wha, wha, what??? 10 years!!!

Could it really have been 10 years already since I first set foot here in Taiwan? How come it still feels like it was only a year ago?

Lately I have been going through my old negatives - which is way too much... unorganized... and everywhere.... am trying to get them all organized, getting modern and high tech by converting/burning them into CDs.... loooong ordeal and costly but am happy am getting to do this... as am able to see so much old photos -- seeing places I have been... things I have done... and of course, the best part of all, people I have met over the years.... old and new friends... forever friends....

One of my latest find is one of the negatives from my first visit to Taipei back in 1998... have not moved yet... it would be a year later when I made that move but you can say it was a precursor to what was already brewing... My sister, who was still FAT then (hahahaha!) and my Aunt (Tita Mita) joined me visiting David for a few days....

With David as our tour guide -- we were able to see soooo much.... we walked everywhere... much to my sister's dismay as she is more used to being driven around... shopped a lot (both my sis and aunt must have gone back with a suitcase full of clothing, fabrics, and of course, true to their form - JEWELRY - Phillipe Charroil & Jades)... and ate a lot... and as an added bonus, when DAVID took me to the place where they film lots of TV Soap Dramas, we ran into one that was being shot and I got to even take my photo with the main star, a famous actress/model whose name escapes me now... she was gracious when I asked her -- in ENGLISH of course, as I did not know a word of Chinese then except for XIEXIE (Thank You)... Of course 10 years later my comprehension and extent of Chinese command has grown... now I can also say BUKEQI (Your Welcome)... hahahahaha....



Taiwan has been good to me... and living with David all these years had its own share of ups and downs... but for the most part we have been happy and blessed... and meeting his family who welcomed me as if I was one of them from the very beginning is just really touching.... not forgetting to mention all the friendships I have made here through the years... might not be much - but they are all REAL!

Yes, I miss my friends and family (both in the USA and Philippines) while living here all these years... but I can honestly say that, I feel, time flew by sooo fast with all that I got to do... accomplish... see...., and experience living here..... and that even given the chance to think things over, I would have done exactly the same and make the move here...

all these photos even made me remember something a dear friend, Richard Yep, said to me during my first months living here: "Rudi, you are one of the few people I know who has the GUTS to move to a totally different country - not even knowing the language..." I took it as a very NICE COMPLIMENT and it made me feel then, what I am still feeling now when I think back to his words - PRIDE!

Proud that am able to manage through, no matter what I do, or where I go... Proud that am able to stand for the decisions I make in life... make the most of them... and just live life....