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Sunday 28 December 2014

It is THAT time of the year!


It's suddenly that time of the year again.

That time of festive decorations everywhere.

That time in which people complain about being overweight but still eating thrice the amount of suggested kilocalories per day.
That time in which people (with jobs) get some bonus or Christmas package and still manage to spend more than they have.
That time in which people start reflecting on the past year.
That time in which people start promising themselves that THIS time they will REALLY keep their resolutions.

For me, a combination of some of the above.

For me, 2014 has been... Unexpectedly good.
And it went by way too fast. Really, I'm not kidding.

I started out this year as a very anxious person, having no clue what to expect.

* I had a thesis to finish, and wasn't looking forward to it much. I finished it with time to spare.
* I had an internship to go, which was going to be challenging mentally and physically, and I had no idea what to expect. Suddenly it was August, and a lot of Flemish people had nourished my ego all summer.
* I had to defend my thesis in August. I had been fearing that day for over a year. It went by without the slightest hint of a hitch.
* I had no idea what I was going to do after graduating. I feared this great black hole and the lack of life. Yet I found plenty to do, amongst which remain trips to guide and children camps to lead, as I look for a grownup-adult-job.

Health has been surprisingly compliant.

And... this is going to sound..spoiled and lucky at least.... But..  Aside from November, there hasn't been a single month this year that I haven't travelled abroad. Not counting Belgium.

Off the top of my head, there were some rough 10 different countries (some of which were visited repetitively) not counting the ones which I just crossed through, of which 5 I'd never been to before, and countless cities I'd never been to before either, even in previously visited countries..

Not everything has been awesome. Unfortunately, with sky highs come deep lows. It's been a challenge letting nostalgic memories go instead of clamping to the past like a Clingon. Letting go is a main theme in my life, and always has been.. It belongs with saying goodbyes every time you move homes (and/or cities and/or countries).. But the emphasis on this theme has been heavy in the recent months. Letting go mainly of friends. Because as you grow up, priorities shift and everyone has to walk their own path. Sometimes, these paths still intersect. Most of the time, however, they are (too) far apart. Usually, you end up making new friends. But my life has been quiet in that area, for the majority of people I've interacted with this year have been Flemish, and more importantly, 65+ years old. I've had little to no time or opportunity to work on/expand my own social life. So that's on the to-do list of 2015!

In 2014, I've moved, and have been traveling a lot, which makes it even more special to see lots of friends in these festive weeks of the year.
Seriously. I broke my toe, and was burned at the stake as a witch. Yet I've just had the most social and brilliant weeks of the year. :) here's to keeping that going all through next year~

Wishing you all a splendid, magnificent, gezellig, healthy and happy 2015, with new adventures and surprises!

Xx
The Gypsy

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