taiwan. So in the future, I’m going to keep running and
climbing and pushing myself to be better than my expectations.
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