The Things from Home We Miss the Most
April 4th, 2007 by MarkWhile hiking through the country-side around Xindian, Prince Roy, Poagao and I got to talking about the whole issue of what we miss from home. All three of us are from the U.S., but we also have connections of varying degrees to Taiwan. Poagao, obviously, is the most Taiwanese and the least American. He gave up his U.S. citizenship for a Taiwanese one, served in the army here, and has made it his home for about two decades. PR, on the other hand, served in the U.S. military years ago, and continues to serve the U.S. as a diplomat, even now. I know he has a special attachment to Taiwan, but after his post here is done, he’ll be off to another country and continue his Foreign Service work there.
I feel myself somewhere between those two positions. I definitely could leave Taiwan, and I almost did leave to go study Chinese in Harbin last year. I couldn’t really imagine trading in my U.S. passport for a Taiwan one, either. On the other hand, I’m not at all certain of when or how I’ll leave. I remember being shocked at Rika’s party, when her friend Anne said she was definitely planning on moving back to the states to settle down. I haven’t been in Asia as long as she has, but for me, it just wouldn’t be that easy to go back. Yes, there are things from the states that I really miss. On the other hand, last time I went back to see my family, I found myself missing Taiwan. Here are the things I miss the most:
What I miss about America when I’m in Taiwan
- My family
- My friends
- Mexican food
- Open running trails within 5 minutes of my door
- Nature
- Nearly limitless online shopping bargains
- Having a car
- Having a big house
- Being able to order pizza at midnight
- snow
What I miss about Taiwan when I’m in America
- My friends
- Being able to learn Chinese every single day
- Nightmarkets
- Taiwanese Efficiency
- The freedom to have a beer while walking outside
- The subway
- Gazillions of tropical fruits to choose from
- 蔥抓餅
- Extremely safe cities
- More pragmatic law enforcement
April 4th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Well said Mark. I can relate to everything you’ve written here.
Whenever I’m overseas, I have moments of homesickness, but they never last for long. China was a world apart for me, because I lived near Harbin. We had to wait for ages to get Western goodies, or travel to Beijing to get them. So, life was a little harder there, but no less interesting.
Taiwan has a been a wonderful and pleasing change for me, because it has nearly everything that reminds me of home. I don’t get homesick nearly as much anymore, but I do get homesick for China every once in awhile. When I’m home in Canada, I love every minute of it, but behind it all, I can’t help but miss my home overseas. I always feel like I’m straddling the best of all my worlds.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:47 am
I can honestly say that except for family and friends, there’s nothing I really miss about the US. I agree with Poagao: long road trips and driving are possibly one. Good microbrews, decent healthy vegetarian choices and the occasional ballgame in real time are some others. And, of course, diet mt. dew, how could I forget.
There seem to be two camps in the Foreign Service. One views overseas assignments as a means to get a plum DC job, since the feeling is that Main State/Foggybottom is where you need to be if you have serious ambition as far as future ambassadorships, becaue it is there the important connections are made.
The other camp consists of those who just want to spend as much time as possible overseas living in countries, societies, cultures that interest them. I almost certainly fall in this camp. I intend to spend as much time as I can abroad.
That’s a bit of a simplification, but I think many would agree.
April 5th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
For the time being, I don’t miss a lot of Canada except my dog, a French Bulldog who will be coming over in July and my family.
The rest, for now, doesn’t really affect me that much.
I have been here only for 7 months though, so my perspective isn’t the same as yours.
Life in Asia is an adventure, it wasn’t like that in Canada.