In retrospect

Some people consider the change into a new year just a random date on a calendar and nothing more. But I love January 1st - the idea of wiping the slate clean, starting afresh and planning new adventures. It's also a great opportunity to reflect on what's gone before, a ritual that I picked up after living in Japan. 2009 will certainly go down in my personal history as a Year to Remember - for both good and bad reasons. The melanoma scare in January certainly was a wake-up call, and combined with my 30th birthday in July it was a catalyst to re-evaluate my priorities and focus on what's really important. Conclusion of this process: work less, play more!! I didn't fully achieve this but I'm definitely on the right track... We also put down some roots for the first time ever (by buying a house and a car), but an unexpected backlash of this turned out to be a sense of feeling trapped and 'stuck', both geographically & financially. Luckily my perspective has shifted now and I'm thoroughly enjoying having a home and the freedom to take our car on roadtrips :-). Amidst all of this were great friends, fantastic journeys to Europe, Japan and Australia, and lots of new experiences. Here are some of the most memorable ones:

• Best visit: my dear friend Liesbeth & her husband Piet hopping over from Yokohama, Japan to explore New Zealand in January. They were my first Belgian visitors ever, which caused heaps of excitement and good times!
• Biggest relief: finding out in March that the malignant melanoma found on my shoulder hadn't turned into full-on skin cancer. Before that I'd had a few sleepless nights pondering the worst case scenario...
• Ongoing frustration: my recurring insomnia, and as a close second the feeling of utter powerlesness when confronted with the injustice in this world. I need to either grow thicker skin or start making a difference. Oxfam Trailwalker, here I come...
• Greatest reunion: this one is a tie between my family and best friends in Belgium, and my dear friends in Japan. Being able to spend time with all of them after nearly two years was simpy awesome!
• Loveliest surprise: Vaughan treating me to a helicopter ride over Wellington for my 30th birthday. A tad decadent but the 20 minutes in the sky and on the South Coast will be remembered for a looooong time
• Greatest inspiration: the launch of the Global Poverty Project in Parliament, where the founder Hugh Evans gave a goosebump-inducing, compelling presentation that energised the audience. Based on leading research, the 90-minute '1.4 billion reasons' presentation articulates the facts of extreme poverty and demonstrates that by making simple changes everyone can be a part of the solution.
• Nicest career achievement: setting up a successful newsletter project which has showcased our NZAID community. I'm also quite pleased that my first conference presentation ever, in Canberra in December, went off without a hitch. Phew...
• Loveliest weekend: hanging out with some good girlfriends in Gisborne a few weeks ago and completely unwinding after a gruelling period both at work and at home. All four of us had just been through some type of life change and I felt an amazing sense of sisterhood (apologies for sounding like a Hallmark card!). Thanks ladies :-).
• Laughed the hardest: at Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy, who did a hilarious impression of a Wellingtonian during his performance here in May (you had to be there).
• Worth watching: I felt more drawn to documentaries than movies in 2009, with my favorites being Afghan Star, Nailed to the Bottom, and the confrontational, in-your-face Enjoy Poverty. Meryl Streep continued to amaze me in both Doubt and Julie & Julia, and I also fell completely in love with Away We Go (went to see it twice in the cinema!)
• Culinary paradise: without a shadow of a doubt this was found in Melbourne during our five-day trip there in November. The sheer variety & quality of food available at the Queen Victoria Market blew our minds, and that was before we tasted our way through the Italian, Vietnamese and Lebanese neighbourhoods. Can I move there, please?
• Blog discovery: the amazingly wise and talented Marianne over at Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping. Her writing and outlook on life inspired me immensely during a few dark moments this year. I'm starting a weekly yoga class with her as my teacher this week and can't wait!

What are some of your memorable moments of 2009?