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COMPASS MAGAZINE, July 2002.

Translated by Cheryl Robbins One evening, I couldn't resist the temptation to browse through a bookstore. While there, I came across the works of a German poet. Although I had a stack of books at home that I hadn't read yet, I couldn't resist buying it. I began to imagine travel in the Alps and then enjoying myself "roughing it" in a rural town. I realized that I was longing for a break from my daily routine, so I packed my bags for what would prove to be a 25-day adventure.

I love the feeling of discovery that comes with traveling. For example, the cold weather and snow of Toronto are completely different from the subtropical climate of Taiwan. I also experienced the passion of Cuban dance and rhythms in Miami. In the Bahamas, I saw children singing for money on the street and couples pledge their love to each other on romantic beaches.

There was also the time I tried to drive to Key West, but got lost and instead ended up enjoying a 30-minute shopping spree on Worth Street in Palm Beach. One of my favorite memories was taking a ride in a small airplane piloted by a friend I had not seen in years. I finished up this trip with a visit to Victoria City in Canada, a place I have been to many times but still love seeing.

Traveling alone doesn't necessarily have to be lonely. When I was in the Vancouver airport waiting for my flight to Toronto, I saw a young Chinese man who was walking back and forth looking very anxious. I helped him to get to his gate and learned that he was from Shantung Province in China and had come to Canada to study. I also met an older woman who had lived in Canada for more than 30 years but still couldn't speak English. She kept telling me about all of her granddaughter's accomplishments. I answered back by saying, "Then all of the effort you made to immigrate here was worth it." She smiled at me and, although we were strangers, there didn't seem to be much distance between us at that moment.

Dark skin is not considered beautiful in Taiwan but, as I completed my trip, I felt that my tan was one of my best souvenirs. For some people, traveling makes them feel alive. For example, I have a colleague who cried when she saw the natural beauty of Yunnan in China.

Traveling allows me to know another side of myself. And, when surrounded by sunlight, beaches and nature, I truly enjoy life.