Tag Archives: struggles

Struggling in Taiwan

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So I’m struggling to stay motivated here in Taiwan. I absolutely love the place, but it seems that I’m having trouble securely setting up things here. Looking for work is a pain in the ass because lots of companies are slow at responding. Although they aren’t being terribly slow. It is probably just because I feel the pressure of needing a job stat and that is making the time it takes for them to respond seem so much longer in duration. I might have some job lined up on Thursday but it may not be enough to get by on…although I’m not sure yet, have to wait till Thursday.

The biggest problem I’m running into is that I’m losing motivation. I think I may have been spoiled by Korea which as Danny so articulately put it “they handjob you into Korea.” Where as in Taiwan it’s a more usual job hunting experience. Including going to lots of interviews, in places that I don’t know, for something that falls short of exactly what I need. To compound the “places I don’t know” problem is a healthy language barrier which makes navigating streets and asking direction much more difficult.

I’m going with the “fighting” motto that Koreans love to use so much. But things are wearing me out here. I like it here but the winds of fate aren’t being that favorable at the moment. Let’s hope for Thursday.

Destination America Finally a Go

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After a major hiccup for traveling home that involved Yeye temporarily being viewed as an illegal alien and a criminal by the Indian government, we are finally a go again. The aforementioned trouble resulted in a very worried last weekend, cancelled flights, running around government offices, rescheduled flights, and now we are just whittling the time down for our new flight by writting a blog. :) Let’s just say after the stress of the past few days being cleared up we feel like we are high. Oh and something else…I will never again complain about the California DMV after experiencing Indian bureaucracy…it’s simply mind bogglingly difficult, frustrating, and exceedingly inefficient. Being stuck in lines with a mishmash of Afghani refuges, forlorn tourists (ourselves), lifers extending their visas, or businessmen having to report in annually (today the VP of Samsung India was in line with us). Everyone demanding different services to the tight lipped Indian officials. All while the weather is soaring past 100 degrees (40C for you metric kids) and tempers running high. Let’s just say I hope you never find yourself having to deal with the Indian government directly…it’s quite simply bureaucratic hell!

All that is left is catching this flight…please no more problems! I just want to get back into the ole’ US of A for weddings, partying, and family reunions.

Do I like traveling India?

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I recently called my buddy Bengay via Skype just to catch up. I picked up from his tone and his questions that he was concerened if I was enjoying my travels here in the subcontinent. I believe he expressed similar concerns in an email prior to this too. I think his concerns are legit, especially if your going by my blog posts. Lots of what I have is about getting sick, frustrated, or just straight up bad news.

To be frank, India is perhaps the most maddening travel experience I’ve ever had (apart from that train station in Shanghai). Ever day seems to be a constant struggle and challenge. Struggles against sickness, transportation systems, constant hard bargaining, and many more culprits. The most irritating for me is actually just walking down the street because of cars, noise, pollution, begging, filth, etc…

But when asked “If I’m enjoying my time in India?” I have to answer with a resounding “Yes” even if that yes is going to be followed by a long list of complaints. I’m finding India to be perhaps some of the most rewarding travel I’ve experienced. Filling me with memories, some that are joyous and some that are less than joyful, and many life lessons. Also, it is one of the few places that helps, encourages, forces, or sometimes even tricks you into seeing the world in a different light.

So yes I’m loving my journey even if I’m constantly bitching about it :)

Sad News From Home

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Something I always feared while being a more or less long term expat was receiving some bad news from home. Seems that finally happened. My Grandma passed away last night after about of week struggling with a sudden illness. From what the sister tells me she went peacefully in her sleep without much discomfort compared to her battles earlier this week. Doctors told my family that if she would have pulled through she would have been confined to a nursing home for the rest of her time, which knowing her would have been worse than just moving on. Just sad I wasn’t home to see her before she passed. I will be going home a month too late…a month. Sometimes I guess time is not on your side. Even though I wasn’t home with the rest of the family, I’m glad I wasn’t alone here in India.

Some things I’ll miss:

  • Grandma’s blueberry muffins and Crockpadock (she said it’s German but I’ve never been able to figure out it’s real name)
  • Picking on her incessant worrying about the strangest things (recently she was worrying that I was going to have a stroke on top of a Himalayan Mountain…I know go figure)
  • Well, picking on her for just about any of her eccentricities (always fussing about her lipstick, thinking about crab grass, etc…)
  • Always sticking her nose in everyone’s business usually with the strangest advice
  • Watching her worry about her garden and especially her buffet (never understood what the deal with that thing was)
  • Getting mad at me for never being clean enough
  • or her just calling me her “handsome boy”…

R.I.P. Grandma

Preparations checklist

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There are a lot of things I need to get done in the next month before leaving Korea. Here is a small sampling of what I have to do.

  • My house & stuff in my house

    • Ship home things I want to keep
    • Sell things I can’t keep
    • Figure out how to get my computer home
    • Make sure I get my key money back

    •  

  • Preparing for India

    • Finish my India visa
    • Buy flight out of India
    • Check my vaccination
    • Buy travel insurance
    • Get a travel backpack
    • Pack travel backpack as light as possible

    •  

  • South Korea, I shall miss you…

    • Make sure my pension is being paid out
    • Figure out my tax situation (may ignore this)
    • Extend my visa for 2 weeks (or make visa run)
    • Go to doctor to stockpile my meds
    • Go to Dentist get my tooth fixed
    • Complete my food bucket list (haven’t started yet)
    • Go hiking on Geumjeongsang
    • Go to my favorite places at least once again
      • Nampo, Haeundae, Semyeon, etc…

    •  

  • Friends, 친구s, and drinking buddies

    • Spend time with as many of my buds as I can
    • Have at least one more house party
    • Rage it in Kyungsung (KSU) at least one more time (hopefully More)
      • Places I have to hit: Family Mart (aka the Apex), Kino-Eye, and Eva’s
    • Meet Parsley and Mattugi’s baby Haron in Seoul
    • Track down old friends and at least meet for a cup of coffee
    • Meet with YeYe’s family and get beat up by Minsa

Oh man, I don’t want to think anymore about this. My list is already overwhelming and I’m just so lazy. I have a little more than a month and there is lots to do…at least I’ll feel productive :)

Following you from home…

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So I have been told before that your problems will follow you even when you are on the other side of the planet. This is very true. You may think that this can’t be a problem because I am thousands of miles away but that is just a ruse that hides the fact that your problems will hunt you down and find you in a manner that even the Israeli military would be jealous of. It just makes it even that much more painful because you feel so disconnected from any issues back home since they seem like they should be irrelevant…but they most likely are still relevant.

Lost in the woods…

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I attempted to look up the phrase “lost in the woods…” because I have heard it used before (what comes to mind is Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly) to describe someone who is in over their head clueless on how to act or behave in whatever circumstance they find themselves. I am once again lost in the woods, clueless on how to act or behave in the circumstances that I find myself and feeling in over my head. As always how I found myself in this position was most likely self induced, which makes it that much more aggravating, but this time there is also an timing aspect that is beyond my power to control. I really enjoy Malcolm’s response to being accused of liking being lost in the woods;

Inara: [to Simon] You’re lost in the woods. We all are. Even the captain. The only difference is he likes it that way.
Mal: [walks in] No, the only difference is the woods are the only place I can see a clear path.

Even though I enjoy Malcolm’s stance I do not know how to implement it. I believe Continue reading →