All the kids are in school!

It's a big milestone in the Chiang family.  All the kids are officially in school.  

Tori started Cheng Mei Montessori a few weeks ago and has adjusted very well.  The good news about the school is that they provide lunch every day.  The not so good news is that Tori only eats white rice and watermelon.  We're working on expanding her taste buds.  :) While navigating simple things like school forms in all Chinese is difficult, the kids are doing well. 

Lexi and Ellie started at Kuei Shan School (KSS), which is a bilingual Christian school. We're adjusting to life with a lot more homework.  Lexi is feeling the challenge of being behind in Chinese, but we know she'll learn a lot this year, even if it's a bit nerve-wracking. Ellie's curriculum is the same level for Chinese and English so far since they're all just starting to read.  Ellie and Lexi often meet up at recess and enjoy playing at the pond catching tadpoles and fish.  It's still so very hot here. 

A few things I appreciate about Taiwan schools: 

• Learning Chinese: We're here in Taiwan, so this was one of our primary goals.  While Lexi and Ellie go to a bilingual school, one of the questions we asked during info sessions is what language do the kids use on the playground. Tori's in a local Montessori school.  Everyone's Chinese is improving.  
• Uniforms: Had I known that the big girls had uniforms, I would have packed much less clothing.  Although confusingly, they have to wear their sports uniforms on different days.  It still reduces decision fatigue in the mornings
• After school classes: Tori has a STEM, dance, and nature class that comes to the school for additional activities.  You can just sign up and there's space for everyone. There's no waitlist or time everyone has to be on the computer to sign up. 
• Lunch steamers:  KSS has a steamer at school and the kids separate the part of your lunch that needs to stay heated for lunch. Great way to have a hot lunch every day. 

A few things that I miss about schools in SF: 

• Parent community:  It's difficult to meet parents at the school and definitely not a priority.  We had to ask around to find out if there's a Line Group (similar to WhatsApp) and was added randomly.  Tori's school doesn't have any means of knowing names of students or parents in her school.  I heard play dates aren't really a thing here. 
• School communication: Possible that it's due to being early in the school year, but we get school communications last minute. For example, you get your school supply list on Friday and have to bring everything on Monday.  We might get a notice at 6pm that they need to wear a different uniform to school for the next day. 
• Paper:  I might have said this before, but in general, I appreciate that everything in SF is digital (tuition payment, notices, forms, etc). There's just a lot more paper here. 

Warren and I are newly into our next season. We're now exploring places for lunch dates along volunteer/ consulting projects while the kids are at school.  

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Obon in Japan

August 9 - 17

Unbeknownst to us, we planned our vacation to Japan (Osaka, Tokyo) during Obon, a national holiday, and arguably the busiest time of the year with kids.  There were lots of crowds and lots of heat, but we all still had a great time.  

Kids enjoyed seeing animals at Nara Park, Osaka Aquarium, and a hedgehog cafe. 

Tokyo was quite full with Disney Sea, Sanrio Puroland, and this amazing art exhibit at teamLab Planets.  Also, we found a Louie’s pizza shop at Disney, so lovely to have his namesake in a “family” photo. 

The best part of our experience is the “kids meals” are udon, ramen, and karaage, so the girls ate well.  They also loved buying stuffies, buying art supplies that look like stuffies, and going on rides from their favorite stuffies… clearly a theme. 

The worst parts were that there’s no such thing as take-out in Tokyo (eating with toddlers at restaurants is no fun), the crowds, and a complex subway system for the illiterate. We feel like we only explored 5% of the cities, so looking forward to going again sometime this year.  

Getting geared up for Tori’s first day of preschool and the big girls starting at the end of the month. 

Family Gap Year

I realized we started with the what of Taiwan, but hadn't shared the why.  

So why are we doing a family gap year (aka #familyadventureyear)? 

