What pops into your mind when you hear the word ‘blue’? To me, it is always the ocean. I love the ocean and somehow, a few weeks ago, I found myself standing above it. The big endless blue ocean was nothing like what I have ever seen before. It was majestic and it had a touch of gracefulness that I can never explain through words. The rest of the world seemed so far away at that time.
This experience began a few weeks ago when I decided to flee to Hualien, a city located in the east coast of Taiwan, for a long weekend. Hualien is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in Taiwan, and I agree. The most famous site that Hualien has to offer is Taroko Gorge. Most of the tourist and travelers that I have seen on the Internet say that Taroko is quite a beauty. In this case, I both agree and disagree.
Visiting Taroko was a wonderful experience, but it seems that I am not one that really fancies mountains and hills because my heart is with the big blue. The mountains and hills were not exactly my place. So, on the second day I decided to visit the place that was truly ‘me’. I went to the Pacific Ocean for two whole hours to go dolphin watching. When I got back, I was ten times darker, but I didn’t care at all. It was all worth it.
Floating on a boat above the ocean was an experience that I had never felt for a long time. I have a vague memory in my head. It was a memory of me standing on a boat, also in the open ocean. I was very young back then and I didn’t know any better, I didn’t even understand what was going on. However, the experience I had a few weeks ago was whole new experience.
On that second day, my senses awakened as I gazed at every detail Mother Earth had to offer. One of the things that I could not get over is the water. The water was amazingly blue and it reminded me of Titanic’s ‘Heart of the Ocean’. However, in my experience it was not just a sapphire stone but it was the whole ocean. Until now, I can still remember myself standing on deck, staring into the blue waters. There will never be any word to describe what I felt that day. It was just as if a part of my soul had awaken and I was finally living. I felt alive.
After half an hour on the waters, we finally saw a group of dolphins. I somehow felt envious the instant I saw them jumping above the water. To me, it was as if they were dancing and the ocean was their stage. I love dancing and I have danced on a stage before, so I know what it feels like. However, dancing in the ocean? That’s an experience I would love to have. As I was recording videos and taking pictures, the idea of dancing in the ocean was all I could think about. Honestly, if I could choose to be any Disney character, I would choose to be Melody, Ariel’s daughter. She had the best of both worlds, ocean and land.
I still think about that experience even after the trip, especially when I’m in class. When I’m bored with my entire daily routine and tired of being around walls, all I can think of is the ocean. I think about how the wind meets my skin, how the sunshine makes the water sparkle, and I even think of the little flying fish that kept popping near the boat. The most important thing is I thought about how I felt alive.
I have my own thoughts about being free, about freedom. I believe freedom is only cherished when one has experienced what it is like to be captured, to live in a cage. I also believe that the moment you feel most free is the moment when you feel most alive. So, if you asked me where I would feel most free, the answer would be very simple.
Above the big blue, of course.
About the author: I am 21-year-old Indonesian student studying in Taiwan for my degree in Spanish Language. I have much love learning different languages and cultures. Traveling is a passion of mine!
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