2008, word…

So…guess what, it’s finally 2008. Those numbers so often tacked onto the end of my name, at the end of an email, signifying–dramatically, Sir? Dramatically!–the year in which I would no longer haunt the hallowed halls of what would then become my alma mater, and instead, be thrust rudely and immediately into the world that purportedly exists outside the Wesleyan bubble…into the ranks of the either gainfully employed, or the scared shitless because they don’t know what they’re doing with their lives. Oh yes. Graduation is upon us. *DUMDUMDUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM* Oh horror of horrors!

But more of that I’m-a-senior-who’s-gonna-wake-up-and-realize-that-she-spent-four-years-
learning-all-sorts-of-interesting-things-that-have-no-bearing-in-the-real-world angst later.

It is also, of course, a new year. And with a new year comes the going of an old one. So here’s a little recap, and a tribute, to the year that was 2007 in the life of Cristabel (woah I nearly spelt my name with an H there…see how much this new years business is throwing me off).

Firstly, I’ve actually had one heckuva year. I think that I’ve spent around 80-100 hours in planes over the course of the last 12 months, lived in four different places, traveled to 4 different continents…well, yeah. Here’s this thing that LT did on her blog, and seemed to me a pretty darn efficient way of reflecting upon the past year: things done, not done, undone, well done and to-be done. So, here goes. Get ready for the rollercoaster ride that was my 2007. Haha.

Done:
Studied abroad in London (also visited Italy, Spain, France, and Egypt while there; reconnected with friends from home; wrote a 4-page Surrealist comic for class)
Became new aunty to babies Marcus and Matthew, and also Godma to baby Eva (all three kids on different continents, btw. And also crocheted baby things like mad for said babies!)
Registered to vote (also discovering a million new things about Malaysian politics, talking to lots more people about the state of the Malaysian state, having a brother detained under the OSA)
Started doing Bharatanatyam and Javanese dance again. And did Ebony Singers for the first time! Even played Karaoke Revolution in front of a bunch of people during summer!
Threw myself back into Alpha Delt (was doing a job that took a lot out of me but also gave back copiously. I now understand myself and other people a lot better)

Not done:
Lost weight (let’s face it, kind of never going to happen. I am morally opposed to going to the gym)
Made any money (although this doesn’t mean that I’ve been slacking)
Raised my GPA (sigh…another “not done” thing is stopping worrying about my grades)
Seen my sister in a play (that kinda sucks)
Actually physically shown my support for the political causes I believe in (not my fault, though–in different country lah!)
Spent enough time with a lot of friends I care deeply about and really need to reconnect with.
Sorted out photos I’ve promised to people (if you’re reading this, and I owe you pictures, just keep bugging me. You’ll get them eventually, I swear)

Undone:
Heh. An unhealthy attachment?
An equally unhealthy tendency to be terribly judgemental?

Well done:
Summerbridge Sacramento 2007!!!!!!!! (amazing experience…great faculty, great kids, great place, and amazing program. Definitely one of the most difficult but rewarding times of my life…thanks to this internship, I feel that I could actually be a teacher, and that I actually want to. Also lots of soul searching and some facing of personal demons)
Backpacking in Nicaragua (was just a great experience–awesome travel buddies, and met some really interesting strangers along the way)
128B Church (I love living with you guys. But I am sorry the living room is always so messy)
Actually able to have conversations with kids. And no longer afraid of making faces at babies cos I think they’ll hate me. Just no longer afraid to be wacky in general.

To be done:
Get a job! Which means finish up applications, get ready for some interviews…the whole shebang.
Finish off my university career feeling that I’ve gotten as much out of my Wes education as I could have. Or at least that I enjoyed every minute of it, particularly the slightly useless ones.
Save the world. At least try!

So that’s all I can think of at the moment…it’s really late and I’m really rather pooped from getting back from a whirlwind experience of Phuket, complete with rolling oceans, lots of shopping, and seahorses. I hope to add a highlights of 2007 section soon. But maybe I should also stop living in the past and start blogging about 2008. Til then, Au revoir, and Guten nacht!