25 Things I did the year before turning 25 – A Pre-Birthday Reflection
I feel ecstatic that it was SO hard to narrow down this list to 25 items. I could easily list off over 50 AMAZING things I did or experienced this year. Compared to the years I spent working at a safe, corporate job in New York, my 24th year of life was beyond extraordinary. It wasn’t all exciting and happy – there were dark moments and times when I realized just how little I know about the world and about myself, times when I feared for my future and if I would ever “figure-it-out.” Even during those relatively few and far-between lost moments though, I had hope. I am much happier than I was a year ago, and incredibly excited about what my 25th year will bring.
- I quit my safe, secure, “dream” job for the complete unknown
- I volunteered at Art Relief International in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I met amazing people and scratched the surface of understanding Thailand much better than I would have as a regular tourist
- I spent a weekend in Pai, questioning yet enjoying the western expat oasis, and then suffering through the already nauseating 3-hour ride back to Chiang Mai with a bout of food poisoning
- I went to Chiang Rai and got lost in local, modern life, instagrammed some monkeys, saw the Golden Triangle, and explored the artistic White Temple and Black Houses in awe
- I took the slow boat to Laos – again with food poisoning – and met many friends along the way
- I took a natural dye and weaving workshop at an ethical silk company in Luang Prabang, Laos – where I also experienced too many things for this list
- I went tubing in Vang Vieng on the most wild and fun day of my entire trip, if not life (not that it took much to achieve this)
- I saw Belle and Sebastian, the Tune-Yards, and Caribou at a concert on top of a mall in Bangkok, where I also experienced reverse culture shock at the modernity of the city
- I did a 5 day yoga retreat that felt like 5 weeks, where I learned a lot about myself, good and bad, and had a truly unique, thought provoking, physically challenging experience
- I explored the majestic ancient temples of Angkor Wat
- I spent a day learning to make pottery with a local Cambodian woman in Siem Reap, where getting to talk with her was the best part (and buying way too many souvenirs, necessitating buying a wheeling suitcase, was not)
- I flew to Sihanoukville and went to Otres Beach – where I pretended to bartend for an Australian stag party, got a terrible sunburn, and encountered so much terrible lodging that I thankfully I was able to crash with friends from the Yoga retreat
- I spent a day shopping at social enterprises in Kampot, and ran into a friend I met in Pai for the third time in a different country
- I learned about the horrible genocide in Cambodia through several educational and tragic sites in Phnom Penh
- In Hong Kong I spent the night in a triple-layer bunk bed before spending the entire next day hopping from restaurant to restaurant, eating way too many meals
- I came home to New York just in time to attend the bridal shower of one of my best friends, her bachelorette party in Flordia, and finally her beautiful wedding in New York!
- I mourned the loss of my Grandfather alongside my family during a very difficult month
- I completed a month of painting classes at the Art Students League
- I took up weekly guitar lessons – though I still suck terribly
- I participated in my first “Startup Weekend” and my team came in 2nd place!
- I took a road trip to Osheaga Music Festival in Montreal with my college friends and got to see some of my favorite bands live while eating too much poutine
- I got a new job at a Marketing startup in Brooklyn!
- It took my parents, hundreds of dollars in car damages, my married friends, an unrented apartment in queens, and a lamp to spend a night with my ex. IYKYK lol
- I spent a fun Halloween in Boston with my high school friends
- As an early birthday present, my family went to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and HARRY POTTER WORLD!