A New Year

As the year draws to a close, I reflect on my many adventures. This year I moved from Boston to live in Macau. From here I have been able to see Hong Kong, China (a bit), Taipei, Borneo, and Singapore. I have crossed cultures, dealt with culture shock, and expanded my mind in ways I never imagined possible. Being away from everything familiar has allowed lots of time for self reflection. I have seen the person I am and could be.

Tonight I was reading my journal. I wondered about what I was thinking almost a year ago. Surprisingly some of the same thoughts were in my mind then, but they have transformed. I am not fighting with myself in this uncontrollable rebellion. Now I am faced with the possibility that I am not the same person, yet instead a better version of me. Macau is a strange place. I am living somewhere that doesn't seem real. Everything is so easy and I don't worry about anything, expect the occasion break-in. Still I cannot say I would stay for too long. I think one day I will wake up and decide to leave. I will realize my time here is done and then move to another destination in this life-long journey. I am in a place where I can dream, safely and freely dream of endless possibilities. The is only thing I have to do is have faith to believe there is more to all of this and a purpose for everything.

I don't regret mistakes I have made or the decision to move here. Only because then I would not be in this place where I found a deeper part of me and a stronger faith. It seems that I am becoming equip to handle what comes next, and that fills me with excitement and joy.

So cheers to the New Year. May it be more that you could have ever thought or imagined!

My Macanese/Chinese Christmas

As Christmas approaches, I realize how much I miss my family and friends. I hope and pray not to be too sad this Christmas by being in a foreign country away from the people closest to me. Though I have to say I am at a loss. I have no idea how to spend my Christmas. It's not cold here, I don't see the Salvation Army people ringing their bell, and there are no real Christmas trees. It doesn't seem like the Christmas I know and love. My favorite holiday has lost it's magic. I even have to work on Christmas because our company does not recognize it as a holiday, therefore

no double pay. Ignoring Christmas feels so wrong. So this is what's going to happen. I am going to suck it up, pull through, and have a damn good Christmas (pardon my language). I will do my best have a good time. So it looks like I am going to have to improvise...

Merry Christmas!

Borneo

It's been a long time since my last entry. I will do my best to pick up where I left off. On my most recent trip, I ventured further out. It was a perfect getaway that left me wanting more.

The only reason I knew about Borneo was because of a friend I met in Guangzhou, China. He was so excited about this place he had been and he even had the pictures to show. I was convinced then even though it look me a long time after to buy my ticket. Now some more of my money is gone and I have beautiful memories instead.

Borneo is the 3rd largest island in the world behind Greenland and Australia. It consists of 3 countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. I went to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah which is in Malaysia. For those who know more about Borneo then me, I already know that it's not even close to the nice area of Sabah. Still, I was not disappointed in surroundings. My time was short so I made the most out of where I was. I went diving for the first time in my life and also laid on the beach and stared out at the ocean. I think I always knew I was a coastal person, but visiting Borneo has confirmed this fact for me and left me with no doubt. I made goals for myself while I was there which were not all entirely met, but I did successfully watch a sunset which is hard to do in Macau.