2014 was another incredible year. I continued to fuel my passion for international travel, and I had the opportunity to spend my entire summer close to home. As I close out the year, it's always fun to think back on all the amazing experiences from the past twelve months:
- Wore a traditional Indian outfit...in India...while my local colleagues wore western clothing.
- Celebrated Chinese New Year with dim sum in Bangalore, India.
- Ate fertilized duck egg ("balut") in Manila.
- Sang karaoke in Manila while we ate seafood that was swimming only minutes before hitting the plate.
- Slept on the floor of the Delhi airport (actually, I didn't really sleep but I spent the entire night there thanks to a 10-hour flight delay).
- Visited Golden Temple in Amritsar, India (and learned about the Sikh religion).
- Got 'hit on' at Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Watched a cricket match in the hotel garage in Amritsar.
- Drank alcohol at a house party in the dry city of Ahmedabad, India.
- Smiled at the 'matrimonials' section of the newspaper every weekend in India.
- Went bungee jumping in Nepal.
- Got the worst food poisoning of my life in Nepal and lost 10 pounds in 3 days.
- Ate banh mi in Saigon (minus the mayonnaise, of course).
- Visited the birthplace of Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh province of Vietnam.
- Crawled through the cu chi tunnels used during the Vietnam War.
- Learned that the Vietnam War is known as the "American War" in Vietnam.
- Joined an American friend for dinner in Singapore who I studied with in Shanghai. I love crossing paths with people in the most unpredictable locations around the world.
- Took a selfie in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
- Saw a dinosaur walking around the mall in Kuala Lumpur.
- Spent two weeks without going outside once (in Gurgaon, India).
- Used Air BnB for the first time ever in Canberra, Australia.
- Ran in the Canberra Half Marathon.
- Watched my colleagues in Sydney win their recreation league basketball championship.
- Spent Easter in Sydney with a classmate from LSE that I hadn't seen in over 12 years.
- Saw Prince William and Duchess Kate at Manly Beach.
- Drank German beer at a German pub served by a German guy...in Australia.
- Went hiking in the Blue Mountains.
- Worked out with Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton.
- Celebrated ANZAC day in the rain.
- Went running along the Sydney Harbour.
- Ate at Hungry Jack's in Melbourne (once was more than enough).
- Drove on the left side of the road.
- Ran the Great Ocean Road Half Marathon.
- Celebrated my birthday with a Kit Kat bar.
- Ran in the Melbourne Mother's Day Classic with local staff.
- Had my name published in the newspaper in Perth.
- Went to the horse races in Perth.
- Went Sandboarding in Western Australia.
- Touched a Koala.
- Fed a Kangaroo.
- Bicycled through King's Park in Perth.
- Rode a tuk tuk in Mumbai (and Bangkok). The experiences were entirely different.
- Watched a tug-of-war contest in a hotel ballroom in Mumbai.
- Accepted a promotion.
- Ran a 10k race with my friend who inspired me to run my first marathon.
- Spent 4th of July with family.
- Enjoyed a day on the lake in my brother's boat.
- Watched a Red Sox game in Fenway Park.
- Ran the Old Port Half Marathon with one of my oldest friends who I have known since birth.
- Returned to Chicago as a tourist (and discovered why people love the city so much in the summer).
- Stayed up until 3AM the night before the Minnesota Half Marathon (but still managed to finish in under 1.5 hours).
- Genuinely surprised my parents at their 40th anniversary party.
- Got sunburnt in Aruba.
- Went to Orlando (twice) without visiting Disney World.
- Celebrated both of my parents' birthdays with them.
- Went to a Boston College football game.
- Ate a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.
- Ran a 5k in Chicago that was followed by country line dancing.
- Ran the "Run to the Rock" Half Marathon in 90-degree heat and finished 2nd in my age group (6th overall).
- Took a 24-hour vacation to San Diego.
- Visited Pike Place market in Seattle.
- Ran the Smuttynose Half Marathon with a friend's number and won the female category (before I was disqualified).
- Moved to HONG KONG.
- Got drunk with my boss and all my new colleagues in Singapore.
- Signed an apartment lease for the first time since 2009.
- Went out in Hong Kong with an MBA classmate from the UK who now works in Switzerland and another from France who now works in Korea. The world is truly shrinking.
- Visited floating markets in Thailand.
- Ran the Bangkok Half Marathon with the registration of a 53-year-old Thai man.
- Watched Taiwanese Opera (even though I didn't understand any of it).
- Flew on a Hello Kitty airplane.
- Went skiing in China.
- Witnessed a marriage proposal in Changbaishan.
- Spent Christmas with coworkers in China.
- Watched the fireworks display to ring in the new year in Hong Kong.
As I look forward to 2015, I am full of optimism. My job has so many possibilities, my new life in Hong Kong is starting to take root, and I already have a flight booked to return home for one of my favorite holidays. Just like hiking through a winding path, I cannot anticipate what will be ahead but I am excited to continue exploring.