Since I graduated or even while I was in college, I've always had an interest in living abroad.  There were a few opportunities that didn't shake out over the last 20+ years, but W&I added it as a 10-year goal in our "life plan" back in 2019.  As part of our small group, we work on annual life plans where we write down short-term and long-term goals: professional, spiritual, health, family, financial, legacy, etc.  As Warren and I entered simultaneous career transition moments, the idea of moving abroad came back. I had honestly forgotten that it was even in the goal sheet until after we made the decision.  Timing was a little bit before we were ready (Tori is on the young side), but decided to take the leap! 

Why Taiwan?

Originally, we were open to anywhere in the world without thinking through any of the logistics...anywhere from Malawi to Denmark. But in the end, we wanted to make sure the kids would have a "smooth-ish" experience and look forward to coming back to life in San Francisco.  Lexi and Ellie go to a Mandarin-immersion school, so we needed to maintain their language while we were abroad if we want them to return next year.  That eventually narrowed it down to a few options.  As we researched a few places (Taiwan, Singapore), it became clear that Taiwan was a good fit - Warren has family out here, the country had a visa process that made it possible to stay longer term, and the kids would get to attend a bi-lingual school here. 

What do we hope to do/learn/experience? 

We hope our family expands our worldview to understand more about life outside of SF.  It's a good challenge to shake up the routine and start fresh.  Ideally, Warren and I would like to find part-time work or volunteer opportunities to get to know the culture more deeply.  

One of the tips we heard from another family who lived abroad was involving the kids on decisions when we could.  So as part of our adventure year, each family member gets to "choose a place" to visit.  Lexi and Ellie continue to lobby for Disney Cruise, but we keep reminding them that it's not exactly a place to visit. :)  

• Warren said Taiwan was his pick.  
• I've always wanted to visit Kyoto and see the cherry blossoms.  
• Lexi wants to visit China (or go to Paris for the Olympics). 
• Ellie also she wants to see the cherry blossoms (and sometimes she throws in the curve ball of Australia).  
• We're not sure on Tori's pick yet, but excited for our adventure to come. 

Braving the rain ahead of Typhoon Gaemi

Starting out: Highlights and Lowlights

We‘ve been in Taipei for a little over 2 weeks now. We‘re settling in much faster than I expected.  Sharing a few family highlights and lowlights. 

Highlights: 

• Food - It goes without saying that the food is here is delicious, inexpensive, and everywhere.  We start most mornings trying out all the neighborhood eats.  W is a different kind of person here, who is constantly looking for the next best thing to try.  

Poi Poi joining for Ice cream Friday, which now Dessert Friday.  (It's really like dessert every day!)

• Shopping - This is really Lexi‘s highlight since none of the rest of us enjoy the shopping, but  since it’s so hot, the malls here are a respite for the heat.  Ellie loves the plethora of Summiko Gurashi characters everywhere.  Her favorite is Cinnamonroll. 
• MRT - Tori loves taking the MRT and swiping the card. Our place is only a few mins from the MRT and public transportation is awesome here.  I don't miss having a car, but I do miss having a bike.

Tori loving the MRT

• Swimming - when it's hot outside, swimming is delightful.  We go every other day.  For anyone who wants to visit us, this apartment complex has a pool!  
• Friends & Family - meeting up with friends local and those visiting have helped us with settling in and welcoming us to our new city.  My mom (Poi Poi) joined the adventure to Taiwan and has been getting to spend time with the girls almost every day.  

Hanging with the Lau's at the Night Market

Deb & Patrick sharing all their lessons learned after 6 years in Taipei 

Lowlights:

1. It’s hot - as expected, it’s very hot.  This means taking note of when you leave the home and walking distances. It also means a family with eczema gets flared up, itchy, and stingy. 
2. Bugs - related to eczema/skin, we are not accustomed to bug bites in SF.  Lots and lots of bites.  
3. Paper - there’s way less digital workflows here than I expected and things require cash and paper to process.  It will take us 4 visits to the National Immigration Center to complete everything for various reasons. 
4. Starting over makes you slower - Trying to figure out how to do life here makes you feel inefficient and out of place. For example, we miss Amazon Prime…haha.  A few friends are teaching us the local alternatives. 

