I spent years building a life in New York. Losing my job meant leaving my cats, my apartment, and the US.

Vivienne Yang moved from the US back to Taiwan after she lost her job in New York. Vivienne Yang Vivienne Yang moved from Taiwan to New York City in 2018 to chase the American dream. After she was laid off in 2024, she had to leave her Brooklyn apartment and her two cats behind. Now she's found peace in Taiwan, where she no longer has to worry about visas or her personal safety. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Vivienne Yang, a 31-year-old Taiwanese national who lost he...