"Boom! Boom!" I was startled awake by the heavy drums, followed by a sharp "clang!" of the cymbal. Firecrackers popped wildly amidst the rhythmic noise, and to add to the racket, the monk's prayer was recited repeatedly through a megaphone as he paraded down the streets. As strange as it sounds, this is just one of the many early morning Buddhist rituals for the seventh lunar month, also known as the "Ghost Month." Nothing like this exists in America, but ever since moving two years ago, things have been different. Now, I live in Taiwan: just one of the many small southeastern Asian countries that seems nonexistent to the rest of the world. And while to some, living abroad may seem exciting and adventurous, for me it was one of the most difficult experiences in my life. But looking back now, I'm grateful that God brought me here because it has proved to be an experience of a lifetime. …show more content…
While it may not seem like the most exciting place to live, I liked living in an environment where everyone around me believed in the same religion and culture. Simply put, I felt like it was a "safe haven" where I didn't have to worry about interacting with people of different worldviews and cultures. So when my parents announced that we were moving back to Taiwan, I was afraid. I was afraid of being unable to answer people’s questions about my religion, I was afraid of being alienated because I was different, but most of all, I was afraid of being thrown into the unknown and unfamiliar. I didn’t want to leave the comfortable, sheltered life that I had here. But moving to Taiwan broadened my view of the world around me and made me realize that up until this point, I had been virtually blind to other cultures and religions in the