Over the summer my family left Taiwan and moved to Arizona. Besides missing my friends there I also already miss the best Bubble tea, Xialongbao (soup dumplings), Beef noodle soup and so much more. There are beautiful hiking trails throughout Taiwan and lots of Night Markets to visit. It is just a lovely place to call home. We all enjoyed our 3 years there!
I’ve found it to be an adjustment going from a city with very high humidity and a lush green landscape to the desert where it is dry and not so green. About 20 years ago, my husband and I did live in Tucson for about a year, but a lot has changed since then. I remember stepping off the plane for the first time 20+ years ago and just loved seeing a Sahuaro Cactus for the first time! Everything was different and new. I also loved the heat back then. Now, the heat is just a bit too much for me. I still see all the beauty here but I am really enjoying and appreciating cooler winter weather.
The mountains in Tucson are beautiful and I do love the colorful sunsets. The sky lights up in vivid oranges, pinks and purples. One of the other things I’m enjoying about Tucson is all the wildlife. I lived in Phoenix quite a few years and I’d see a coyote once in awhile but usually I didn’t see a whole lot of wildlife there. I am loving seeing the roadrunners all over the place. While they are my favorite, I’ve also seen owls, lizards, coyote, hummingbirds and butterflies everywhere I look.
Another nice thing about being back in the U.S. is that we are so much closer to family now. It will be nice being able to see everyone more often. I am still getting used the convenience of being able to find whatever type of food I want when I am shopping. It’s something I took for granted before, but to be able to go into most stores and get whatever ingredient I need for a recipe or whatever snack someone in my family may be craving is a nice thing.
I’m sure I’ll continue to miss parts of Taiwan but I am looking forward to exploring the southwest. I’ve already collected quite a few photos of roadrunners and I’m sure that collection will continue to grow.
