Learning to Taiwander Again
I’m slowly learning to Taiwander again, but finding my wings and flying once more hasn’t been easy. To be honest, I didn’t think I would. Covid hit my family hard. It hit the world hard. The death, destruction, and massive upheaval it leaves in its wake is impressive in its global scope. Unfortunately, even though we’re all completely and irrevocably done with Covid, its presence remains. Covid fatigue, anyone?!
In My Corner of the World
Covid was directly responsible for job loss in my family in 2020. The story of millions these past two years, right? In the midst of the struggle to survive, Taiwandering and writing took a back seat. With uncertainty looming in every aspect of the future, was travel even going to be possible? When? How? I almost shuttered my blog but decided to hold on and see what happened to the world in general and my world in particular.
Then my family was blessed when another job miraculously materialized in another city. We sold our house in Columbus, Ohio, and began the search in this crazy housing market for our new home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, it took nine long months for our relocation to happen. When we DID move, what was I going to find on the other side? Would there be people and experiences to write about? Would I even be able to meet people? Socialization isn’t exactly encouraged activity during a pandemic. And without people, really, the experiences lose a lot of their meaning for me. It’s the people that motivate me.
Finding The Path Forward
What I am finding in our new home is amazing and unexpected. Philadelphia’s Chinatown and Little Saigon are places I love to visit. The home of Pearl S. Buck is just north of the city in Bucks County. She is my literary heroine because her heart for bridging East and West is so like mine. Known as The Woman Who Embraced the World, she managed to do so with far more eloquence and brilliance than I ever will.
And, yes, most importantly, there are people! I have met so many wonderful people and I’m not done yet. Not even close. So as we move into 2022, I’m looking forward to introducing those I’ve met already and those I’ve yet to meet. I want to continue what I started, not close up shop and walk away. Too many have been forced to do that because of this virus. In the middle of the hardship I know I wanted to fold. None of us really know how this is going to play out. We’re all learning to adapt as it does and find the path forward through it. I think it’s safe to say everyone is learning how to Taiwander again in this post-Covid environment, each in their own way. Hang in there, world!