Made in Taiwan 29

Day 734

I started this story by telling you who I used to be. So, the question is, who am I now? It’s a good question. Some people, like Jamal, call me GG, but most just know me as Simona. And having just passed my two-year anniversary from the day I first arrived in Taiwan, I guess I’m kind of used to it now.

I still sometimes look back on those first few months and wonder if I had been a little smarter. If I had thought a little more about the decisions I made. What might have been. But I’ve also learned not to dwell on the past. The life I have now is far from the one I envisioned for myself all them years ago. But at the same time, it could also be worse. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there in the world in tougher situations than me.

So, you might be wondering why I’m still living Simona life? How I’m still in Taiwan? And what happened to the real Simona?

Well, the last question is an easy one to answer as I have no idea. After telling Jamal my story, he convinced me to go to the UK embassy. the problem was, they thought I was crazy. After making some calls, they informed me that Grant Gale was back in England with his parents. What followed was a pretty intense interview where they grilled me on who I really was, and why I was claiming to be someone else. You see, I had no criminal record or genetic information on file, meaning there was no way to prove who I was.

When words like criminal charges and deportation came up, I freaked out and told them it was all just a joke. They weren’t very pleased as you can imagine but eventually let me leave. I did call up my parents a few months later asking to speak to Grant. But they said he was off travelling around South America. Where Simona is these days, your guess is as good as mine.

As to how I’m still in Taiwan. Well, that’s a little more complicated. After finding Simona’s passport and documents in her room, I discovered she was from an area of Syria, where civil war had raged for years. As you can imagine, being thrown on a plane and sent off there was not an option. Instead, Jamal came to my rescue. He’s now my husband. Yes, husband! And it still feels strange to say that.

Having been in the country for so many years, Jamal had secured a permanent residency. And as his wife, that status is now extended to me.

Our marriage is an interesting one, strictly platonic and out of convenience. Although, I’m not sure what he gets out of it. To be honest, I was shocked when he proposed it, but after thinking it through, I found myself with no other options. So far, it’s worked out ok, and the funny thing is! Nothing really changed after getting married. We still spend most evenings hanging out together, smoking and chatting. I still sleep in the apartment next to him, albeit with Simona’s clothes in my wardrobe. He’s been a real hero. I owe him so much.

What else has changed? Well, I no longer work in the Betel nut stand, although I still keep in contact with Mei. We speak almost every day and I love her to bits.

Believe it or not, I now work as a model, doing mostly events and glamour shots. I guess, my breasts as odd as it still feels to have them, have come in useful after all.

Eric, the guy I met at the beach what seems like a lifetime ago, is now my manager. He sets up photoshoots and contracts for me and is actually a really nice guy. I work a lot with Lulu, and we’ve become pretty close. In fact, we just finished an event working together today. The Taipei motor show. Easy work, posing next to cars with great pay to boot.

(See image 41)

I guess the only thing left to ask is, will I ever go back to England and try to reclaim my old life? And the answer is, I’m not sure. Jamal sometimes talks about moving back, but what would I do there? I don’t even know if I remember how to be the old me! So, for now, I’m trying not to think too far ahead. I’m living each day as it comes. As I mentioned earlier, things could be worse, right?

THE END

Hey all, I hope you enjoyed the story. To me, it's one of the best I've written but  I'd love to hear your feedback. What did you like, not like? What could have been different, better?