Monthly Archives: March 2012

“A Story for Tomorrow”

This video is one of the most inspiring things I’ve seen in a LONG time. Enjoy.

I love this because it makes my throat tighten up. I love this because it reminds me again of all the places I want to see, all the things I want to experience. South America is somewhere I’ve dreamed of visiting and this video just really sums it up for me.

“What’s wrong with you guys today?” “We’re just happy, Teacher Katie!”

I did some math today: I figured out how many weeks I’ve spent abroad so far.

The answer? 30.

I’ve been abroad for 30 consecutive weeks. That number astounds me. That’s more than half a year — and the longest I’ve ever been away from home. On the one hand, it feels as though just yesterday I flew out of Texas, across the Atlantic and landed myself in fairy-tale Prague. Just yesterday that I said goodbye to my friends and family.

But on the other hand? On the other hand so much has happened in those 30 weeks. Things that have changed me, stretched me, hurt me, scared me, taught me, and most importantly, things that have made me truly, unbelievably, simply happy. Things that have shown me how important it is to take a chance, or, in Lily Aldrin’s words, to take the leap.

I’ve spent those 30 weeks dancing in multiple clubs, hiking mountains, riding bikes, watching movies, teaching and getting to know some amazing, wonderful kids, exploring night markets and generally trying most foods Taiwan has to offer. I’ve even become a fan of stinky tofu. I’ve been immersed in foreign languages and a new culture, learned how to carry myself in a way that suggests I know what I’m doing and been stared and pointed at like a freak in a circus. I’ve had good days, great days and horrible days, and gotten through them all.

And tomorrow? I leave for a visit in Texas:  hot, blustery, windy, friendly, stubborn, wonderful, dry Texas. My HOME.

To say I’m excited would be an understatement.

I can’t believe it’s already time for me to go home. When I left in August I genuinely had no idea when I’d be back in Texas. I told myself at most I’d be gone two months: That if Prague and teaching didn’t pan out how I wanted I could always come home.

I’m laughing at myself now: I was so terrified at the thought of leaving home that I could barely sleep at night last summer. If only I knew…if only I knew how wonderfully it was going to turn out. Luckily, the adventure isn’t over just yet. I hope I’m living up to all that potential I wrote about. I’m trying — that I know for sure.

Good ol' Midland.

Home 🙂

I want to see my parents, stuff myself silly with Mexican food and my mom’s cooking (and Goldfish), snuggle with my cat, and see my friends. I want to see my grandparents, and tell them just how much I missed them.

I want to drive my car down the highway, windows down, country music blasting, with the hot air rushing in. I want to be able to read signs and ask questions without struggling to communicate. I want a break from feeling like a giant with blond, curly hair.

I can’t wait. I wonder what will be different and what will be the same. I wonder how much I will have changed.

It feels good to leave Taipei for a few weeks the way I am: on a high note. Yes, I’m thrilled to go home, but also, I’m not aching with homesickness. If anything, I’ve grown so comfortable and fallen so hard for Taipei that I think I could stick it out longer: a few more weeks, months — who knows?

The point is: I’m excited to go home. But I’ll also be excited to get back to lovely Taipei. I’ll miss the food: the chung yo bing, the dan bing, the teas, the fresh fruits, the veggies the dumplings, noodles, tofu and more. I’ll miss not knowing what I’m eating 95% percent of the time.

I want to come back to a place that challenges me, thrills me, charms me, scares me (sometimes), irritates me and most definitely never bores me. I’ll miss the adventure.

Taipei: Why can't you be this pretty ALL the time??

I said goodbye to my favorite class yesterday: my level 6 class. I won’t teach them for three Saturdays in a row, and that genuinely makes me sad. I love them. Wednesday was particularly fun. They were crazy, crazy, crazy. I asked them, “What’s wrong with you guys today?” They all burst out laughing as though I’d said the funniest thing in the world, then one kid said, “We’re just happy today, Teacher Katie!”

As am I. Well said, Isan. I couldn’t very well get mad at them for being crazy then, could I? 🙂 I gave it up and we had a crazy day. And I wouldn’t give that up for anything.

We took pictures at the end of class, and those photos just make my heart smile. They’re all grabbing at me and laughing and having fun. It’s a good memory. A few of the girls wrote me notes that they would miss me — gold, right there. I love it.

I adore these kids.

When I left they kept telling me, “Teacher, I’ll miss you!” That made me feel so happy.

It’s like when I walk into my yo-yo class every day: Those frustrating and amazing babies start yelling “Teacher Katie! Teacher Katie!” over and over, at the top of their lungs. Then it’s a race over to get big hugs from me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nearly been knocked over because toddlers are hugging me around the legs. And yelling my name. And hitting my butt. Or trying to tickle me. And jostling for high-fives. And even, at times, saying “I love you, Teacher Katie!”

It’s the best feeling in the world, that. It makes me feel like I’ve done something good, like I’ve done something that makes me mean something to those kids. I don’t want them to forget me — and I know I’ll never forget them.

And I hope I do mean something to them — because at this point, all my students mean so much to me.

So what’s wrong with me today? I’m just happy. Life is good, and I’m going to see my family soon. I can’t wait.