Home is where the heart is.
Monday, December 11, 2006
After living in Taiwan for two and half years, I have discovered that the prospect of returning to Canada does not evoke in me the sense of great joy that one might expect the notion of once again living in one's native land might evoke. I think that this emanates from the feeling that Taiwan has now become my second home, and that I have a sense of freedom here that does not exist in Canada.
I will return to Canada next year to settle down; at least for the next few years. My wife's family lives here in Taipei, and this is where we have persisted for the past two and half years. Perhaps, the feeling of freedom discussed above derives from the lofty lifestyle to which we have become accustomed. On returning to Canada, however, it will be fun and games for a short while, but the reality of having to find a career job and a place to live will rapidly infiltrate our consciousness and the "freedom" so fully enjoyed in Taiwan will be no more.
I put freedom in quotes because, as I write this, the possibility that life in Canada will probably be nothing like the images running through my brain strikes me, and I realize that life in Canada could be just as great, if not better than, life in Taiwan.
Actually, my wife and I hope to work out a situation where we will be able to live in both countries on an alternating basis of three or four year periods. This way, we can have the best of both worlds.
