2014 in Review
2014: The Year That Changed My Life
2014 was a big year for me. And it's probably more important than the year that I graduated college. Or the year that I finished credential school. No 2014 was the year that I decided that there's more to life than working really hard in school or working hard at work. It was the year where I stopped caring what my bank account looked like and started caring more about what my passport looked like. It was the year where I decided to stop letting my anxiety control me. And it was the year that I left home, learned how to spread my wings and fly, in a foreign country on top of that. And even though 2014 had some huge heartbreaks, I think that it has been the best year of my life, so far.2014 started off for me with no big bang. I think I even went to bed before midnight. But by February I was already in Italy deciding where I wanted to live. And it was my first solo trip. In July I took a cousins trip to Lake Tahoe. And I also did the hardest thing that I've ever done: I said goodbye to my family (for a year) and jumped headfirst into my adventure with no idea how it was going to work out. I found an apartment, got a job, and became a travel addict all within a month of my move. I've visited England, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Germany all within the last couple months. I have made friendships with people that come from all over the world. And I've gotten to reconnect with my French family. But there were a few bumps along the way. Three family members passed away within the timespan of a month while I was just beginning my adventure. But I learned to stay strong and take each day as it comes. The French bureaucracy still hasn't finished with tormenting me with it's snail pace of handling things. But I've learned to be patient and to keep a positive attitude. I got homesick for Christmas, but got over it quickly by going on an adventure in Berlin. I'm still a nervous traveler and still hate going into restaurants by myself, I still have social anxiety where I don't know how to initiate conversations, and I'm still too stubborn to ask for directions. I don't think a year abroad is going to fix all that, but it's giving me a new outlook on life. Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Even if it scares you. Things won't always work out the way that you plan them, but sometimes it's for the better. And when life throws you lemons, make lemonade then travel. 2014 was a great year, and 2015 has a lot to live up to.
Happy New Years everyone!
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