- Wore a traditional Indian outfit...in India...while my local colleagues wore western clothing.
- Celebrated Chinese New Year with dim sum in Bangalore, India.
- Ate fertilized duck egg ("balut") in Manila.
- Sang karaoke in Manila while we ate seafood that was swimming only minutes before hitting the plate.
- Slept on the floor of the Delhi airport (actually, I didn't really sleep but I spent the entire night there thanks to a 10-hour flight delay).
- Visited Golden Temple in Amritsar, India (and learned about the Sikh religion).
- Got 'hit on' at Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Watched a cricket match in the hotel garage in Amritsar.
- Drank alcohol at a house party in the dry city of Ahmedabad, India.
- Smiled at the 'matrimonials' section of the newspaper every weekend in India.
- Went bungee jumping in Nepal.
- Got the worst food poisoning of my life in Nepal and lost 10 pounds in 3 days.
- Ate banh mi in Saigon (minus the mayonnaise, of course).
- Visited the birthplace of Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh province of Vietnam.
- Crawled through the cu chi tunnels used during the Vietnam War.
- Learned that the Vietnam War is known as the "American War" in Vietnam.
- Joined an American friend for dinner in Singapore who I studied with in Shanghai. I love crossing paths with people in the most unpredictable locations around the world.
- Took a selfie in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
- Saw a dinosaur walking around the mall in Kuala Lumpur.
- Spent two weeks without going outside once (in Gurgaon, India).
- Used Air BnB for the first time ever in Canberra, Australia.
- Ran in the Canberra Half Marathon.
- Watched my colleagues in Sydney win their recreation league basketball championship.
- Spent Easter in Sydney with a classmate from LSE that I hadn't seen in over 12 years.
- Saw Prince William and Duchess Kate at Manly Beach.
- Drank German beer at a German pub served by a German guy...in Australia.
- Went hiking in the Blue Mountains.
- Worked out with Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton.
- Celebrated ANZAC day in the rain.
- Went running along the Sydney Harbour.
- Ate at Hungry Jack's in Melbourne (once was more than enough).
- Drove on the left side of the road.
- Ran the Great Ocean Road Half Marathon.
- Celebrated my birthday with a Kit Kat bar.
- Ran in the Melbourne Mother's Day Classic with local staff.
- Had my name published in the newspaper in Perth.
- Went to the horse races in Perth.
- Went Sandboarding in Western Australia.
- Touched a Koala.
- Fed a Kangaroo.
- Bicycled through King's Park in Perth.
- Rode a tuk tuk in Mumbai (and Bangkok). The experiences were entirely different.
- Watched a tug-of-war contest in a hotel ballroom in Mumbai.
- Accepted a promotion.
- Ran a 10k race with my friend who inspired me to run my first marathon.
- Spent 4th of July with family.
- Enjoyed a day on the lake in my brother's boat.
- Watched a Red Sox game in Fenway Park.
- Ran the Old Port Half Marathon with one of my oldest friends who I have known since birth.
- Returned to Chicago as a tourist (and discovered why people love the city so much in the summer).
- Stayed up until 3AM the night before the Minnesota Half Marathon (but still managed to finish in under 1.5 hours).
- Genuinely surprised my parents at their 40th anniversary party.
- Got sunburnt in Aruba.
- Went to Orlando (twice) without visiting Disney World.
- Celebrated both of my parents' birthdays with them.
- Went to a Boston College football game.
- Ate a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.
- Ran a 5k in Chicago that was followed by country line dancing.
- Ran the "Run to the Rock" Half Marathon in 90-degree heat and finished 2nd in my age group (6th overall).
- Took a 24-hour vacation to San Diego.
- Visited Pike Place market in Seattle.
- Ran the Smuttynose Half Marathon with a friend's number and won the female category (before I was disqualified).
- Moved to HONG KONG.
- Got drunk with my boss and all my new colleagues in Singapore.
- Signed an apartment lease for the first time since 2009.
- Went out in Hong Kong with an MBA classmate from the UK who now works in Switzerland and another from France who now works in Korea. The world is truly shrinking.
- Visited floating markets in Thailand.
- Ran the Bangkok Half Marathon with the registration of a 53-year-old Thai man.
- Watched Taiwanese Opera (even though I didn't understand any of it).
- Flew on a Hello Kitty airplane.
- Went skiing in China.
- Witnessed a marriage proposal in Changbaishan.
- Spent Christmas with coworkers in China.
- Watched the fireworks display to ring in the new year in Hong Kong.
As I look forward to 2015, I am full of optimism. My job has so many possibilities, my new life in Hong Kong is starting to take root, and I already have a flight booked to return home for one of my favorite holidays. Just like hiking through a winding path, I cannot anticipate what will be ahead but I am excited to continue exploring.
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