She Lost Her Job and Left Behind Her American Dream — and Her Cats

This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with Vivienne Yang, a 31-year-old Taiwanese nationwide who misplaced her job and needed to depart the US due to her visa standing, forsaking her residence and two cats. It has been edited for size and readability.

I began falling for the American dream after I was in third grade.

It was a mixture of realizing that the Taiwanese training system wasn’t actually designed for me and turning into hooked on American popular culture like Taylor Swift, “Twilight,” and “America’s Subsequent High Mannequin.”

In 2018, at 23, I moved to New York for a grasp’s in utilized analytics at Columbia University, then landed a job in Manhattan’s ad-tech industry.

Over the following 5 years, I labored two full-time jobs, one after the opposite, every paying about $100,000, till I used to be laid off in 2024.

Getting laid off whereas on trip

It was October, and I used to be on the second day of a 10-day trip to Japan with my associate after I realized I might been laid off.

I used to be watching Japanese TV reveals in our Airbnb after a day of sightseeing in Osaka, when my colleague referred to as me on Instagram to say he could not discover my Slack or electronic mail and that it seemed like my account had been deactivated.

I did not obtain any calls from HR as a result of my US SIM card wasn’t working.

I attempted to have enjoyable on the journey whereas scuffling with immigration issues. I spent my mornings speaking to immigration and labor legal professionals and emailing HR.

After which within the afternoons, we might go sightseeing. The feelings got here two days after I heard the information, and I cried at a shrine in Kyoto. I used to be praying that I might return to the US.

The corporate agreed to delay my employment for just a few weeks in order that I might return to the US.

Leaving my life in New York behind

I had constructed a life within the US. My total good friend circle and my two cats have been there, and I might spent years saving so I might purchase a one-bedroom residence in Brooklyn.

Throughout my grace interval, I modified from an H-1B to a B-2 vacationer visa so I might keep within the US somewhat longer, and I later renewed my B-2 so I might keep for a full yr. My lawyer instructed me to not point out that I used to be a home-owner, as a result of it might make it appear to be I supposed to immigrate.

Job looking out was tough. I spent just a few months on the hunt, with greater than 20 unsuccessful interviews.

Then, in September final yr, the Trump administration rolled out the $100,000 price for brand spanking new H-1B candidates. Though that would not have utilized to me, I really feel prefer it affected employers’ willingness to rent overseas employees.

After just a few months, I finished specializing in company jobs. I could not see myself in company America anymore. I might at all times cherished performing and obtained accepted into an performing program in New York, and was supposed to start out in March this yr.

In December 2025, I traveled back to Taiwan to use for a scholar visa. I cried the entire method to JFK airport and on the aircraft. It felt like I used to be leaving for good.

My intestine was proper. My scholar visa was rejected as a result of I demonstrated immigration intent. I requested my American associate to maneuver into my residence to handle the cats — Dexter and Deborah — whereas I found out learn how to get again.

I instructed him to not ship my stuff as a result of I used to be set on going again.

Then I spotted that, given the present political local weather and the state of the economic system, it does not make sense to return to America anytime quickly.

Taiwan has helped me escape survival mode

In Taiwan, I need not fear about my private security on a regular basis.

It is also so bizarre not having to fret a couple of visa. Now I can get any random gig with out worrying: “Oh, if I need to do that, what sort of visa do I have to get?”

One in all my largest worries over the previous yr in New York was not having health insurance and never figuring out if I might afford to see a health care provider.

In Taiwan, particularly the northeastern city of Yilan, the place I dwell, I can simply pop right into a clinic and spend lower than $10.

It has been a bit unusual getting used to dwelling with my household once more.

Now I dwell in a three-bedroom residence with my mother, dad, sister, and grandma, and there are guidelines on this home, like the place issues needs to be positioned and what number of layers to put on throughout colder months.

I sleep on a transportable mattress within the storage room with out air-con, as a result of there’s not sufficient house in the home. It felt like my life obtained downgraded.

No plans to return

I do not need to take care of visa points anytime quickly, so I haven’t got plans to maneuver.

My associate plans to deliver the cats in October.

I have been specializing in content material creation right here, whereas additionally educating public talking in English. I am utilizing my financial savings to repay the mortgage on my Brooklyn residence.

Regardless of all I went by way of, I do not remorse my transfer to the US.

If I hadn’t gone by way of that, I’d nonetheless be asking myself, “Oh, what if I had gone?”

Now that I’ve had that have, I am clear about what I would like and who I’m.