A year in review

When I started out in 2011, it was probably the first time I faced a year without having it all neatly planned out. Not that things always go as planned, but this was something new. I didn't even know which hemisphere I'd bee in by the end of the year. 

I think "roller-coaster" seems like a good word to describe 2011, though strangely it doesn't feel as fast as one. In fact, this year seems to have felt a little slower in overall length. Either that or I'm getting used to how fast the years whiz by. So here's something of a summary of my year: (mostly in chronological order by grouping, except for the last group which is more random).

University

• Decided for some insane reason to tutor 4 classes, help with ling dept admin and study 2 undergrad language courses during the first semester while waiting to hear if I was going to Oxford
• Got accepted into Oxford
• Studied isiZulu for the first time since school
• Submitted my final scholarship application
• Got told I didn't have the scholarship (no going to Oxford :-( )
• Scholarships people found my lost application form and decided I would get a scholarship (going to Oxford! :-D)
• Marked essays for the first time in my life - about 40 of them!
• Had a 4 month holiday without any uni
• Moved to Oxford!
• Started my studies at Oxford.

The Web

• Joined TLC chat (after attending their annual prayer day and made lots of friends with TLCers)
• Got encouraged to write a Fan Fiction based on Narnia by one of those friends
• Got promoted to a moderator on TLC
• Lost some of my new TLC friends when they decided to leave :-(
• Found out I wasn't going to Oxford and started a blog
• Found out I was going to Oxford: joined Face Book and started another blog
• Got reacquainted with old friends on FB
• Organised and took part in the Narnian Summer Challenge on TLC
• Got promoted to staffie on TLC

Faith and Church

• Learnt a lot about how God works through the whole scholarship debarcle
• Switched from being a senior to junior youth leader
• Finally figured out how to play the keyboard properly in church :-p
• Helped the replacement keyboardist/pianists in church
• Moved to Oxford and found a new church
• Met up with the college CU and made new friends

Other

• Flew for the first time
• Left (Southern) Africa for the first time
• Went to the northern hemisphere for the first time
• My first winter Christmas
• Living on my own for the first time
• Made new friends amongst the other Ling grad students at Oxford
• My first Thanksgiving
• Had 5 separate Christmas dinners between 25 November and 25 December
• Got to know Myriam and Sarah and their families by staying with them for a weekend each
• Finally got to watch some Doctor Who
• Read Abigail Hartman's book, The Soldier's Cross
• Visited London for Christmas
• Spent New Year in Oxford

My main wishes for 2012

• Get more settled into my work
• Get more settled into my church

Thanks to everyone who has been there for me this last year. It's been full of ups and downs, but I am forever grateful for all who have helped me through it and the massive transition it has brought.