If you had a chance to live abroad, would you go? I would. Living in Taiwan is so difficult. The job is boring, the salary is low. And the speech contest is so hard to win…. And I am going to seek a better life and make more money in a foreign country. New York, Paris and London, I am coming. And I will fall in love with someone with blond hair and blue eyes. Yes, that is my hope thousands of miles away.

To accomplish my dream, my first try was to be a flight attendant. Coffee, tea or me? There are only 3 simple conditions required… excellent English, pretty face and tall enough. Do you know which one I failed? Overweight. And my second try was to work in the hotel. I could meet handsome guys from all over the world, but the truth was… they all came from “Mainland China”.

Last year, I had my third try. I changed my job from an office lady to a “policewoman.” I serve in the special operations of the immigration agency. We are in charge of managing all foreigners in Taiwan. Good looking and behaved ones you can stay, but if you do something bad …foreigners… I will send you back to your country.

My first secret mission was to catch 5 illegal foreign workers in a factory in 嘉義.. Can you imagine how excited I was? We were divided into 3 groups, Group one was keeping guard over the main entrance, group two, was standing by in the back yard, group three, I was in group 3, was waiting for the best opportunity to burst into the door.

Immigration agency! Get down at the corner. Angel, come to handcuff them… “No!! I am more scared than the foreign workers.” All right…When I was going to handcuff a lady and she started crying. “Don’t send me back, please don’t send me back.” She knelt down and begged me. I didn’t know what to do. I had to go out before I shed tears.”

Her name was Lisa, a lady in my age, from Vietnam. She came to Taiwan for better salaries. I asked her. “What do you do for your boss?” “I work in the factory; I also take care of his mom, clean the house and do the laundry. I work 16 hours a day. Now, I am really exhausted.” Have you saved enough money?” “No, I have to pay 40% of my salary to the broker. There is not much left for myself. “But your working visa has expired；You should go home!” I have no choice. I have to stay longer to save up for my mom’s medical expenses. She needs an operation as soon as possible… Do you live with your parents, Madam? “Me? Yes!” How lucky you are! I wish I could stay with my mom. But now, making money here is my hope, a hope thousands of miles away. Please… don’t send me back.

Her voice still lingers in my ears “Don’t send me back; please don’t send me back…. Her tears and her begging look constantly pops into my mind. She was here for a hope, a hope thousands of miles away.

How lucky you are! This was what Lisa said to me. How ironic it was! Living abroad once was my dream. But I never thought about living abroad without my family and suffering from fears, loneliness, and homesickness.. Now, I have different feelings. How lucky I am! I can have a job in my own country, stay with my parents, and fall in love with someone without blond hair and blue eyes.