A Fresh New Start

As you can see, I’m starting a new blog. No, I’m not trying to hog all the cool names. I just figured that with a new chapter in my life, why not start afresh with a new brand?

It’sKippisTime is part of a time where I traveled and saw things as a student. It was my first experience abroad and away from home for quite a long time. It was my first time experiencing-albeit very minor- culture shock. It was my first taste of complete freedom.

However, as amazing as it was, I still wanted more. My thirst for travel was not quenched, but intensified. Now, more than ever, I long for remote faraway places and foreign- perhaps even disgusting- food. So, for the past 2 years, I’ve worked and searched for an opportunity to relive that life.

Teaching abroad once I finish my degree has always been a project of mine. Though, the destination has always been a blur to me, so it was never that serious. It was nothing concrete, so it wasn’t tangible.

Up until last year, I never saw myself teaching in Asia. I was so fixated on Europe (mainly Western). But once I realized that my chances there were less than slim, I forced myself to have an open-mind. I always thought that Asia was a place for tourists, not a place of opportunity for me. I didn’t think that it was modern, that the quality of life was actually good, sometimes even better than Western countries.

Fast-forward to March-April, when I finished my final internship, I finally found a place where I can fulfill this goal: Taiwan. So, after signing a decent contract not coming from a shady posting on craigslist, I began to have many emotions, all at different times.

First, I felt excitement. I realised then that one of my biggest aspirations was taking shape right in front of me but it didn’t really sink in yet, it felt surreal. I was just happy that I found employment overseas and better opportunities waiting for me. At this point, I was excited to tell friends and family about it. I wanted to spread the news, but not make it public. I just have this fear that if I announce it publically and something goes wrong, I would be so embarrassed that people won’t take me seriously anymore. Really weird, I know.

Second, I felt stress and anxiety. This is mainly due to all of the administrative work involved. Only then did I realize how much bureaucracy moving from one place to another for an extended amount of time is involved. I applied for a working visa and there were just so many things to think about: health checks, insurance, sufficient funds, etc. All this paperwork kinda made me wonder: how the hell did my parents manage to move here permanently without even speaking the language? Then again, they were refugees, so I guess it’s way different. Anyways, all of this to say that applying for visas can be a hell of a tedious and grinding process.

Third, I felt exhaustion. Once I was done with the paperwork, a whole lot of stress was lifted off my shoulders. And once that happened, I got to (somewhat) relax and realized how tired I was. But I couldn’t just take it easy just yet: I received the visa 1 week before the departure and had limited time to meet up with people before I left. So I constantly tried to meet as many people as I could despite the busy schedule. Social events eat up a lot of energy.

Finally, I felt fear and doubt right before I left. This was my first summer off in about 10 years. Ever since I was a teenager, I was either away for summer camp, working at a summer camp, working full-time, or working full-time and taking classes. As you can see, I never really had a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy time off. As a result, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to experience Montreal in the summer and meet up with people while drinking sangria on the terrasse. It was great.
But then it made me realize how much I was leaving behind. I realized how amazingly beautiful Montreal is. I realized how much my friends meant to me: we’ve seen each other grow and it would be difficult to be apart from them for so long. I realized how much I loved my family and how much support they have given me all my life. I realized that I won’t be seeing the people that I hold so dearly in my heart on a daily basis.

So, for a brief moment, I experienced fear and doubt: what the hell am I doing? Why am I leaving these people behind? What the hell am I thinking going to a foreign country all alone? Who will be there for me? What will I do?...

When that happens, you really have to try really hard to shut your mind off. Just go for it. Everyone thinks you’re doing the right thing, so you should believe in yourself for doing this too. It will only help you grow. You’re a lot stronger than you think.

Let’s see how my second experience away from home goes.

Till then,

Keep it sassy