Going to see a doctor or dentist can be a nerve-wracking experience under any circumstances. Move to a new country, where you’re unfamiliar with the environment and the local language, and anxieties are amplified. Personally, hospital visits of any kind have always made my stomach churn and, when I first moved overseas, it was something I earnestly prayed that, as a relatively fit and healthy young person, I would be able to avoid as much as possible. 

What are the most beautiful, interesting, quirky sights you've seen where you live? During the month of November, we invited our teachers to participate in a photo challenge to share their favourite things about teaching in Taiwan. They were asked to share a photo and complete the prompt "The best thing about teaching in Taiwan is..." 

Earlier this year, we welcomed new teacher Gillian Wall to visit us in Taiwan. In this post, Gillian shares about her personal experience living and travelling abroad, comparing her experience and impressions of different places in Asia. 

Ten years later, I haven’t forgotten the packing drama of the first time I moved abroad. The night before my flight, I was up late, clothes, books, and other miscellaneous items strewn across the floor, debating what to bring and what to leave behind. My destination felt so far, a year felt so long, and two suitcases felt like so little. Item by item, I made cuts, trying to guess what I could and could not live without. My suitcases, brand new and ready for my first international flight, were packed to the max with things that I later found out I really didn’t need to bring.