A year in review, 2006-07...

The past couple of years I've tried to make it a habit of doing "a year in review" on my birthday. Here goes my "year in review" for 2006-07...

• Appreciating things in life much much more than I ever did before [+++]
• Watched one of my best friends (indeed, a "sister") go through some of the biggest life changes (getting an MBA, moving, and having a baby all within a few months of each other). Superwoman!! *dada duh duhhhh* [+++ Proud of you, hon!]

• Moved somewhere on my own not knowing people well prior to my move (this is a "second" - first was going to school at RIT) [++]
• Living my dream of living in a different country [++]
• Watched other friends grow [++]
• Watching Libor grow [++]
  
• Gained new perspectives about myself and life [++]
• Becoming more confident about what I want in my future [++]
• Becoming more comfortable in my own skin (although I still have a long ways to go!) [++]
• I've established roots of a different kind through my relationships with friends and with Libor [++]
• Been in my longest relationship (with Libor - almost 1 1/2 years now, definitely feels much longer) [++]
• Got to visit for the first time: London, Prague, Roma [++]
  
• Travelling and seeing different places in Italy (and in the Czech Republic!) [++]
  

• Lived in 2 foreign countries so far! (not counting Canada during my internship :-P) [+]
• Learning 2 foreign languages [+]
  
• Met so many different people and made new friends [+]
  
• Becoming more expressive about myself (via this blog and emails with people) [+]
• Taught for the first time: Art and ASL [+]
• Learning much better time management ;-) [+]
• Got to see famous works of art and places I'd only read about, but never imagined I'd ever see in person [+]
  

• Experiencing life as an immigrant (including the fear of being questioned by police when I didn't have my papers with me one time) [+/-]
• Experiencing life as an "illiterate" [+/-]
• Pulled up my roots from my home in Santa Fe to go on this adventure [-/+]
  
• Haven't driven a car since... being in Michigan this summer (6 months?) [-/+]

• Moved 4 times (not including the temporary stays with my parents and in between moves) [-]
  
• Moved far from friends and family [-]
  
• Having to say, "I don't know" when a student asked what color my house was (I haven't seen my parents' new house yet) [-]

• Not being able to see the children of my closest friends and my own brother due to being so far away [- --]
• Being concerned about paying off my student loans especially with no income [- -]

Overall, I think there's alot of positive things. I have experienced alot of emotions the past year, including depression and confusion, but I really try hard to overcome that by looking at it as something to be experienced and pushed through.

Thank you for all of your support.