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Hi guys,
I decided to make this blog in relations to the saying that's in this blog title.
So, the question is basically, "will going to another country make me happy?" Truth be told when I was in Taiwan a year ago, I was happy because I found a somewhat balanced lifestyle. Going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week (and the food I ate was very light, so I lost my beer belly), going to barcraft events, going to class, going places with friends, drinking less... etc. But this is far from, figuratively speaking, a destination. It was a way of life that I had that I loved.
The place where I live now is in the American Midwest, Oklahoma to be more exact. I don't really like being here (or at least where I am geographically now) because I perceive that there is less to do here (and to some extent, the rest of America) that I enjoy doing with my spare time. I drive everywhere I go, I don't go to the gym, and I also perceive that I don't have the option of eating healthy.
My parents are talking about hooking me up with a job that pays 6 figures a year (in USD) when I graduate, but that would involve me coming back to America for quite some time, and I feel as though it would drive me crazy. Also, why are my parents trying to hand me a career? I tend to think that this means they look down on me. Whether or not I take this opportunity entirely depends on my perception of how it looks, job security thereof, etc.
I use the term "perceive" rather heavily because one's attitude towards a situation is entirely a perception. Maybe if I get this job that my parents want me to take, it will force me to relocate to a place in America that I might like a little better. I can't say that I've ever left the American midwest except for going to Canada once for three days, and being stationed on a U.S. Military installation somewhere abroad as a child.
In reality, what I would rather do is go back to Taiwan and teach English as my main job and maybe do the odd casting job on the side, or even give back to the eSports community in Taiwan, and work towards getting my Taiwanese green card, because this is the only happy healthy lifestyle that I've known. I am not blinded by having this once positive mindset. When I first arrived in Taiwan, I actually hated being there, the university system was actually quite backwards (to the extent that I wanted to leave at one point, and was considering doing so), but after a while I accepted the condition I was in, stayed, and tried to make the best of it. The result was me being happy with what I had.
I am of course, more than welcome to hear your thoughts my fellow members of TL.net.
EDIT: I think my mother's condition is getting better, but doctors informed us that she still needs radiation therapy and hormone suppressants. Breast cancer is, indeed, a nuissance.
EDIT 2: I failed to mention that I am now going to Korea for sure in August. I'm hoping to see a GSL or two while I'm there. 
 
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there is less to do in oklahoma than there is to do in the rest of the USA...The american midwest, is by far, the most boring out of both the east coast and the west coast, and florida lol
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It's your choice. The only thing is that you have to make sure that your long-term happiness potential is there. Travel while you are young but as a former English teacher myself I know the lifestyle and just because it's decent money for glorified babysitting doesn't mean you won't burn out on it. Think of yourself in 5/10 years and see how you would feel about the way each path takes you--it's a lot easier to travel on a 6 figure salary than it is on an English teacher's 2k a month.
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i don't get why you think that you don't have the option to eat healthily in oklahoma. and also why you can work out and stay fit in taiwan but not oklahoma.
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You'd have to be pretty foolish to turn down 6 figures a year straight out of university.
Of course you can eat healthy in Oklahoma, wtf it just doesn't even make any sense that you would think you couldn't haha
Whatever makes you happy is what you should do, but turning down what seems to a ridiculously well paying job to teach English in Korea for shit money and "give back to eSports" might be something you desperately regret in ten years, or when you want to start a family and realize you've made shit money for the first decade of your working life.
You should follow your dreams and do what makes you happy, but again. Be careful. if you initially hated Taiwan but grew to love it, the same can be said of other places in the US. And remember, $$$ can't buy happiness, but it's a damn good start. Honestly if you take this lucrative job offer and just make bank for a couple years, Taiwan will always be there. Just food for thought
Also, in ten years, you might very well have grown tired of esports and teaching English. Do you have a real passion for teaching? I recommend really thinking ahead in your life and making the most out of the opportunities available to you
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On July 02 2013 06:23 ieatkids5 wrote:
i don't get why you think that you don't have the option to eat healthily in oklahoma. and also why you can work out and stay fit in taiwan but not oklahoma. I'm glad you asked that question, really.
In my current living conditions, I tend to spend money on the cheapest food that I can. In this case, the question to be asked is "What can a dollar buy me for lunch?" Here, a microwave burrito. In Taiwan, it will buy you something well-rounded (rice, meat, veggies), but small that you stick in the microwave and 30 seconds later, it's ready to be eaten. When I finished eating in Taiwan, I was always at least slightly hungry. And when travelling from place to place, I walked everywhere I went in Taiwan. Here, I drive everywhere I go. So, that's why I gained ten pounds since coming back to America a year and one week ago.
Sometimes I could get a salad in Taiwan for 60 cents (after converting the price to USD), but when I was at 7-11 the other day, I noticed that the cheapest salad they had was close to 4 dollars.
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Have you considered cooking. It is often much cheaper / just as cheap as fast food, but much healthier because you can control exactly what you're putting in your stomach.
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On July 02 2013 09:37 Enders116 wrote:Show nested quote +On July 02 2013 06:23 ieatkids5 wrote:
i don't get why you think that you don't have the option to eat healthily in oklahoma. and also why you can work out and stay fit in taiwan but not oklahoma. I'm glad you asked that question, really. In my current living conditions, I tend to spend money on the cheapest food that I can. In this case, the question to be asked is "What can a dollar buy me for lunch?" Here, a microwave burrito. In Taiwan, it will buy you something well-rounded (rice, meat, veggies), but small that you stick in the microwave and 30 seconds later, it's ready to be eaten. When I finished eating in Taiwan, I was always at least slightly hungry. And when travelling from place to place, I walked everywhere I went in Taiwan. Here, I drive everywhere I go. So, that's why I gained ten pounds since coming back to America a year and one week ago. Sometimes I could get a salad in Taiwan for 60 cents (after converting the price to USD), but when I was at 7-11 the other day, I noticed that the cheapest salad they had was close to 4 dollars.
you can't really compare the prices directly. stuff may be cheaper in taiwan, but on average, people also make less money. extreme example: i can go to africa and eat healthily for barely any cost. but that's because i have a savings of USD that came from working in the US. a more accurate way to encapsulate the average person's food costs would be to take the typical basket of foods eaten, and compare the cost of that to an average person's salary.
if you want to be slightly hungry after each meal, then just eat less when you're in the US. you don't have to eat it all. save it for later.
you can also cook instead of buying burritos and burgers and salads. it's cheaper and healthier than eating out. my weekly grocery costs, without ever eating out (i tried it for two weeks lol), ended up being around $25 (i live in suburban upstate NY for reference). this is for an average of 3 meals a day, for 7 days, which is 21 meals. foods included white rice, chicken drumsticks and thighs, fresh kale, broccoli, collard greens, bananas, eggs, mixed berries, pork, spinach, mixed veggies, and other miscellaneous items. it's cheap as hell, it's delicious, it's healthy, and it does not take much time to prepare.
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Your parents aren't doing that because they look down on you but because they want what they think is best for you.
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