I have officially spent an entire calendar year in the working world and at the same job! This was unexpected, of course, since I started out the year thinking I would leave it on May 1st and would need to find something else in Oregon. Thankfully, I ended up remaining at the job and moving to Atlanta, two huge things I definitely did not see coming. Another thing I did not see coming, but I am extremely delighted about and grateful for, was finally closing the long-distance gap that separated James and me for more than two years.
As for the year goals, I was able to accomplish a few of them and more. Thanks to living on my own (more thanks to the Instant Pot and online/cookbook recipes, really), I became a competent cook and quite enjoy being domestic. I also read way more books for fun than I did in 2018 and did a mini review series in my notebook. I got pretty good at Oh, Cochabamba on the charango, learned more songs on the ukulele (Chachachá by Josean Log being my favorite), and even started learning guitar. If You and I by Ingrid Michaelson was the first song I ever learned to play and sing on the ukulele, then Train Song by Vashti Bunyan is the first song I learned to play and sing on the guitar. The first time I played it for James as a surprise, I felt pleased he immediately recognized it from the first two chords!
(I did not relearn how to drive, though. Maybe some other time!)
While this was the first full year I wasn’t enrolled in an educational institution, I still made sure to keep learning and engaging with topics I find important and relevant to my life and the world at large. The nice thing about not being in school is I can choose what to spend time and mental energy on, and I’m glad to have deepened my knowledge about responsible travel and the systems of power that perpetuate gross inequalities between people. This year, I continued exploring the ideas I grappled with throughout my anthropology studies and travels mostly by following pages that expose everyday injustices and their causes, fearlessly calling out those who are complicit in them. On a more personal level, I’ve also made sure to use social media to follow body positive pages rather than people trying to project a certain beauty ideal. I’ve had a sour relationship with my body for a long time, and much of that was caused by societal pressures, family comments, and my perceived lack of attractiveness caused by the (former) lack of any boyfriends in my life. This is the first year I can say that things have finally improved, and I attribute the improvement to my actively choosing whose voices to listen to and internalize as well as James’ unwavering love and support. For once in my life, I don’t find myself constantly wishing I were thinner or comparing myself to others. Instead, I am thankful for my body for having brought me across continents without any issue, truly enjoying the many wonderful cuisines of the world I’ve had the chance to taste, and for continually being healthy and allowing me to pursue all my passions. Although my appearance is the first thing anyone sees about me, I know that I am so much more, and I am happy to have friends in my life who don’t care how I look or comment on it (unless it’s compliments, of course). This is the energy I will bring into 2020, and I am ready for it to carry me through what will be another school-less, personally driven year.
Right now, I am in Cebu City, my hometown. My family and I haven’t spent the holiday season in the Philippines since 2009, so another trip to the motherland was a lovely way to bookend the decade. It’s crazy to think how far I’ve come since I greeted the 2010s, and I can think of no better place to reflect on these past years while greeting the 2020s. I will be writing again on the other side, and now all that’s left to say is Happy New Year!
As for the year goals, I was able to accomplish a few of them and more. Thanks to living on my own (more thanks to the Instant Pot and online/cookbook recipes, really), I became a competent cook and quite enjoy being domestic. I also read way more books for fun than I did in 2018 and did a mini review series in my notebook. I got pretty good at Oh, Cochabamba on the charango, learned more songs on the ukulele (Chachachá by Josean Log being my favorite), and even started learning guitar. If You and I by Ingrid Michaelson was the first song I ever learned to play and sing on the ukulele, then Train Song by Vashti Bunyan is the first song I learned to play and sing on the guitar. The first time I played it for James as a surprise, I felt pleased he immediately recognized it from the first two chords!
(I did not relearn how to drive, though. Maybe some other time!)
While this was the first full year I wasn’t enrolled in an educational institution, I still made sure to keep learning and engaging with topics I find important and relevant to my life and the world at large. The nice thing about not being in school is I can choose what to spend time and mental energy on, and I’m glad to have deepened my knowledge about responsible travel and the systems of power that perpetuate gross inequalities between people. This year, I continued exploring the ideas I grappled with throughout my anthropology studies and travels mostly by following pages that expose everyday injustices and their causes, fearlessly calling out those who are complicit in them. On a more personal level, I’ve also made sure to use social media to follow body positive pages rather than people trying to project a certain beauty ideal. I’ve had a sour relationship with my body for a long time, and much of that was caused by societal pressures, family comments, and my perceived lack of attractiveness caused by the (former) lack of any boyfriends in my life. This is the first year I can say that things have finally improved, and I attribute the improvement to my actively choosing whose voices to listen to and internalize as well as James’ unwavering love and support. For once in my life, I don’t find myself constantly wishing I were thinner or comparing myself to others. Instead, I am thankful for my body for having brought me across continents without any issue, truly enjoying the many wonderful cuisines of the world I’ve had the chance to taste, and for continually being healthy and allowing me to pursue all my passions. Although my appearance is the first thing anyone sees about me, I know that I am so much more, and I am happy to have friends in my life who don’t care how I look or comment on it (unless it’s compliments, of course). This is the energy I will bring into 2020, and I am ready for it to carry me through what will be another school-less, personally driven year.
Right now, I am in Cebu City, my hometown. My family and I haven’t spent the holiday season in the Philippines since 2009, so another trip to the motherland was a lovely way to bookend the decade. It’s crazy to think how far I’ve come since I greeted the 2010s, and I can think of no better place to reflect on these past years while greeting the 2020s. I will be writing again on the other side, and now all that’s left to say is Happy New Year!
Comments
Post a Comment