My Year, in review

One year ago yesterday I set out on my great big gungula (pronounced like “gun-gew-la” for any who haven’t heard it pronounced before). I was on my way to Mumbai, Dubai, back to India, Bangkok, Honk Kong, all around Australia, Vienna then all around Turkey. I had the amazing opportunity to travel all around the globe for the next three and a half months. It was terrifying, awe-inspiring, testing, affirming, challenging, beautiful, mind-opening and simply wonderful. It’s something I can’t wait to do again. It pushed me to be more independent, but to rely on others in situations I couldn’t control. This past year has changed so many things. While time has flown by, I can definitely see and feel the impressions the events have left on me. This past year I have traveled and I have stayed put. I have loved and lost. I’ve been loved and been lost. I’ve been with and without sleep, food, money, etc. I’ve worked and been jobless. I’ve had friendships wax and wane. My faith and beliefs have waxed and waned. And so on…

And all of this is gungula. Quick recap for any who don’t remember what gungula is: It is the word my dad made up, which he calls the 27th letter of the alphabet. It’s when you write all 26 preceding letters directly on top of one another. You have an indistinguishable glob which makes no sense and has no real reason or purpose; it just has a name that’s fun to say and its fun to write it. The idea of gungula as it applies to life is everything all at once, piled on top of each other, a conglomeration of all experiences and emotions, it is chaotic, and yet somehow it is balanced and it is the nature of life.

I now live in an apartment in Minneapolis with my sister. It is perfect (for me anyway)! It's in a nice neighborhood, near lots of walking paths and lakes, near the city, close to work, I'm getting along great with my sis, it's roomy, high ceilings, wood floors; ahhh...it's charming really. Work is going better. I have learned so much this year and been challenged in new ways. While admittedly I do still kinda hate it some days, there are those other days that really make it worth while. My family is well, I am well (in spite of the small car accident a month ago that's had me attached to the chiropractors office!), most all is well. I shouldn't complain really. I can't believe that 2006 is nearly completed!

To finish out the year I decided at the very last minute to take a friend up on an offer to go to his sisters wedding in Toronto - tomorrow! I just had to squeeze in seeing one more new country in 2006! (Kind of sad that I live so close to Canada and haven't been there yet!) I look forward to seeing Niagra Falls and whatever else is there (I dont know, I haven't done my research!) I also look forward to a new year, new experiences, new adventures, new lessons to learn, and I wish you all the best in this new year to come! Love...ME!