My letter to the year 2017

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What a wild ride you were, 2017. If I could describe you in one word, it would be: enlightening. Enlightening in both good and bad ways, but let’s start with the good, shall we?  

Here are some of my favorite memories of the year, 2017:

My top travel moments of 2017

  • Exploring the beauty of Ubud, Bali; sampling coffee and tea from a local plantation

  • Shopping on Arab street and Haji Lane in Singapore

  • Eating ALL THE FOOD in Tokyo; specifically sitting at the counter in Tsukiji Kagura in Tsukiji bantering with the chef while he hand-crafted some of the best sushi I’ve ever eaten

  • Getting my fortune read at the Asakusa Temple in Tokyo

  • Volunteering two days at an elephant nature park, feeding, bathing, and caring for these beautiful creatures

  • Walking/skipping through Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo; the world’s largest street crossing

  • Taking a Thai cooking class in Chiang Mai (…and not having anyone get sick from it)

  • Getting blessed by a monk a top the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai

  • Navigating the Tokyo metro by myself (and not getting lost)

  • Riding a tuk tuk for the first time in Chiang Mai

  • Swimming in Maya Bay in Phi Phi, Thailand

Check out more of my 2017 travel adventures here.

My top Hong Kong moments of 2017

  • Experiencing my first Chinese New Year, including the giving/receiving of Lai See

  • Joining a lacrosse team (and winning the championship!) whilst making new friends

  • Hiking; my favorite activity of all (except the time I got chased by dogs and had to jump off a cliff into the ocean. YES, THAT HAPPENED)

  • Eating oysters and other fresh seafood in Tai O

  • Partying the night away at Diner en Blanc, Hong Kong

  • Having high tea at the Peninsula

  • Dying through my first kick boxing class and absolutely loving it

  • Teaching English part-time at a primary school

  • Beginning my journey towards mindfulness with a hypo-meditation class and gong bath

  • Running my fastest half marathon at the Hong Kong half

  • Experiencing my first Hong Kong Sevens

  • Dining at some of my favorite restaurants such as Caprice, Ho Lee Fook, Din Tai Fung, Tokyolima and Buenos Aires Polo Club

  • Riding in ding dings (every time) and sitting at the top of double decker buses (also, every time)

  • Hosting an American Thanksgiving feast at our apartment (as well as hosting Christmas with family)

Obviously, there are so many other great memories from 2017, those are just the ones that stood out. I chose the word enlightening to describe this last year because it was quite the learning experience. Admittedly, 2017, you have been the hardest year of my life. I’ve learned more about myself than I ever thought possible, which is in part due to this whole living abroad thing, which has its own set of trials, but also in part to the biggest heartache I’ve ever experienced, which was miscarrying my daughter. Since that day, I’ve gone through a series of ups and downs that have challenged me both physically, mentally and spiritually. To be honest 2017, you broke me. You changed the entire course of my life, and everything I thought I knew.

But, damn, did you make me stronger. Through the immeasurable sadness, I now look at life through a different lens. I see and feel things more than I did before. Realizing that everything can change so abruptly has allowed me to focus on the here and now, and serves as a daily reminder of what’s truly important in my life.

So, at least that’s one gift you gave me, 2017. And although it’s sometimes hard to see it this way, I’ll continue to appreciate this gift for many years to come.

Expat LifeLauren MacBride2017, letter, memories, moments, new year, yearComment