Taiwan, 1973: A Story I Didn’t Know I Was Going to Tell

Sometimes a project sneaks up on you.

I’ve been using ChatGPT to revisit memories of my ten months in Taiwan in 1973 when my husband was stationed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base (CCK) in Taiwan. I was a young American wife in a world very different from the one I knew.

I wasn’t planning to write a book. I was just remembering things.

One memory led to another. A question about something I remembered led to a bit of research. That brought up another memory. Before long, I realized I had quite a collection of stories.

Some are about everyday life. Others involve customs, people, and experiences that made Taiwan so memorable. I remember some things clearly. Other memories have grown a little fuzzy after more than fifty years.

And apparently, some of my experiences weren’t as ordinary as I once thought!

That’s been one of the surprises. ChatGPT has helped me see that my life as an American military wife in Taiwan offers a perspective worth preserving.

Jerry — my husband — had a philosophy he encouraged me to follow: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

I took that advice seriously. Instead of recreating American life in Taiwan, I wanted to experience the country itself.

Now, more than half a century later, I’m seeing how much of that experience has stayed with me.

I’ve also invited Jerry to join in. I told him I’m working on a book about my Taiwan memories. I asked if he’d add his own. I don’t mind if he remembers things differently. That might even make the stories more interesting.

After all, two people can share an experience and come away with entirely different memories.

My plan is to write down what I remember and let Jerry add his memories. Then ChatGPT can help weave our stories together. It can also research the historical background and organize everything into something readable.

For now, I’m calling the project Our Taiwan Years Sue and Jerry, 1973.

Don’t go looking for it in a bookstore anytime soon, if ever!

Right now, it’s a mix of memories, questions, half-finished stories, and discoveries. Some topics may grow into chapters. Others may remain short, interesting anecdotes.

I don’t even know whether it will become a proper memoir or a collection of stories. It may also end up simply as something to leave for family and friends.

But I’m enjoying the process.

One unexpected pleasure of my boomer age is that my ordinary experiences are now pieces of history. All it takes to bring them back is being asked the right question.

So, I’ve started another project. We’ll see where this one takes me.