Sun Moon: Loss, Growth, Taiwan & Travel

I always end up watching random movies on my many flights. I found this b-grade movie called “Sun Moon”, about a young American girl from a small town who gets left at the altar by her fiancé. Living in a typical small town, she is tired of the whispers and pity. With a young sister in college & an ill mother in the hospital, she decides to randomly move to Taiwan to teach English at the Taiwan Adventist Academy high school. 

And her adventure begins. After a rough start with jet lag, apathetic Taiwanese teens and culture shock, she begins to adjust. She starts  to bond with her students, explores the beauty of underrated Taiwan, and falls in love with her handsome Taiwanese colleague. It’s a surprisingly warm and lovely story. It also shows how kind and warm Taiwanese people are. 

It reminds me also of my own story, moving to Taiwan in 1997, meeting new friends and more importantly meeting a beautiful girl. Led to us getting married, having a brilliant and amazing little girl, building a family. It used to be my main source of joy & happiness at least until the pandemic lockdowns in 2020.  

I’m not particularly religious but count myself spiritual. Or at least I have become more so over the last few years. There was a great quote in the movie. 

“I think God uses everything. The way you love, the way you hurt, your mistakes, your whims. I guess if you are stuck, you have to take a leap of faith.”

If things are bad, you need to make a big move. Take action. Do something, anything. 

The movie reinforced my sense that if you are in a bad situation, sometimes it makes sense to leave your old home and environment. A New environment gives you new perspectives. Some time away from your old place can help you heal. Or to allow yourself to gather strength to recover and then deal with the situation better.  

What I liked about this movie also was how distance can help you rediscover the important thing you are running away from. You can hide but not forever. It always catches up to you. Whether that is love, religion and family. 

“There is a time for everything. To everything there is a season.”