Getting to the other side of the world is not an easy feat. I found myself jumping through hoops to get paperwork done. Figuring out plane tickets was tricky. I needed the right flight at the right time, for the right price. Then of course there is packing. Then of course there is packing. For a short trip it is pretty simple, but for a long trip, let alone moving, there are a lot of things you want to bring, but you cannot take it all.
All of these were just the tip of the iceberg in frustrations. They were understood and expected. They were all things that had happened before. It is the things we do not see coming that hit the hardest. The new and unprepared for can leave you confused, scared, and angry.
My world was turned upside down when the job I had expected was yanked out from under my feet. I had gone from being a man with a plan to unemployed and homeless in a country where I did not speak the language. An unenviable situation to say the least. What should I do? I could book a return home. There was the option of seeing a bit of asia, then going home. Neither of those appealed. My final option, and the most daunting, was to try and find another job.
I chose to pick up the gage and stay.
My first and most pressing concern was for all of my belongings. That may seem trivial, but they created a logistics nightmare. I had several heavy bags that were not easy to transport. I had expected to make one or two moves once I arrived in Taiwan then settle into an apartment.
I did have encouragement though. I had made friends during the Hess training program. While the company had discarded me, they had not. As well, I had made a few Taiwanese friends who were utterly shocked by what had happened. One good friend even offered to let me stay at her place if need be. People were very supportive and offered what advice and assistance they could. Some of the most important was helping me stay in the hotel one more night without the staff noticing. That bought me time to straighten out my mind and set my priorities.
I eventually settled on the Taipei Hostel for temporary residence. I went through the gauntlet of getting my stuff there, but found the place suitable and reasonably priced. It offered me a small grasp of stability to launch my job search from.
Hunting for jobs was no easy task. There are lots of openings, but of course they want experience. I also have a good number of people to compete against for them as well. I had to go through a few rejections and each one made it harder to hope. I have never been the most diligent at hunting for employment. It requires more focus than I was imbued with. I put all effort forward that I could muster though, even as my hopes waned.
To complicate matters, I found myself sick. At first I thought it would pass and avoided the doctor. After several days I caved and went to the hospital. The visit was not bad and I walked out with a handful of prescriptions to treat my symptoms until my body adjusted to the my new region. They worked for a time, but when they ran out, I was sick again, and getting worse. I am fairly sure I was running a low grade fever for a week or so. It is hard to ascertain such things when you lack a thermometer and are in a tropical region. My second trip to the hospital the doctor declared tonsillitis and prescribed antibiotics. It took a few days, but soon I was recovered.
As my illness ended, I was finally able to find employment. A small school needed a part time teacher, six hours a week. I had to demo teaching a class that could be described as rambunctious to say the least. I succeeded though, mostly through not leaving in the middle I suspect. The pay was enough to cover my rent at the hostel and about three days worth of food.
There is still more that needs done. If I can get a few more hours I can afford an apartment. I have to keep looking and not become complacent. If i cannot get a full time job, I will have to do a visa run to stay in the country. For now, at least I can survive. That of course is provided that the children do not eat me alive.
I am known to be a jaded cynic with a low opinion of the human race. I believe, though, that individuals can overcome and rise above the nature of humanity. I owe a great deal of thanks to many people who have supported and encouraged me through all of this. Budens are easier to bear when you have others offering to lift some of the weight. It warms my heart when people show kindness to a traveler in need.
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