2012.

Each year, I try to do a review of the year. To reflect back, to identify the mistakes, to admire great pictures taken attached with fond memories, to be grateful for milestones achieved, to thank God for His unfailing love and abundant blessings...

If you were to ask anyone what was their greatest moment of the year 2012, I'm pretty sure there is no same answer to each one, each juicy and amazing in its own way. 

But this is the story about me, it is after all, my blog. Heh. 

Time and time again, we get reminded of how much we've grown. Through pictures, evidently; through aunties and uncles that meets you few times a year; through sharing with friends that knows you since young; through mistakes; through the different phases of life we embark on. 

Officially becoming an adult this year and finally entering the working force, I realize that growing old is exciting, but it comes with a whole baggage of responsibilities and challenges. You learn to see things not just from one perspective but from many other angles. Simply, judgement does not belong to us, sinners. 

I still get questions from people asking me about my America trip. Honestly? I don't think I'll ever get sick of telling my wonderful Sequoia adventure and the whole traveling stories, and how much I adore that amazing country! I learnt that life is not always about following the norm, taking that bold step to do things differently will bring about a whole lot of interesting elements we never could have imagined if we stayed in our comfort zones and never moved out. I admit, it wasn't the most glamorous job, but the experiences I've gained, people I crossed path with, changes and different culture that was embraced; was priceless. I wouldn't trade it for the highest paying manager job even! 

5 months and 20gb of pictures later, I'm stronger and wiser, and fatter.

Read: http://barashantashaka.blogspot.com/2012/08/9530-miles.html

The pressure was on when I returned to homeland in August, it was time to fight with thousands over fresh graduates, for a job that will pay me well, and to enter a company that can offer me great stability and learning curve. Battle score? I fought a pretty good battle, went through few dilemmas but finally settling for a war to out beat 700 over applicants and landed myself in TNT (and no, they do not make dynamites, gee). The job acceptance into a MNC, an industry that I knew absolutely nothing about, plus a job title that has so much expectancy and pressure; I'm coping well and loving it, so far :)

A dramatic change from a student life to a 830 to 6 working adult. From breaks as long as 4 months to restrictions of 14 days annual leave! Yes, I struggled, but it's all part of growing up, ain't it? 

*throws the mortar board into air*

Almost a year of delayed graduate joy, but to finally adorn that black robe and mortar board, to strut up that stairs to shake hands with the chancellor to receive the cert your parents paid so much for..you worked hard for, really is a pretty amazing feeling. To see the parental unit beaming with pride, warms the heart, knowing that you've done well and that they've completed their 'financial obligations' to us children.

My thoughts dated back on 2011: http://barashantashaka.blogspot.com/2011/12/phone-vibrates-new-sms-is-received-from.html

One of the toughest moment of the year was definitely bidding goodbye to my dearest Fiji. One thing I was really looking forward to when I was still in the States was the sight of him through Skype sessions with the family, but the last Skype session was his burial. Ironic.

Fiji, lived to 9 years. Jaundice had the good in him and his lung gave way :'(  

His brief eulogy I wrote to him in Vegas:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150989300194681&set=a.58728869680.58174.562529680&type=3&theater

Dearly missed, everyday.

Family and Friendship ties were strengthened, new bonds were formed. Old kin rekindled. There's no special categories of friends, really. There are those few that I hold close to my heart, but know that all of you plays an important role in forming who I am today. Each individual that has invested time in me, prayed for me, spoke wise words to me, or just being silly and exchanging rubbish conversations with me...

It all matters :') 

Because I truly believe it is not by luck that you and I crossed paths, but in every relationship, there's a special blessing in it.

365 days of adventure cannot be possibly summarized in a blog post. So heck, I shall go back to the justified appropriate 'length' of all speeches/ talks/ stories: 

short and sweet.

2012, you have been too good to me. 

I'm 21 and ready to take on 2013!

xoxo

9530 miles.

Memory is the basis of every journey...


February 25th, the day we set our feet on THAT plane, that took us to a country that we have seen so much in movies, a country that harbours an astounding collection of natural and cultural wonders, a country with a population of 314,201,000 and in short, we were headed for THE GREAT AMERICA.


Sequoia National Park was our workplace for 4 months, and it is famous for its GIANT sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the LARGEST tree in the world. True story.

For more information on the park, feel free to visit their website: http://www.visitsequoia.com/sequoia-national-park.aspx 

With only a windbreaker each, and absolutely no snow gear, the troopers survived winter in Sequoia! Being 13,000 feet (4,000m) up, it snows. Snowball fights were held with shorts at most times, Asians. Being my first time experiencing snow, we went pretty much ALL OUT. Sled rides, snowball fights, snowman makings, snow hikes, snowshoe-ing, 'boot-skiing', shoveling, snowangel creations, you name it, we tried it! Watching millions of tiny snowflakes falling off the sky is a really amazing sight. 

We were living in WinterWonderland, aka Narnia land for a good 2 months or so, then the grass started to make their way and the white land soon turned to green pastures, it's about time, flowers, HELLO SPRING!  More hiking trips were taken, and shorts were appropriate to be worn already. HEH. 

Work was getting pretty routinized, and we were loving the 'kampung' cabins lifestyle. Everyday did in a way, felt like a vacation. After all, we were living in a park where tourists from all over the world traveled up there for a getaway and to absorb everything nature has to offer. The days went by with more dramas, stories, experiences and emotions accumulated. 

I wish there was a pause button that I could hit because time felt like it was going on a fast forwarded pace. Before we know it, July was almost knocking on our door already. I was riding on an emotional roller coaster the last few days up there in the park, the thought of leaving people that I've grew close over that short period of time was one of the toughest part. To bid farewell to the beautiful, majestic views of the great mountains and trees wasn't easy too, but it had to be done. Bearpaw and then an epic fall, followed by a dramatic closure to my working stint in Sequoia and VOILA, it was a wrap! The packing sure was a feat when we had like GAZILLION stuff in that small 11x11 cabin! Goodbyes were said, litres of tears were shed, and then the official traveling BEGUN.

San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas and New York, each a brimming metropolis whose name alone makes us squeal in excitement and conjures a million different notions of culture and entertainment! And then there was the Utah and Arizona (Grand Canyon) to add to the America trippin' as well :] It's no wonder why only about 24% of Americans have passports when they are born into a country that is SO HUGE and have so much to offer. Europe was only a short span of 10 days, Paris and Italy! ❤ 

This eyes, have seen so much. Captured pictures and videos can relive the moment but to be personally there, to see the Colosseum, to watch sunset across the largest crack in the world, to view the nightlights of NYC at 1am from the top of the empire state building, to walk along The Strip, to watch 'Wicked' in the original Gershwin theater, to stroll along the Hollywood street, to cycle across the Golden Gate bridge, to be in Disneyland and experience the magic for myself... is simply a kind of happiness that is indescribable and just so overwhelming. 

Le parents, my strongest pillar of support. For this opportunity that many can only dream and for believing in me, GRACIAS ❤ 
Le fellow troppers! Nuff' emotional things have been said on you two, but really, thankyou :')

Special shoutouts will take place later on in one album so don't think I left you, you and you out! I definitely had my fair share of happy, sad, gnarly, elephantastic, outofthisworld and rougher times throughout this 5 and a half month span. One of the saddest part was the passing away of my dearest dog, Fiji while I was in Las Vegas. It has been more than a month since he has left us but it still tears my heart when his name is mentioned. He was family. He was a joy. RIP my dear, you have lived a great life and had brightened many souls while you were alive.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails."

Explore. Dream. Discover. 

Mark Twain

❤