227 days in Switzerland
7 and a half months. I have not regretted my decision to move to Europe and leave behind my family, friends, home and job. Each day I learn something new. Each day I am glad to wake up and start again.
The end of the calendar year is usually the time to reflect upon what happened in the last year and to look forward to the next year. I have a tendency to do this more at my birthday, which happens to be about the time that I moved here. There are multiple times throughout the year that I can take a step back and really think about my life.
I believe it's important to not only think about what I've done but also to actively make a plan for improvements. It's one thing to write a wish list, but unless you take time to plan HOW to accomplish your improvements (resolutions) then they will most likely not be fulfilled.
My favorite podcaster and visionary of our generation, Kevin Rose, just wrote his New Year's resolutions. I really like how he also included his resolutions from last year (failed or succeeded). I read my journal last year at this time. I did reflect on 2009 but did not write any resolutions.
Here is my year summary:
January - Travelled to Europe, met future manager.
February - Laid to rest Sunny, my dog and companion of 12 years
March - Girls weekend for Linda's babyshower
April - Accepted position in Switzerland, pack, pack, pack, Cara electrocutes herself in my kitchen.
May - Move to Switzerland, turn 31 years old in a strange, new country.
June - Find permanent apartment, Mom and Reilly come to CH for visit
July - Mom and Reilly visit, go to the States for Tenaya and Shawn's wedding
August - Venice, via ferrata in Murren, begin German classes
September - Hiking, hiking, more hiking.
October - Berlin, Lyon, US, more hiking
November - Pub crawl, 1st Thanksgiving in CH
December - Hiking, US.
Here is my top ten objectives for the new year, all reasonably attainable or at least workable.
1. Watch less TV/movies/computer. (No more than 3 hours a week)
2. Learn to speak German at a conversational level.
3. Move more/get healthy (minimum of 30 minutes per day just for the body)
4. Travel (Moscow, Kiev)
5. Read one book per quarter, at least!
6. Organize apartment and buy furniture.
7. Learn to ski.
8. Write to my grandparents once per quarter.
9. Sell my house.
10. Plan for the future.
What are some of your Improvements/Resolutions? Post some comments!
