One Year

Even if it may not seem so, I landed in Taiwan exactly a year ago, in a cloudy and humid April afternoon, after a long trip from Europe; with some vague images about this place in my head, but, in reality, with a whole world to discover. How many changes and how many new things I have experienced in one year; positive, most of them. I have met a large bunch of people; with some I have some kind of friendship, not with all, of course; some have already left the island, while others have just arrived; a very reduced number of people have gotten very close, some one much much more. New roads.

Right now, I am looking ahead to the second year. A lot of work to finish, and more to start. With doubts, certainties, knowing what is coming, gettig ready. Excited and not missing too much the land that I left behind —that does not mean that I do not miss them—, and wondering if I should look even beyond that. Maybe it is too early yet.

A year is made of many scenes, little details, big ideas, sad moments, exciting instants, unforgettable memories. I cannot cover it in a few lines. So, I must keep on walking. To be continued...

(Hey Ho) Let's Go

It is a different New Year, but I thought that I could as well use the Chinese New Year to make some change. So, after about nine months and because I was already itching to do it, I put on my shorts this morning, the new sport shoes that I finally brought from Barcelona, and, there we go!, to run for a while, early in a holiday morning.


My early run had two additional goals, that is to explore a route along the river and to test how I was. On the first thing, the path is fairly good, I should have taken my camera. About the second, very good also. I am a little rusted, of course, after so much time without jogging, but I felt much better than I expected. The pace could not be too fast, naturally, but I ran for a little bit over 40 minutes and I was not tired at all. Quite the opposite, and since I felt so good, the itch to do it again is already inside of me. Today was a very cloudy day and slightly cold, but with a very good temperature to run. Besides, the streets were almost empty. I can still feel the exhilaration that filled me at the time.

Now, I only need to make some space for it in my schedule and go jogging more often. It would not do to wait for such a long time again.