girls, be ambitious

2011: a year in review

01. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Rode a highway bus, wore a yukata & went to a festival, shojo-manga style, watched a movie in the theatres by myself, taught English.

02. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions? Will you make more for next year?

I just found them! They were:

1. Go to church more regularly - No. I should have though.
2. Show my parents proper respect - Ditto.
3. Develop better eating patterns - Yes! At the end of 2011, when I came back to Australia, my eating patterns reverted back to normal.

In 2012, I just want to be kinder and wiser.

03. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.

04. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.

05. What countries did you visit?

South Korea! I went to Seoul in March. It was so much fun but also freezing. I would love to go back in another season and explore more of Seoul and Pusan.

06. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

Good marks & better social skills.

07. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

My birthday, probably because it was the best one in a while. A change of scenery and good friends can work wonders (‘:

08. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Passing JLPT N1, definitely. In retrospect it’s not a very hard exam and is a pretty imperfect assessment of ability but I prepared a lot for it and it was gratifying to see it pay off (especially when other things didn’t, lol.)

09. What was your biggest failure?

Missing out on the FBD internship. I couldn’t sleep for about a week and to be honest I’m still pretty cut over it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing big, luckily.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My snow gear! I actually just took it all out the other day to admire, lol. Unfortunately I most likely won’t be able to use it until July, but it would be great going skiing/snowboarding with friends.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My mum’s! I’m not sure if ‘celebration’ is the right word, but she’s definitely changed a lot since we were kids. After what she went through in 2007, she became a lot more forgiving and gentle and I think she really tries to set a good example for us. I’m sad that she had to go through such tough times, but I love her and appreciate her so much.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Mostly my own. Sometimes my dad’s.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Snow gear, travel, way too much clothing.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Going to Disneyland with Yeseul! That was the best trip in 2011. I was also pretty excited about Seoul in Feb, but I’m more worried now.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2011?

Konayuki - Remioromen (forever 定番 at karaoke), and Secret Base - Zone, about the end of summer, and saying goodbye to friends.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Eaten good food! I ate out at a super posh restaurant in Kyoto once, when the company gave me gift vouchers for my birthday. The food was so delicately and meticulously prepared and the service was impeccable. Although there were so few people and I was kind of nervous, so the atmosphere was a little bit tense haha.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Shopping.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

My brother and I cleaned the house in anticipation of my parent’s return, lol. I also washed the car in the crazy heat. We went to my cousin’s place for dinner with my uncle, aunt, two cousins, and my cousin’s friend. The food was simple but delicious. I love peeling and eating fresh prawns *_*

21. How will you be spending New Years?

Not sure yet! Maybe if there’s some motivation I’ll go with my family to watch the fireworks at the Harbour Bridge.

22. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Not for real.

23. How many one-night stands?

None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

I don’t watch much TV now but maybe Modern Family.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope.

26. What was the best book you read?

Not a new book, but I re-read Growing Up Asian in Australia recently. It’s everything I ever wanted to read as a teenager. Even now, there’s a sense of solidarity in knowing that others shared childhood histories so similar to your own. And I think I would get along great with Alice Pung if we ever met.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Bon Iver, and re-discovering Arcade Fire! Also Minmi - she really knows how to work the crown and her concerts look like crazy fun (she has a sparkly band that she swings around and her fans do the same with towels!).

28. What did you want and get?

My green Ps! I still have 2 more years before my full license, but it’s one step closer.

29. What did you want and not get?

Summer internship at Tokyo FBD, but perhaps it was always too far out of my reach )’:

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, hands down. I love Naka Riisa and I love time travel and I even would have loved The Time Traveller’s Wife if not for the person I saw it with and the unpleasant memories that now remain ):

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

It was a Monday, but I went with Yeseul, Hyewon and Lulu to eat lunch at 寒梅館 and they surprised me with a really cute birthday dessert! Also caught up with one of the volunteers who helped show us around when we first arrived at the university, then went to my period 5 Korean class. Yeseul helped me buy ingredients for a maki-zushi making dinner party. Everyone turned up, which was great ♥. Played drinking games and was force-fed cake until people had to leave. I turned 21.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

It was already heaps satisfying but a boyfriend I guess!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Haha I’m not sure. I was pretty heavily influenced by Dead Fleurette’s minimalism and quest for quality in late 2011 though. I’m still in the process of culling my wardrobe back to the bare basics.

34. What kept you sane?

Skyping with family, talking to friends, praying a lot.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Bear Grylls! I fell in love watching Escape to the Legion. I love how he does such crazy and extreme things but has such a genuine, kind personality.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Asylum seekers. I had a lot of disagreements with my dad over this (despite the belief that all Asians vote Labour, my dad is pretty right-leaning).

37. Who did you miss?

At the beginning of the year I missed my family, friends from Sydney like Matt & Bon. I also really missed talking to Joy, who went back to the US after March 11. And of course after I went back to Sydney I missed Yeseul, Yeoeun, Lulu, Hyewon, Fumi.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Probably Yeoeun! She was so bright and funny and easy to talk to. It was fun just talking in our rooms, or eating together, or drinking beer on the roof, or going to the convenience store to eat ice-cream together. If I hadn’t met her, I probably wouldn’t have really understood how great dorm life can be.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Don’t be afraid of trusting people. Spending 4 years at a girl’s high school, and then transferring to a school I knew I was only going to be at for another 2, I was always afraid of being rejected for other (better) friends and spent too long pretending not to care. But you only end up lonely, and you hurt those who do care about you. Having trustworthy friends was my greatest blessing this year.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

悲しみ全て受け止めたら
少し強くなれるはずだよ
沢山壁越えてきたから
Oh もう負けたくないよ

- Iconiq, Change Myself