Happy 2020 everyone! I cannot believe that we are now entering a new decade. Where did the last 10 years go?! In honor of the new year, here’s a look back at the last 10 years of my life: (Please note that I cannot find any photos of my life before 2013, so I was creative with some of them LOL.)
2010 – Japan: I went on a summer travel-study program in Tokyo. This was my first overseas trip since I was 3 years old. I credit this trip for awakening my travel bug as well as introducing me to some of my closest friends, my beloved Tin Cook group. Not only do we meet monthly to cook up a storm, we also go on road trip adventures together.
2011 – Graduating from UC Irvine: I was so intimidated by the idea college. My high school teachers all told us that college would be so much harder than high school, that we were in for a wake up call. And college was tough – I had challenges with my roommates freshman year, I felt extremely awkward, and my honors thesis made me question whether I was cut out for college. These hurdles also led to a lot of growth. I learned to be a leader with my personal strengths, I made lasting friendships, and I finished that goddamn thesis.
2012 – South Korea: I applied to teach English in South Korea without my mom’s knowledge. Once I was accepted into the program, I waited until the month before my departure to tell her. I knew she would try to dissuade me. In my six months there, I learned to live in a foreign country by myself and to communicate across cultures. And most importantly, I met a couple of my closest friends and best travel buddies. In fact, the three of us traveled Iceland together in 2018!
2013 – Graduating from Graduate School and Jamaica: I couldn’t choose between these two experiences, but they go hand in hand. My internship in Jamaica was the final requirement for graduation. In the beginning of graduate school, I felt like an imposter, that I somehow slipped through the cracks and got in undeservedly. My peers were bright and their thoughts insightful. With time, I learned that my voice had its own place in our discussions. As for Jamaica, I never felt as out of place as I did in my three months there. Saying that I stuck out was an understatement. Jamaica taught me about my privilege as an American. And this lesson has taught me to keep things in perspective whenever I have a setback in life.
2014 – Europe: In my head growing up, I romanticized Europe. The accents, the architecture, the food! I was pumped when I finally went to London and Paris in 2014 to visit some friends. My verdict? London and Paris are nice, but they are not my favorite cities.
2015 – Southeast Asia: This was my longest just-for-fun trip. In three weeks, I traveled to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong with three friends. I got to reconnect with some old friends and make new friends along the way. I saw some of the most magnificent sights (Angkor Wat and Halong Bay) as well as ate some of the most delicious foods (raw pork, khao soi, pineapple buns, bún chả, beatles – ok, some more memorable than delicious). I cannot help but smile whenever I think of this trip.
2016 – Northern Lights: My friend and I went to Sweden with one goal – to see the Northern Lights. We had a lot of difficulty catching them due to their lack of activity or bad weather. On our last night in Sweden, we decided to forego our room in Stockholm to drive as far north as possible to catch them. We parked our car in a random clearing in a tiny town. Our gamble paid off! Green lights slowly started appearing in the sky and dancing before our eyes. We laughed and hugged each other in glee! Definitely one of the most magical moments in my life.
2017 – Marathon: By far, running a marathon is the hardest physical challenge I have ever done in my life. I experienced every, single emotion during this run – angry with myself for signing up, excited to be completing one of my life goals, disappointed at my pace, and pure joy when I finished. It took me much longer than anticipated, but this is one of my proudest accomplishments.
2018 – True ;P Love: I thought I knew about love through watching romantic movies and reading books. I learned that I knew nothing. Love with the right person feels so easy yet is always challenging me to grow. I can go on and on but I will leave it at this – he has taught me (and continues teaching me) to be a better person and always lifts me up. I hope I do the same for him.
2019 – Colombia: Ever since high school Spanish classes, I wanted to visit South America due to the stories we read about the continent, the pictures we saw, and the rich histories we learned about. Colombia did not disappoint! I had the best coffee, saw lovely landscapes, and had some amazing conversations with the people we met.
The last decade has been oh so good to me. I am excited to the adventures awaiting me in the next decade! What were your highlights of the last decade? What do you look forward to in the next 10 years?
Directionally Challenged 