The Year that was 2009

Start of a new year and of the last semester in SMU. In the spirit of the New Year she joined belly dancing classes. Loving every moment of it she shimmied and andulated her body to the funky beat. On the other hand the economic slump stayed like a black cloud on her head. Despite the despair she kept trying and reached the final stage for 2-3 jobs but all in vain as she got rejected again and again. In midst of this gloom came her 23^rd birthday. It was on the day of her club's play and she knew it wasn't going to be her way. It was an understated affair but for the single long stemmed red rose that came her way. The kid in her was disappointed alas it was time to move on. The winds of change were blowing and she could feel it.

Not one to sit around and wonder, but one to make her own destiny she applied for her Masters studies. The winds carried some good news for her in the form of her conditional acceptance to Cardiff University. She was overjoyed and waited for her final results to seal her faith from the university. Till then it was all about enjoying her last months in SMU. She performed, partied, studied, had lots of fun and made lasting memories.

However her life was never a smooth sailing one. A trip to India led to revelations that shook her to the core. Her faith in friendship was shaken and she was thrown into a bottomless pit of self-doubt. Was she that evil, that horrible? She returned to Singapore but she was not the same and neither was life. Life felt bare like someone had passed. Then again that friendship was now only in the past. Yet life was moving and she was not one to be left behind. She pulled herself together and strived together with life. The months flew and soon she was done with SMU. 4 years had passed and soon would be time to bid goodbye to life she had known till then.

Wanting to celebrate her survival of her Bachelors she flew down under to her baby sister from where they embarked on an adventure to New Zealand and all over Australia. They spent an amazing 4 weeks together and returning home was hard for her. The results came and she a graduate officially. With that she sealed her fate; deciding to fly across the seas to pursue her Masters. Now all she had was time and more time. Never one to sit idle she sprung into action. An ex-professor asked her to be his research assistant and assist him on a case study he was writing. She also became his teaching assistant for an MBA class. It was awesome, it was a blast. All this while she kept progressing in her belly dancing class. She completed beginner's level and was onto intermediate. Then she decided it was time she drove and to get the licence to drive. Driving classes experience was amazing and she fell in love with driving. Time was tight but she was determined.

As the days passed her days at home were dwindling. She was excited and was waiting. Her sister came home and it was time for family. It was fun and it was heart warming. Her ticket was booked and she started to wrap up her life. Ended the roles of research and teaching assistant, completed her driving and her belly dancing. It was then time for the driving test which she aced in her first try; a triumphant act in Singapore that was. Next thing she knew she was at the airport saying goodbye to family and friends. The excitement of the unknown was tinged with anxiety of the same. It was a long flight to her destination and it had been a long life journey to it too.

Arriving in Cardiff, she settled in her new home. It was an 18^th century girls hostels far removed from her comfy room back home. However she made her peace and soon was busy as a bee. The classes had begun and there was a city to conquer, friends to make and a new life to build. She was lucky to find the friends she did and she was aware. The hostel life was different and it was new. She embraced it all making it her own. The weeks flew and the distances shrank. Her soul was near and her heart knew. It sang songs of happiness and jumped for joy too. The meeting was beautiful though short and bittersweet. Yet there was hope with the new distances between. Soon the semester flew by. She strived to do her best and worked hard. After a long hiatus she was rewarded as she was. She was given opportunities too, research on celebrities in India and an internship! Life seemed to be telling her aal izz well. Indeed it was as he was also there. Then came the holidays, bringing the snow, sleet and hail. It was a new experience and she enjoyed. She also enjoyed the daily cooking that was her safe heaven. As the end of the year dawned she looked back behind her at the year gone. The year that was 2009 had been a beautiful, bittersweet journey of life. Then again that is the nature of life as we know, one day up and the next day low. Back home for the holidays she sat looking 2010 into the face. What did this year have in store for the girl who was never going to let go?