departures & arrivals

I'm saddened to see the end of this adventure. I've discovered many new aspects of humanity that I previously had no thoughts or opinions on.

I also said that I was going into this with no expectations, as without a previous experience in a culture outside of my own, I didn't know where to set the bar. It turns out that I could have set it very high. The things I've seen, the people I've met, the places I've been, the relationships developed. Oh and the food. The food deserves special recognition.

I'm also eternally grateful for the hospitality the was provided to me. So many favors were given without question that I will never be able to repay them all. I imagine that when I reflect upon this experience it will be those favors that I will remember the most.

To round up this blog submission, if asked how I were to describe singapore and taiwan:

Singapore was the adventure part of my journey. Easy access to mass transit made it simple to say "let's head out!". There were lots of different cultures crammed together and with english being very common, I didn't feel like I was that far from home.

Taiwan was the culture-shock. English was rarely heard and I had to stick fairly close to my travel-buddy to understand much of anything. I also had the benefit of experiencing taiwan family dynamics from a unique perspective that would not have happened had I taken this trip on by myself.

Overall I enjoyed taiwan the most. Amongst a few other reasons, it was so completely different in many ways, one being that everyone was very kind and patient. I think a lot of this is due to the politics that surround the past between china and taiwan.

My eyes have been opened, and I'm now looking down a new path in my life. All directions look inviting and I'm anxious to see what will happen next.

Time to go, the plane to USA is boarding.
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