from 07 to 08

Every year at about this time, I like to plop myself at a cafe and reflect on the year that’s about to come to a close. This year is no different, as I’ve definitely gone through quite a bit in 2007. However, it’s a bit nerve-wrecking trying to plan for 2008, as I’m currently waiting for several key decisions that will determine pretty much everything I do in the coming year. So my 2008 plans will temporarily assume that everything happens according to plan :)

2007 in Retrospect: Last year, I have…

• Spent 7 months living and working in a developing country, learning more about myself than anything else.
• Gotten my Scuba diving Open Water certification.
• Traveled to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Thailand.
• Fully experienced the infamous South-Asian summer monsoons.
• Began to develop a more ‘international’ view of the world – specifically, I’ve started to see how much influence the US does not have over the rest of the world.
• Finally gotten to catch up with some old friends I haven’t seen in years.
• Watched my stocks roller-coaster and have temporarily lost faith/interest in the domestic financial markets.
• Forgotten how to drive.
• Completely lost my alcohol tolerance, but continue to love wine, passionately.
• Gotten my act together and taken the GMAT that I have been “getting ready to take” for the past 2 years.
• Decided last minute to throw together two grad school applications, both of which were submitted hours before final deadlines.

2008 in Anticipation: This year, I will…

• Take advantage of my next project with the Gates Foundation to learn even more about international development.
• Sneak in a quick tour of Africa while I’m on the project.
• [Hopefully] be making a huge, drawn-out decision between spending the next two years in New York or San Francisco.
• Begin applying for loans and preparing myself for years of debt.
• Relearn all the French that I’ve lost over the past few years.
• Pick up piano again.
• Build up a consistent running routine.
• Lose my chub of a stomach, once and for all!
• Quit my consulting job and do some more traveling.
• Go back to SE Asia for my Advanced OW diving certification.
• Convince myself to to save up some money amongst all of this.

If all goes well, 2008 should be an amazing year :)