Saying Good-bye Abroad

Though there are many awesome things about living abroad, there is one very definite downside that has me preoccupied lately.

It's not culture shock. Since arriving in Taipei, I haven't experienced much culture shock at all. Right now off the top of my head I can't really think of anything that has really shocked me about being here. Taiwan is definitely more like the U.S. than Japan was.

It's not missing home either. Although I miss my family and friends like any normal person, I don't yearn for them in that way that makes you wish you had never left. It's become second nature not to see them on a regular basis, or even talk to them regularly, partially because I know that we will be reunited eventually. Things might have changed a lot by that time, but relationships can also be rebuilt, perhaps for the better.

What sometimes makes me a little sad though is the ultimately fleeting nature of my relationships abroad. When you're living in a foreign country, you often form bonds with people you otherwise might have never met or gotten to know. This is a great feeling. You find things you can talk about, laugh about, maybe even argue about. You see them on a regular basis and get to know them as individuals, both the quirks and the annoyances. But at the end of the day, you know that all the good friends you've made and the sweet moments you've had- none of it is permanent. Eventually, the day will come when you have to say good-bye to those you've known and fly home, leaving it all behind.

This is not to say that it's impossible to stay in touch with friends living in other countries. But the relationships you have with them after you have left will never be the same as when you were in the same time and place; it can't be. Nothing can replace spending time with someone in person - enjoying the little nuances that can never be captured in print or photos. And though I will always try my best to stay in touch with those I care about, no matter where they are, my knowing them will forever be rooted in the fact that nothing is permanent, and moments from one area of the world cannot be replicated in another. Good-byes will be said, and life will continue in its own fluid fashion. I know that they will likely never live in America, and I will likely never live in their country. Hence the inevitable parting of ways - maybe not of the emotional kind but definitely the physical. They simply won't be a bus ride away.

It is times like these when I wish I could freeze time and preserve moments beyond their mere memories. But I suppose no moment is as sweet without impermanence to temper its sweetness.

The only way to deal with it is to enjoy being in the moment as much as possible, and to remain grateful for the experiences had (and for the ones yet to come). And to enjoy the company of those you were lucky enough to meet.

It is a very bittersweet feeling.