The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken ~ Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Ray and I are starting to settle into some sort of a routine here in Taipei. Ray going to work, and me sleeping in, having breakfast and chatting with Vicky (Meizi) the waitress, and then e-mailing (preparing applications, my professional portfolio) while the cleaning ladies do their whirlwind 10 minute cleaning thing (it's amazing how quickly they do everything including the bathtub, dishes, changing bedsheets, pillowcases, and duvet cover, mopping, dusting). In the evening Ray and I visit various real estate agents and check out apartments and then enjoy a really big meal.

The biggest headache has been apartment hunting though. It's like Robert Frost's poem, many of the options seem to be really good. How do you know which way to go? Do you take the option that most people take, or do you choose the one less traveled? Most people in Ray's office and whom we've met so far, live a little further away from the city (the Burbs), but still relatively close to Taipei. They live in Taipei county, which is cheaper and by scooter or MRT (subway) would take maybe 20-30 min. to get to work. We're looking at an area called Daan which is like the Yonge and Eglinton of Taipei. Very nice neighbourhood, with parks, close to the MRT, trendy AND also local eats but definitely a desireable area to live. It's more expensive. So we are faced with the question, do we want to live closer in a REALLY good area for about $200-300 CAD more per month or do we live just a teeny bit farther but for cheaper. Plus there's the fact that many people keep saying you can get a place for cheaper....WE KNOW....but it's farther right?!

Sigh....decisions decisions.

I was reading Acts today. I wonder how Paul, Silas and Barnabas decided where to go next. In one instance, Paul and Silas was about to stop here, and there, and then didn't because the Spirit would not allow them to go there. Finally in a dream, Paul dreamt about a Macedonian begging for help, and so they decided to go to Macedonia. Maybe that's what we need. A vision of some sort to let us know where to live. Well...for now no road blocks so not really sure what to do.

Please pray for us, it seems like a small decision, but in some way we feel like we're building our home here for the next couple of years and we hope that the road we decide to take will be pleasing to God, because that "makes all the difference".