Overall, our adventure year is starting out with a good amount of discomfort to stretch us into something new and also plenty of things that have been easier than expected.   

#FamilyAdventureYear

Dusting off our blogging skills. More pictures. Less time to write. Excited to peregrinate as a family although it’s decidedly much more work. 

Arrival in Taipei on July 4. 

12 hour flight: Lexi watched Barbie and Shrek 2. Ellie watched Happy Feet and Princess and the Frog. Tori watched Shrek and Trolls. W watched Interstellar, Kingsmen, and Almost Famous. Mel watched 10 mins of Oppenheimer before being forced to watch w/ Tortor. 

Waking up at 3:00 AM and headed to 7-Eleven

 

Love Undiminished by Adversity

Dear Louie,

10 years... I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since you’ve been gone. As I’ve been thinking about this milestone, it led me to reflect about the early days after your death. During that first year, I got a Celtic motherhood knot memorial tattoo for you. And I still appreciate its permanence. After getting that tattoo for you, I went back a few months later and got one for me. I chose a dogwood mandala because the meaning of this flower/tree is “love undiminished by adversity”. 

When I chose the dogwood at the time, it was more a hope in the future versus what I expected. It was a choice and not a feeling. It was a promise to try, not confidence that it would be true. And the adversity to come was unknown at the time and there was indeed more: I would have an early miscarriage after your death, your grandmother would pass away too soon from cancer, and there would (and will) be many types of losses and adversity to come. 

Lexi with Nai Nai - Dec 2015

What I want to tell you is that you, my little/big lobster, have helped me to learn that love is bigger than death. That somehow love can expand in the depths of sorrow and in the chamber of exquisite sadness. That love can rebuild from the shattered pieces of a broken heart.  And that love (and life) can indeed be undiminished by adversity. 

Louie, we are going on a big family adventure this year.  This summer, we’re moving to Taiwan to experience life on the other side of the world – outside of our well-established family rhythm.  There’s excitement, there’s trepidation, there’s… hot weather, where we do NOT thrive.  But I’m not afraid to take a risk. I’m not afraid of a non-linear life. I’m not afraid to hope for memories that stretch our imagination. 

Oh how I wish you were here to go on our family adventure - to choose a place to visit - to laugh, to complain, to live. I hope you know how much you are missed.  And while I ache for you, I also hold gratitude that you’ve taught me just how big love can be.

Happy 10th birthday in the sky. Your sisters are planning to draw a birthday card, pick out flowers for your grave, and eat some cake in honor of you. We love you and miss you always. 

Mom

Wave of Light - 2023

 Dear friends and family, 

It’s that time of year again. The Wave of Light is a tradition for our family to remember Louie and other little ones who are no longer with us. October 15 is infant & pregnancy loss remembrance day and observed through the international wave of light. We invite you to light a candle tomorrow (or send "light" thoughts/prayers) from 7pm-8pm in your local time zone. 

This has been a summer of transition for us - the biggest changes since Louie passed away.  We moved out of our SF home after 12 years - the only one our children have known, the only one that we shared with Louie.  And while our home now is only a few blocks away, it feels like we’ve entered a new chapter. 

We also took our first international trip as a family during a 6-week sabbatical that I was able to take this year. I was able to access a part of myself that felt like the “pre-grief” version.  The part that still likes to experience different cultures and wander the world.  The part that wants to change up routines.  The part that started a blog about a peregrination.   

On many days, I have felt like we were moving too far away from our son - both in time and space.  But I also deeply understand that the only way that time stands still is with death.  So I have come to embrace that it keeps going when life continues.  

I know that I’m still growing and changing. I also know that Louie doesn’t get to grow with me and he’s still always missing from our family photo.  Until then, we will look for Louie along the horizon and bring our love for him to our new home and to every place we visit.   

In the broader context of all the tragedies occurring around the world, I hope we can take a moment during the Wave of Light to appreciate the loved ones that are here with us and light a candle to remember those who are not.  After all, we don’t get to choose who gets to keep moving through time.  

Sending you all love and peace, 

M