some trivial thoughts

When I opened the calendar, I realized that the time has entered December 2021, which means that I have been in Taiwan for more than a year. When I left, I still hoped that the epidemic could be brought under control, and I could fly back to Hong Kong to visit relatives and friends soon, but I didn’t leave for a day after I came. The epidemic not only failed to be brought under control, but also caught Taiwan by surprise in the spring. Compared with the panic of friends around me, I have experienced several waves of epidemics in Hong Kong. Go for a run, and slowly begin to accept that I am afraid that we can only coexist with the virus in this life.

My biggest progress this year is that I finally don’t need to translate Cantonese in my mind beforehand, and I can smoothly and directly speak many food words unique to Taiwanese Mandarin, such as: cheese, yogurt, pen tube noodles.... ..I finally distinguish between A dish and mainland girls, and I learned to accept that there are no beet hearts in Taiwanese markets, and there is no powder ge to make my favorite damp-removing soup. Finally, I finally slowly matched the names of seafood often eaten in Hong Kong with the names in Taiwan. Every day They all try their best to use local ingredients to cook out the taste of Hong Kong at the table.

When I first came to Taiwan, I crossed the zebra crossing with no signal lights downstairs. I couldn't help but look to the right. Fortunately, drivers in Taiwan are used to slowing down before the zebra crossing, and I didn't cause a car accident because of my fault. So I had to spend extra time standing up before crossing the road, and figured out which side I should look to before I took a step. After I got used to it, I started to worry again. When I go back to Hong Kong in the future, if I cross the road and look to the left, the irritable and crazy drivers in Hong Kong will definitely scold me with the worst swear words. (Hong Kong car dealerships are on the left, opposite to Taiwan)

I think I am someone who has worked hard to integrate into the local life, but I have a habit that I haven't changed yet. When I see any price in Taiwan dollars, I still can't help dividing it by 4 and converting it into approximately Hong Kong dollars. Only in my heart will I have a feeling for the price. So when I saw the news mentioning NT$20,000 that day, I also converted it into Hong Kong dollars for the first time, and then rudely said in Cantonese: "X, get a 5,000 mosquito Hong Kong paper!!!" I also I really admire the person who made the bid. How can you think that this price can buy a person's soul? The soul of a person is not a handful of vegetables in the street market, which can be weighed and priced, nor is it gasoline at a gas station, which can be charged per liter. How did you measure the 20,000 Taiwan dollars? Besides, there are so many interesting and stubborn souls in Taiwan, which are absolutely priceless and refuse to sell. I can only say that summer insects are indescribable.

I can’t change the time I pay attention to Hong Kong news every day, but I have also developed the habit of reading only the headlines and not the content. Anyway, I can’t change anything. This can only be regarded as a habit that I don’t want to forget about Hong Kong. There is no hope, but I have always encouraged myself to fight for a long life and believe that there are some things that no one can take away, and I will see you again!

Taiwan has gradually come out of the strict control of the epidemic, and finally can live a more relaxed life. I also began to run up the mountain frequently. In order to rush back to the city in the afternoon to pick up the children from school, I have to walk faster every time. Sometimes I even run down the mountain. Yes, it's really tiring, but every time I go to the top of the mountain, seeing the breathtaking scenery makes me say it's worth it. I went to Baimao Mountain in Guguan Qixiong last week. For many mountain friends, this mountain is not difficult. When I started, I was not in good shape. It was very hard to walk up the mountain. Shit, for the first time in my life, I actually had the idea of giving up on reaching the top, but in the end I managed to reach the top of the mountain in one breath. The scenery I saw after the hardships was extremely shocking, and it was a kind of incisive joy from hell to heaven. After walking through several mountains over 1,500 meters high, I think the mountains in Taiwan taught me the most important principle: as long as one has a breath, one must never give up. No matter how hard the road is, one day will come to an end, and after that, the sky is high and the sea is wide.

In the end, this year's Golden Horse Awards made me cry. Although I was a little angry that the male lead was not awarded to Qiu Ze, who was serious in acting, the three awards given to Hong Kong were definitely the best gifts I had given to Taiwan for the whole year. Many times, when I reached the triangle point, I wanted to stand on the top of the mountain and shout those eight words out loud against the wind, but I was afraid that the quiet Taiwanese mountain friends would dislike me, so I could only shout in my heart. Thanks to the free and unrestrained Taiwan, I have a place to put my soul that yearns for freedom.