Living outside, far from the family, has become very difficult; We are back

Searching for adventure and the need to pay student loans, I moved to Taiwan in the early twenties.

I was complaining about my religion when a friend mentioned that teaching English abroad could be a good way out. My job as a child and youth worker in Canada was not covering the bills. My girlfriend was convinced at that time to join and spent two and a half years in teaching kindergarten and primary students in Taiwan

But after financial success, after we achieved our goal, we decided to return to Canada. Back to home in the mid -twenties with my lifetime with the enlarged ego after a few years of easy money, a comfortable life, and a level of respect as an English teacher, proved that he is an obstacle to my success in Canada.

We have lost a lot of our savings while we took it to put our lives again. We struggled to find jobs in Canada, which paid enough to meet the expenses of living and ended up moving four times between cities. We found ourselves again in a financial hole that became deeper with every year that passes.

Search for security in Taiwan

So, after 6 years, after marriage, we went back to Taiwan in 2009, this time, our plan was to move permanently.

I spent most of the thirties, in the next seven and a half, in Taiwan teaching English.

I liked the job, lifestyle, financial security, travel opportunity, and the design of my dreams apartment, and ultimately, the adoption of three cats.

However, although we were building a good life in Taiwan, it did not deny the fact that an important part of our lives returned to Canada, our family.

While living in Taiwan, my husband’s father died suddenly from a heart attack, and the tendency of our world. We went home to mourning my husband’s family, but we realized that two weeks were little time to treat such a loss.

After a little more than a year, my nephew died at his school’s stadium in Recess. He was 8 years old and spent 7 years in Taiwan. I met him only several times in his short life.

Suddenly, the money, the beautiful apartment, and the beautiful scene have not been detained.

My husband and I began to understand that the distance between us and our family means that we cannot actually be part of each other’s life. We cannot be there for sadness, celebration or participation.

The house was calling

We have now returned to Ontario, Canada for nearly 8 years. I am involved in the life of my brother and my brother’s sons and took time to travel with my sisters. My five brothers are no longer strangers for me. I managed to visit my only living several times since I went back in the mid-1990s. I see the family almost every month now for holidays or sometimes only to meet.

In 46 years, after starting Canada again, changing professions, and dealing with a high cost of living, I doubt that we will be financially comfortable again. Perhaps we will never have a home, buy a new car, go on luxurious leave, or get a comfortable retirement.

But it deserves all this effort to see my daughter and my brother’s sons growing to adults. I also have time for intimate conversations with my brothers while riding cars or while walking nearby.

I found the big adventures there – the lessons and visions that came when I stripped everything familiar and influential. The growth occurred when I exceeded my borders and realized that the only borders were the borders I created.

I also came to see the tremendous value sometimes remains.