Eugene’s Lifestory: Global Living & Snowboarding
History snapshot – Talk about culture shock
After graduating from the University of British Columbia, I spent two and half years working in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. No culture shock going there because I was born and grew up there for part of my childhood … Everything goes by so quickly in Taipei – there’s literally no time to get culture shocked.
On the other hand, moving back to Canada and living in Vancouver almost three years later was shocking, especially working in the quiet city of Langley. There are farms on my way to work…
Life in Taipei is loaded. Living in Taipei is like putting your favorite burger combo into a blender, mixing them up and drinking it all in one gulp. On the other hand, Vancouver is like eating a nice three-piece meal at a fancy restaurant.
The greatest difficulty I have in readapting to the Vancouver life style is the after-work hours. In Taipei the end of a work day means the start of night life. In Vancouver, it is just…well, the end of the work day. You are supposed to go home, eat dinner, then perhaps go to the gym or watch TV, or think about life in general… Getting used to eating dinner with family again is another culture shock.
Vancouver is the best. Now I am back (and am used to it again,) I don’t intend to leave. Having a healthy lifestyle is actually pretty cool. Slowing down a bit at the end of the day is actually a good thing too. Gives me time to reflect on important issues and spend quality time with people close to me.
Taipei is a really great place too. It is indeed easier to get lost in Taipei, but those who get lost get lost anywhere.
My Taipei experience has taught me many things. Chasing after money and excitement makes your soul pretty empty at the end of the day. And there must be something else that makes you happy other than spending money and going to parties. I learned to balance my life near the end of my stay in Taipei.
Interest snapshot – I fly when I snowboard
Snowboarding is by far my favorite thing to do. Every time I am on the slopes, all my troubles go away. The only thing I think about is how not to fall. Actually, I don’t even think about that… I just let my instinct take over and I probably don’t even think about anything at all. Sometimes it’s good to wipe out all the thoughts in your head.
I picked up snowboarding after I came back to Vancouver. I love Whistler! (This is another reason why I don’t intend to leave this area.) I used to do a little skiing back in high school. But after I went to college, I didn’t have the time and the budget to do it. After I came back to Vancouver from Taipei, I vowed to learn to snowboard. Now I go on average once a week during ski season.
A few weeks ago at a local mountain, the whole place was practically a huge ice rink because it had been very cold and no snow. I fell on a blue run and for about a minute or so I couldn’t stop myself from sliding down the slope. It was fun!
Eugene’s thought on spirituality and life in univeristy 1.2.
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