Transitions and Resettled: Acclimating to the States

Time flies, it has already been a few months back home. Zen settled right in, surprisingly faster than I had foreseen. Our plane landed on the first day of school (on a Friday), but it took the whole next week before she could go to class. It was paperwork, having to register her when my local Driver's license wasn't considered ID and just waiting.

She started late, didn't miss anything, is doing well academically and made some good friends right away. Her homework is minimal in comparison to Taiwan, she joined band and is playing her flute every day. Now she is starting fencing which I hope she will enjoy as much as she thinks she will.

As for myself, finding a job was time-consuming. Writing and rewriting applications and cover letters, it took a month before I had any bites. It was unsettling, being unemployed, like floating in the abyss. Would I teach or not? Should I apply for teaching jobs? I did-reluctantly. Should I try something new?






The Universe wanted me to take a breather after working full time as a single mom in a foreign country for so long, perhaps some part of my soul was tired.  So, of course, I wanted the stability (and paycheck) from working, but I enjoyed the rest as well. Fortunately, a new gym opened up and I joined, going every day was grounding. Taking yoga and spin classes helped me settle into a routine. I also started swimming again.

Date night with myself, Devandra Banhart at the Boulder Theater

At month two, I was hired, but since HQ is in Delhi and the formation of my group in Denver is like a "start-up" all of us new hires began a month later after that. I myself started a week later than them because my international background check took so long. Let's just say working for a multinational IT company based in India, has been interesting. My management is flexible about how we work our hours, we worked from home or left early when the snowstorms come, and we have s decent gym and I'm addicted to rowing.  I have health insurance which was a major worry when I left Taiwan.

Not that health insurance is anything to esteem here. It's free for all CO children at least. My coworkers all agreed that our plan is very good (United Health), but to me, it's contemptible (and still I'm one of the fortunate ones). For the rest of 2019, I chose the plan with a $5000 deductible (less money out of my paycheck.) For 2020 I chose the "Gold Plan" which I think is 85 x 2 USD a month I'm paid bi-monthly). Going to see my primary health care physician is $40 not including meds, an acupuncturist or chiropractor (which I  desperately need) is considered a "specialty" (so are mental health visits) and those are $60. Even seeing an "Urgent Care" clinic if we fell really ill costs $60. The health care system here is so complicated, with deductions, co-payments, premiums, blah, bla, just so needlessly expensive and inefficient. It's shameful. I'm still not 100% confident I quite understand how this is all going to work. I'll call my chiropractor tomorrow.

Getting used to the snow is another aspect to acclimating, and before that was the altitude. The first few times it snowed in early October, I was giddy, it was so pretty and exciting. My childlike glee was abruptly over when I had to scrape ice off my windows the following morning and wait for my car to heat off, shivering in the driver's seat, waiting for the windows to defrost. We have gone sledding with the kiddos, and I've been too strapped for cash to hit the resorts. I plan on being able to make a trip or two to the high country in 2020 before the season ends.

One of the biggest differences, of course, is being around so many white people. They're so tall and everywhere. My nephew goes to preschool in Highlands Ranch, my sister in law is Korean, and in his class picture, he is not just the only Asian, but the only minority as well as the only brunette. Highlands Ranch is in Douglas County, famous for its white males with the national longest lifespan. Recently, before we moved back there was a school shooting at the STEM Highschool, which is creepy every time I pass it. It's all just so alien.

Another major culture shock for us is living with our extended family. We live with my folks and my brother Ed. My other brothers and their family live within a mile radius and their kids are over 3-4x a week, sometimes more. So the house can be boisterous (like when I was growing up) and now we have a teen in the house. I have to listen to parenting advice from my mom on occasion, I help with the dishes, sometimes cook, sometimes babysit. My mom works hard feeding the little ones, taking them to school, my Dad is just as involved.

Our family set up is very Asian. It's fab for my daughter to be with her grandparents, uncles and aunts. She is still not sold on the concept of shepherding her younger cousins though.

The universe is gracious and we found a nearby Taiwanese restaurant whose owners adore speaking with my kid. They give us the Chinese menu and our bill has a lot of freebies. Sometimes, beef noodle soup with whole bokchoy is just the comfort food we crave on a cold winter day.

Halloween, came and went, then Thanksgiving. It was the first time my kid went trick or treating and she came back with a 6 lb bag of candy. Thanksgiving dinner was canceled this year. My mom, my daughter, one of my nephews were really sick. That was kind of a bummer, but if we waited for 11 years, we could wait for one more. So that means that expectations are for Christmas. It is building up to something sublime and meaningful. It will be our first Christmas with family, and in the States in 11 years. There's nothing like a Colorado Christmas, or so I imagine, it's been that long. Regardless, moving back home at the end of summer was perfect timing to see the aspens turn to gold and partake in the best holidays of the year.