My 2015 Reflection

Just like previous year, I like to write reflection of my 365 days journey in one writing prior to embracing another year with full joy, expectation, worry and hope at the same time. I have to admit 2015 was not the best year of my life but I learn a lot from it. Here are some highlights:

1. Travel

If you know me (even not so) long enough, you will know that my biggest passion is traveling. I travelled a lot in 2015. I lived in 3 different countries, visited my home country Indonesia few times and mostly spend my time in Australia.

January
I started the year of 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal doing my summer internship there, went back to Sumatra, Indonesia my home town for few days before heading back to Canberra, Australia by 29 January.

March
I travelled to Shanghai, China for a week to lead ANU delegation for HULT Prize Challenge 2015. We did not win but had a great experience and learnt a lot from other participants and the competition.

April
Summer break I travelled to Sydney and Wollongong with some of university peeps.

June
I went back to Indonesia for a week to visit my family.

June-July
I travelled with my then boyfriend across Queensland, Australia for 13 days by bus. Cairns-Townsville- Airlie Beach- Rainbow Beach-Brisbane-Gold Coast-Byron Bay. Finally visited Great Barrier Reef although I had a sea sick the whole trip.

July
I travelled to South Korea for a week for a MIKTA conference as I was nominated by my university to represent Australia. I went there directly from Byron Bay right after my winter trip finished so it was pretty odd that I brought my bikinis and all the beach clothes to the conference.

November
I started my globetrotter journey one day after my birthday (16 Nov). So I started from Sydney to pick my Schengen visa for Europe, went to Brisbane the same day and stayed there for 4 days, travelled to Fiji for a week (flight was from Gold Coast airport), back to Sydney for a day and went to Bali for 3 days.

December
I flu from Bali to Paris where I had a presentation in Sorbonne university in conjunction with COP21. It was a great highlight; I reunited with some lovely old folks there. After a week in Paris I went to Ghent, Belgium, to visit a friend and stayed there for four days. I went to Medellin, Colombia directly from Europe. The most direct and cheapest way was from Madrid, Spain. So I booked my ticket from Brussels to Madrid. And here I am now in Medellin and has been here for 3 weeks. So far so good. I met a bunch of cool people, visited many interesting places, eat a lot, socialize a lot and learn a lot from Colombian culture.

 

It feels weird to see my face in the university page.

2. To Let Go

I broke up with my boyfriend by middle of the year and will never turn my head back to see the past relationship. Forgiving him and me is the best deed of all. A quotation that I put as my phone wallpaper for long is strongly applied here “No matter what it is job, friendship, relationship, if it does not make you happy, just let it go.” I also learn from the relationship that there are people that you want to keep in touch forever and there are people who you just need to cut off from your life.

3. Achieve

I like to keep my self-busy. I involved in many organization this year including 180 degree consulting, Indonesia Student Association ACT and Australian wide, PARSA, and CSSA. The book that I co-write was published. I went to China, South Korea and France to represent my university for different conferences and all paid by the university or the organizer. I worked as a bartender and also did some volunteer works including for Canberra Multicultural festival and SEAT4ANU program, not to forget being an MC for environmental seminars and welcoming party. As I am blessed with many opportunities to go abroad, I had a seminar in my university where I spoke on my experience on how to seize the opportunity. 

Me giving presentation in Crawford School of Public Policy.

4.  Health

Most of all, I deal with my general anxiety problem and it seems that the external stressors compounded it. I used to think that my constant feeling of worry was not a big deal but I was not feeling so happy that year. So I started visiting counseling centre, practise meditation and yoga and also tried to regularly go to gym. By the end of the year, I feel way better. I am happy now and although sometimes I feel blue but it was not the same like when I was in Canberra. I learn that there are many people who deal the same thing with me and it is never too late to seek help because no matter what type of mental issues you are dealing with, it could happen to anyone, anywhere regardless of social status.

This helps me a lot through my hard time, really.

5. Friendship

I met some people that became good friends of mine. Some cool people who are not only there when I am happy but most importantly when I am sad. Help me dealing with self during my tough time. Those are people who I randomly met through random events, a new friend I met in my hostel during my trip in Fiji, old friends that I reunited in Paris and Belgium and also new friends in Colombia. So here you go, friendship is not about how long you know the person but how connected you are to each other. Thanks for being with me when I was dealing with my personal problems. You know who you are. ;)

Friends on my Birthday!

I hope the best for 2016 ahead. Happy New Year from Colombia everyone!

Lots of love,

Olivia