Summer Vacation Part Three: Pandas to Camels

No matter how unreasonably long the vacation, it's never quite long enough. I was in Taiwan just long enough for it to start to feel like home. I felt myself reluctant to go, having fallen in love with the city and the people. Although, to my surprise, after a couple of days in Arabia, I am not at all discontent with being here. It has allowed me to slow down, relax, and reflect--things I seemed unable to bring myself to do while still in Taiwan. Now, I find that I am torn between wanting to stay in Saudi for the long haul, not just so I can save heaps of money, but so I can enjoy long vacations, travel the world, and live a peaceful, reflective lifestyle in between; and jumping on the next plane back to Taipei, so I can enjoy all of the things I really love about life all year long.



My final two weeks in Taipei, like the previous two, was flurry of activity. I wrote the previous entry from the coastal city of Haulien, which serves as a jumping-off point for exploring the stunningly beautiful Torko Gorge, for which Formosa (the beautiful island) was named. Although, most the majority of the trails were officially closed off due to damage from the recent typhoon, in surprisingly short order, I found a very good trail, which lasted several kilometers up a mountain, which lead to an isolated tribal village. Indeed, I crossed paths with two brown-skinned Taiwan natives with face-tattoos coming down the mountain as I was on my way up.

Despite the beauty of Toroko Gorge, after only two days in Haulien, I felt myself drawn back to my beloved Taipei. Full disclosure--I was going back for a girl...which very quickly proved to be a bad idea. So, from that point on I spend most of my vacation chasing various women...which at the time seemed perfectly sensible, knowing full well that in a very short time I would be back in the land of fig trees and chastity. After several dates, meetings and hang-outs, I found my self ill-satisfied, and finally ready to throw my hands up in defeat, finally willing to stop and actually pay mind to those damn emotions whirring around inside, begging for the attention which they had been denied up until that point. And then, against all odds and expectations, I spent my last few days with an amazing woman, who just so happened to be in the same situation as myself...and whom I haven't been able to stop thinking about since. 



Thus, I have come to realize that there really are some truly wonderful women in Taiwan, who are fun, clever, good-humored, and down to Earth--and willing to date a guy like me. Why wouldn't I want to live in a city like this? I could spend my free time doing the things I love--biking, hiking, doing yoga, and even Aikido. With some luck, I could even shack up with a pretty little Taiwanese girl. I could eat healthy food and drink craft beer. I could learn Chinese. I could live in relative freedom and delight in the finer things in life! I would have to work harder, I would get paid less, and I would have far less vacation time but I could truly enjoy life one day to the next, if I lived in Taiwan. 

During my two days in Korea, before flying back to Arabia, I was surprised at how crowded and oppressive Korea suddenly seemed. And when I got back to Arabia at last, I was equally taken aback by the emptiness and chaos. I how I longed for that happy medium to which I had grown so accustomed for the past month. But that feeling changed rather quickly. I was immediately and intensely discontented...but it forced me to stop. That was a great boon; my need to constantly be moving in Taipei was doing no good for my emotional well-being. People often complain about living in Rabigh, but it is peaceful. Also living here can be a big opportunity, if you have the right mindset. It's the perfect place for study, getting in shape, and learning new skills, if you have the requisite automotivation. The lack of places to go and women to chase can actually be considered a big advantage--and if one IS content to live here, as previously stated, the monetary rewards are considerable and the vacation time borders on absurd.



In my case, there are even more incentives to say: the work environment itself is constantly improving. Classes are becoming fewer, teacher support is getting better, and there are now real consequences for unruly students. If that is not enough, there is plenty of room for advancement in my company, and they offer free online master's degrees for employees.

So, in short, Arabia can offer me long-term financial security, professional development, time to develop skills independently, and more vacation time than I can shake a stick at. On the other hand, Taipei can offer me fun, companionship, the opportunity to develop skill in things I love, and a picaresque living environment.

I'm not sure what will happen. I would like to spend a year in Taipei...but the longer I'm back here, in Arabia, the more enticing staying another year seems. Things keep getting better here. Career-wise, it's really the opportunity of a lifetime. But then again, is any amount of money worth living life alone? Can you put a price tag on love? If I've learned anything from the past six months, it's that long-distance relationships do not work. I can no longer pretend that they do. So, I've got to re-think my game-plan. But what is my priority--money or love?