our first week

It takes me a moment to even realize what day it is. All of the days now blur together. But as the first week comes to a close, it's hard to believe that it really hasn't been longer than just one week since Rick & I got on a plane in Seattle bound for Taipei.

Our arrival was quite low key. The early morning drive from Taoyuan International Airport to our new domicile situated north of Taipei in a quaint area called Danshui. To tell my colleagues where we've decided to live is quite entertaining. Most drop their jaws in disbelief that we have consciously decided to live so far away from my office located in Taoyuan. The journey each way surpassing 90 minutes, as I quickly learn maneuver the local metro system (MRT) and transfer to a shuttle bus which takes me the rest of the way to my job each day.

But, what we get to see every morning when we wake up is incomparable to the sacrifice of time commuting. In an island nation of concrete buildings and busy streets rumbling with buses, cars, scooters and more scooters, Danshui is paradise with views of the river, surrounded by mountainous greenery. The convenience of the MRT across the street is complemented by the local fresh produce market just a few blocks down. In many ways, this is the beginning of a much simpler life for us.

Having left behind a townhome, a cabin, two cars which we sold and then moved everything into a storage unit, living in Taiwan is giving us the opportunity to really focus on what's most important instead of the accumulation of material things -- which in the end has felt like an albatross on our shoulders.

Rick is quickly adapting. In some ways, I envy his opportunity to redefine the rest of his life. He's leaving behind his physical therapy career to embark on a new career path in the PGA instructor program. The beauty of Danshui is the easy accessibility to several beautiful golf courses on the island. He has already made friends through the International Golf Society of Taipei and through his wandering around town, has come across new, interesting people. So much so, that his social calendar is filling up quickly!

I, on the other hand, have been busy at the office. A typical day for me is heading to the MRT before 8 am, transferring to the bus to Taoyuan around 8:45 and then arriving to work just before 10 am, depending on traffic. The days are filled with meetings and then the day ends with the shuttle back to Taipei leaving at 7:15 pm, after transferring back to the MRT, I arrive home just before 9 pm. On some days, I get to take more calls with colleagues in the US and EMEA, so the days and hours seem to meld together. It's been a long time since I have anxiously await the weekend, but I can quickly see how cherish my time on Saturdays and Sundays will be.

Of course, no rest yet and I've got a busy travel schedule back to the US & Europe coming in the next few weeks. Ironically I will probably traverse the whole globe before our personal effects arrive in the Taiwan port on a cargo ship.

So this is my attempt at beginning to tell our story of our lives abroad. I'll try to take advantage of my down time to provide updates as the weeks stretch into months and we evolve from being the new kids in town to feeling like a local. Now...if I can just get my Mandarin lessons scheduled.