[*=left]I took my whole family on a company paid vacation for being a star performer (at 22 and at my first job)
[*=left]I went on another family vacation (and with my dog)
[*=left]Quit my first (full time) job
[*=left]Moved to a different country
[*=left]Started grad school at the world’s leading university in my field
[*=left]Traveled solo internationally for the first time
[*=left]Had my dad pick me up at a foreign country and take me out to dinner
[*=left]Started living alone for the first time
[*=left]^^ Because of above, downgraded lifestyle
[*=left]Started drinking coffee (café au lait style) instead of chai
[*=left]I embraced minimalism
[*=left]I made new friends, realized my lifelong friends, and left a few friends
[*=left]I drove an automatic car for the first time
[*=left]I travelled to a whole new part of a country (not the usually glitzy glam cities)
[*=left]I learned to cook (and not just bake.)
[*=left]I tried new cuisines
[*=left]I sang in a different language on a public stage
[*=left]I taught myself to play on the piano (and learnt a few songs)
[*=left]I tried studying something I never ever did before
[*=left]I didn’t do well at something, dropped it quick (but will take it up again)
[*=left]I tried salsa dancing for the first time (and then danced the night away)
[*=left]I worked out consistently and maintained general fitness
[*=left]I almost had a concussion
[*=left]I touched snow for the first time
[*=left]I had prayers answered
[*=left]I was invited to an American home for thanksgiving (and even a sleepover)
[*=left]I got gifts from across the world
[*=left]I lost my purse in an uber cab
[*=left]I dropped my purse in a parking lot and someone took the trouble to return it
[*=left]I met people from at least 50 different countries
[*=left]I am coming close to narrowing down my favorite drink
[*=left]I ate too many General Tso’s chicken
[*=left]I drank a lot of Starbucks PSL
[*=left]I cried a lot - both joy and sadness
[*=left]I laughed till I had tears in my eyes
[*=left]I got rid of my glasses and got 20/20 (or 6/6) vision
[*=left]I told everyone I loved how much I loved them
[*=left]I took many, many photos
[*=left]I spoke on the phone for hours
[*=left]I learnt to manage my time
[*=left]I felt the presence of God – every day.
[*=left]I experienced a new gift of the Holy Spirit
[*=left]I tried two different hair styles
[*=left]I gave up on make up
[*=left]I bought my first tall boots
[*=left]I explored different fashion styles
[*=left]I experienced hardship and homesickness
[*=left]I experienced incredible blessings and a lot of love
[*=left]I was single throughout
[*=left]I felt my happiest this year.
Oh one of the most beautiful moments of 2016 for me that I forgot to put in- when God woke me up in the morning to see a double twinned rainbow outside my window.
Rainbows are rare...twinned rainbows are even rarer. The fact that I awakened to see the beginning of it at early sunrise was one of the awesome, "God, did you really?" moments of my life
Life is full of ups and downs! I hope to see yours too.