a new chapter
It still hasn't hit me that I am in Taiwan, and I will be here for the next seven months. It feels surreal after all the uncertainty of the last 1.5 years, and somehow — in a month — my life has been set for this new chapter in Taiwan and then four years of medical school.
In all honestly, I had low to no expectation that I'd be able to have my Fulbright experience because of the pandemic and hurdles with visa paperwork and protocols. I had no idea if I'd make it to Taiwan, and I would only process the fact once it becomes reality. Yet, as my departure date quickly approached, I went through the stages of travel anxiety lol. First, I experienced weeks of excitement that led to pre-trip anxiety of having all the correct paperwork to a sense of bittersweetness to say goodbye. From packing my room to saying goodbyes to traveling to NYC for less than 48 hours to returning home in Seattle to finally catching my flight to Taipei, it finally felt surreal when I saw the sunrise over Taipei during the plane's descent. This will be my home — the place I will learn, explore, grow, and discover greater facets of myself as I immerse myself like a local (hopefully). :)
First, I have to face 14 days in quarantine. While quarantine seemed daunting at first, Mai and Amy redirected my attitude to view this as an opportunity to do whatever I please with no guilt. Surprisingly, I am enjoying my first few days. My morning routine consists of waking up at 7 am, drinking my morning coffee, doing 45 minutes of HIIT workouts, tuning into my training workshops, catching up with old friends back home, and recharging with alone time. As the adrenaline rush starts to fade, I am slowly acknowledging a few of my worries -- the language barrier, initial loneliness, anxiety to quickly make friends, all the usual feelings that come with discomfort. However, when I have these thoughts, I remind myself to pause, refrain from overthinking in quarantine, and empathize with my feelings but remind myself of my capabilities. I think what's most comforting is to realize that there are many wonderful, potentially life-changing moments to come intertwined with discomfort. And that I also have a whole support system of family and friends found all over the world that I can always lean on hehe. Who know's how much I will grow or in what ways in this chapter of my life.
Views from my quarantine hotel in Ximending. So thankful for windows, where I can people watch and entertain myself by watching street performers — and it definitely makes me feel a little bit less lonely.
