In 2015 I did an abundance of things for the first time and
hope to continue to discover new things this year. But I don’t want my curiosity
for life to disappear as I reenter my life in America in 10 months. I want 2017
and 2018 and 2050 to be just as full of new as 2015 has been. This past year I
discovered my thirst for adventure and life experience that I never knew I had. I think that in America we are a lot of talk and a little action.
Americans are big dreamers, but we tend to lack the spontaneity that I have
learned from Tongans. I think that
there should be and needs to be a balance between planning for the future and
living in the moment. My American roots and my Tongan branches are working together,
to guide me in how to love and appreciate life in a way that I didn’t understand
before. I am going to complete
this thought with something that I know some of you will get and others of you
won’t understand and maybe never will be able to, but that’s okay because we
all have our own lives to live. But anyways, so many things in life will always
be there, while so many won’t last forever, so it is up to you to decide which
ones you will give priority to.
Highlights of 2015- 12 for 12
1.
I am finally
going to be an aunt! Emily and Brett will be welcoming a bundle of joy into the
world June 2016. It is going to be a long, and I mean long, 5 months of waiting
to meet the sweet babe. But I could not be more excited for them or myself :)
2.
I got to spend time with my family and 2 best
friends in Hawaii. It was a week of food indulgence with some of my favorite
people. And in just 5 short days another reunion will be happening in Fiji.
This time with my dad, sister, and Debbie!
3.
I had strep throat SIX times. How one gets strep
throat so many times in one year is still a mystery to me. I had strep not long
after the beginning of 2015 and was just completing an antibiotic for strep as
2015 came to a close.
4.
I ran 7 consecutive miles. Sami L has been
training for a marathon so I have been trying to get some running in with her.
At the end of October I got up to a 7 mile run. I cannot say that I really
enjoy running for 7 miles at a time, but a 3 mile run I find to be very
relaxing and suitable.
5.
I pooped on my own foot during a bout of food
poisoning. It was 3 o’clock in the morning and it had been coming out both ends
for a few hours already. I had been consistently switching from sitting on the
toilet and bending over it and well before I knew it I needed to be both
sitting and bending. The demand was high and the supply was low. I chose to
bend. Probably should have sat. But bending made for the better story.
6.
I have reached advance low in my Tongan
language. When I first went to site I scored an intermediate low on my language
exam. Back in May I had moved up 2 levels to intermediate high. And a few weeks
ago I secured myself to the next level of advanced low. It has stressful and confusing learning a new language, but it's fun!
7.
I skinny dipped in the Pacific Ocean…a few
times. The Sams and I recently decided we should be skinny dipping more because
there are so many deserted beaches on our island. The first time it was a great
success. Fun was had all around. The most recent time we had been having a
secret kava circle on the beach and in our kava induced states thought it was
the perfect time to go again. We got our clothes off and went running into the
water and well, the water did not even reach our anklebones. It was low tide.
Like the lowest.
8.
I have gained another circle of people in my
life. Between my Peace Corps friends and the Tongans who have befriended me,
these people have enriched my life in so many ways. I have created a bond and
memories with them that will last a lifetime. It is going to be really hard
when they are no longer a part of my daily life.
9.
I recently learned and preformed some Tongan
dances with the church in my village. I learned a tau’olunga which is a traditional
dance done by unmarried women. It is supposed to be very graceful and requires
soft hand movements. I also learned a hula. The hula was definitely more on my
level, but I had so much fun learning both!
10. I have been able to sleep in a cave and on the beach a couple of times this past year.
Sleeping outside with no tent is fun. It can be cold and a little wet, but it
is adventurous and you get to open your eyes to the sunrise in
the morning!
11. I
got the opportunity to swim with whales. I have already mentioned this on my
blog a couple times, but it was definitely high on the list of best life experiences
so it had to go on the highlight list.
12. The final highlight is something that I
never thought was going to happen while being in Tonga, but sometimes life
is full of the unexpected. I have fallen in love with a Tongan guy from my
village. My life is even happier with him in it!
New Year’s Resolutions for 2016
1.
To blog once a month.
2.
To run at least 12 miles a week.
3.
To be a better human.
4.
To journal more.
5.
To say ‘sorry’ less and ‘thank you’ more.
2015 Photo Review
"Drink from the well of yourself and begin again."
