A bunch of rants

So the weather actually cooled down now. It's starting to feel, a little more like winter.

I use the term winter loosely, as well as cool.

Today the temperature is about 18-13, centigrade. Being well in its teens and compared to the global minuses, especially those in Europe, it's bloody warm.



But I am afterall in the sub-tropical area of the world, stuck on this island I call, somehow dubiously, my hometown.

I've always find the idea weird. I wasn't born here, I was born in Germany, Karlsruhe to be exact. Where it snowed almost no fail every winter. I've spent the majority of my childhood years in that country, speaking German like a mother tongue with most and Mandarin Chinese at home with my parents and their Chinese/Taiwanese friends.

It was a nice life.

Then we moved all the way from Europe to my parent's  hometown, Taiwan. Settling in the capitcal city when I was about to turn 8. I was stuck on this island ever since. Not that I don't like it. It just never really felt like I belonged. Elementary was tough as it proved that the German upbringing was alienating. The fact that every alphabet was pronounced different in Taiwan was beyond my imagination, until when I turned 12 I was told it's called English.

Learning in Germany was about being taught how to think. In Taiwan it was more about how to memorize. Tests after tests, grades were placed first and foremost, they spoke for your personality, for your character, they defined who and what you are.

I didn't really enjoy learning until I hit university, and was lucky enough to actually encounter teachers and professors that encouraged thinking for ourselves.

After uni, I went on to find a job like everyone else, just being glad that no more studying was ahead of me, happy that I could finally do something with my life. Employers in Taiwan don't really think like that. They think of employees like purchased goods, they bought your time, and they want a bargain struck with you working as long as possible so that it's money well spend.

I was, so to say lucky, that my position allowed me to come in contact with translation, with using English a lot more often than most people, with the actual inspiration that I could go on studying more...and actually wanted to.

Three years and some odd months shy of another full year, I left that job and applied for a school in the UK. I never considered US schools simply because I didn't like the prospect. I missed Europe. I would have gone to Brussels if I knew how to speak French. But since English was my only fluent enough foreign language (German being rusty for the lack of use of the past decade and some more), I went for the isles outside of the Continetal Europe.

I was lucky, again. The Britz proved to be more of my taste, I was always sarcastic, because I learned to make light of things at an early age in elementary school in Taiwan to avoid being hurt and bullied.

The cool to freezing weather was just to my liking. I was always fastinated by snow and the idea of cozing on the sofa with a book and a hot drink and a blanket. And the week-to-month-long summer was perfectly sunny and breezy. I stayed in the UK for close to 3 years.

I have since considered myself 1/3 German, 1/3 Taiwanese and 1/3 British.

So tonight, when I walked home in my hoodie in the 13 degree chil, all felt well, for once. My visa application is still stumped, I have yet to score another translation job that will bring in more GBP savings for a couple more years in the UK. My fiance is still struggling to get the documents ready so that I may join him soon.

But when I brew myself a cuppa tonight, I will, for a split second, imagine I'm cozying about at home with him in the UK. I'd imagine a kitty lying at the end of the sofa, purring away. Mock the week or top gear re-runs are on the telly, spaghetti bolognese sizzling on the hobs.

And all is well.