Curiosity Roving : V1 : Endings Start
in which the protagonist sets the stage and her intentions
Curiosity Roving
The Grand Adventures of Rose Goossen
V.1 : Endings Start
in which the protagonist sets the stage and her intentions
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Greetings and Salutations!
Welcome to the first issue of Curiosity Roving. I thank you kindly for your attention.
Introduction
I have set up this newsletter in response to the people who have expressed an interest in keeping track of me and my mischief as I gallivant around the world. It will be a more-or-less-monthly update which includes thoughts, stories, links to others with whom I've recently been in contact, and a selection of photos, like this one:
full steam ahead
This newsletter will also serve as a surrogate for social media activity. Three years ago, I made a commitment to use social media as a tool for promoting music. That went well. Then I acquired a real smartphone, and ever since, I have been amusedly observing my slide into tech-fuelled dopamine addiction. It was enjoyable while it lasted, but I'm ready to be more structured and intentional about my use of the Internet, and I'm ready to be rid of the impulse to check my phone every time I'm waiting to cross the street.
So! Volume One is a transitionary piece, a setting of the stage that is here, all the better to compare and contrast with the eventual there; a destination that is currently as unknown to the author as it is to the reader. How exciting!
Do you have a minute? If not, I invite you to save this for later. I proofread, and I value the concise, but I have created this newsletter partly as a venue in which I might exploit my penchant for verbosity. In deference to the 21st-century attention span, I'm aiming to keep it to about 1000 words per issue. You're 300 deep right now.
Where Is Here?
I have spent the last five years on the island of Taiwan. I live in the city of Taipei, and I am often surprised by this fact. Prior to settling here, I never imagined that I would choose an environment in which the lowest common denominator is concrete, but Taipei is a special case. This city serves as the cultural and political capital for the island, and it is an urban paradise of convenience, safety, and comparative affluence.
me and my town - photo by Ayushmaan Walia
I live alone. I live in a downtown studio apartment of dubious legal status. My tiny refrigerator has been empty for at least a month, but I just rectified that unfortunate circumstance with a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Enough said.
I work primarily as a private tutor of English language. My students range across the spectrums of age and skill level, and each of them is a precious influence in my life. I also work as a musician, performing with bands and as a solo artist, in bars, restaurants, live houses, and at festivals. And, because Taipei is a hustle mecca, I do odd jobs that tread the borderline between education and entertainment, such as judging contests and making videos.
stage life - photo by Leo Yan
Taiwan is doing a lot of things right. The public transportation systems are comprehensive, affordable, and always on time. The trash and recycling process demands that every resident have awareness of their own waste, and take responsibility for its correct disposal. Taiwanese food is famously delicious, and this is a significant contributing factor to the terminally barren state of my fridge.
Harmony is a core cultural value in Taiwan, as it is in many Asian societies. Confrontation is frowned upon. Safety is the norm. A cafe customer in Taipei can leave a smartphone on the table as a placeholder while visiting the restroom. Street crime is rare, and when it does happen, it's usually a case of mental illness. Taiwan is also the safest place to be queer in Asia. On May 17th, the government made history with the decision to legalize same-sex marriage, and there are more than 200 couples registered to be married this Friday. Whoo-hoo!
my backyard, the gayest part of town
Despite its excellence, Taiwan is marginalized on the world stage due to China's perception of the island as a renegade province which should be reunited with the mainland. There are currently only 17 nations which maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. There are no embassies here, because Taiwan is not recognized as a country. This sticky situation necessitates a diplomatic infrastructure built on crafty euphemisms. I renewed my passport at the "Trade Office of Canada". My klezmer band was once employed by the "Israel Economic and Cultural Office". Olympic athletes from Taiwan compete under the flag of "Chinese Taipei". Political opinions on the island are sharply divided between "pro-China" and "pro-Taiwan", and both groups stage weekly protests in my neighbourhood, complete with flags, slogans, hot tea, and the occasional firecracker.
peaceful protest
I am not a legal resident of Taiwan. I have a three-month visa exemption, and I travel internationally four times each year to maintain it. I do not vote, pay taxes, or have health insurance, neither here nor in the country of my citizenship. I describe my own status as 'outlaw'.
I have achieved a limited but functional fluency in Mandarin Chinese. I rented an apartment and set up a bank account in Chinese. I can make jokes with shopkeepers and taxi drivers. After a couple of drinks, I can flirt. Once, I even read an angry note written by hand and posted in the stairwell by the second-floor tenants of my building. It's a brilliant, beautiful language, and Taiwan is one of only three countries that continue to use the characters in their traditional form.
I was in love here, twice.
Now, I am myself, and it is good.
What Is There?
I often say that geography is destiny. Any time I decide to change location, I understand that I am volunteering for another round of metamorphosis. Having lived through five years of which the above paragraphs are more or less representative, I have surrendered to the call to cast off my moorings and go on another worldly walkabout. I am in the process of redistributing all of my possessions and creating a situation in which I will be light, untethered, and free. This is the second time in my life that I have done this, and that is why I now have the foresight to create a newsletter and bring you all along for the ride.
life's a parade
My intention is to spend the next year or two on adventure through North, South, and Central America. I have a number of friends to visit in that region. I am interested to add some rudimentary Spanish to the jambalaya of languages that bubbles in my brain, and to situate myself in opportunistically close proximity to glorious wonderful sunshine-y music and dancing.
However, this is not a plan, because the plan is to have no plans.
A friend recently told me that it is both cool and scary how I can choose to radically change my life in the blink of an eye. Yes, it is. I recognize that I am enjoying a privilege. I have more freedom than anyone I know, and I will expand on this topic in V.2. For now, let me say that with the recognition of my privilege comes the temptation to make use of it.
That's all for today! Thank you for joining me in this inaugural issue of what I hope will, in time, become something quite nice. Below, I include some related content on the subject of Taiwan.
Until next time, stay curious. -- Rose
Related Content
Nick Kembel writes on Taiwan's destinations: https://www.nickkembel.com/category/taiwan/
He also literally wrote the book on Taiwan from a foreign perspective: https://www.amazon.com/Taiwan-Eyes-Foreigner-Nick-Kembel/dp/9866527239
Xander Synaptic specializes in abandoned theatres: https://synapticism.com/regions/taiwan/
Follow XiaoFei maps the island's natural features: https://followxiaofei.com/
A CNN feature on local gluttony: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/40-taiwan-food/index.html
A lot more about my work on my web HQ: https://www.curiosityroving.com/