Please be better than 2013. Not that your predecessor was bad, cause it wasn’t. But, I just have high hopes for what transitions may bring, and I’d like it if you didn’t let me down.

A short review of 2013
No New Years blog post would be complete without a highlight reel from the year you’re leaving behind. There was a lot to be grateful for in 2013: moving into a new house with roommates that I really enjoy, traveling to Hong Kong and Indonesia, organizing the first summer children’s activity at work, my professional mentorship, the chance meeting with Asia Society folks, joining a small group, having friends visit, swing dancing twice, and taking full advantage of my iPod touch (which recently turned 1). I also managed to avoid serious illness, I had no traffic accidents, nothing of mine was stolen, my heart wasn’t broken, no one in my family died, nor did I lose my job. These are not things I take for granted. I know people for whom the same things are not true. My world is 2 languages and several friendships more colorful. Everything wasn’t roses, but I survived.

The period from April to August stands out in my mind as the best months of my year: I house sat for two months during which time I got to hang out more with two newer friends, I Skyped in to my friend’s wedding, Khanh and I moved in together, Lauren arrived, Mai Lan (a Vietnamese friend) was here, we played games, there were confidence-building moments at work (and the bosses were away for part of the time), I wrote the blog posts for my mentor, I began studying Thai. November was also another good month because I spent only half of it in LP.

New Year’s Resolutions

My goals for the next year are simple:
Keep my phone charged
Reply to texts and emails in a timely manner
Learn to control my facial expressions
Have a daily writing habit

In 2014, I’m hoping that life is easier. I didn’t come to Laos because I thought it would be easy—quite the contrary! I thought it’d be hard. And I came anyway. 2014, I hope, will be the year of the place. The year that I find a place to make home. The year where the place that I live is comfortable and easy. A place that I feel good about committing to.

Other things I’m really looking forward to are seeing family, swing dancing again, finding a church home, going to Cambodia and Vietnam, fast internet (especially for my drama watching), dating, and discovering my tribe.

So, here’s to a 2014 that puts all other years to shame!

Happy New Year!