Ciao ciao 2014, Coucou 2015

2014 was one of those years where I kept waiting for something bad to happen, because often it seemed like everything was going too well (forever an optimist, ya know). I am so grateful for the adventures I’ve had this year and the people who were there by my side.

Where I Went

• My biggest adventure, sans doute, in 2014 was moving to Aix-en-Provence, France–where somehow I was able to jump over all the bureaucratic hurdles to rent an apartment (and now I even have a bank account and health insurance!)
• On the way, I got to spend an incredible (and incredibly cold) 18 hours in Reykjavik, Iceland
• Once back in France, I got to return to Paris (where I left my heart in 2011), Marseille, and Cassis
• …before I left though, I returned to Atlanta, Georgia, to visit my grandparents
• But I also got to see new places all over the world–like Lyon, New Orleans, and Playa del Carmen.

Who I Met

• Anne the child squealed as I met Robert Osborne in March (happy birthday to me!)
• Anne the adult became mute as I met B.J. Novak at Politics and Prose
• & I found endless inspiration in Julia Child, if only through her memoir

What I Did and What I Learned

• I had to say goodbye to Washington, D.C., after celebrating with a picnic at Gravelly Point
• I learned how to write calligraphy and that yes, even I can finish a half-marathon
• I celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas in Provence

Where I’m Going

My first inclination to is to write “who knows”–but we’ll wait on that. Short term, I’ll be going to…:

• Sevilla in February
• Rome, Florence, and Venice in March to meet up with my baby seester

Tips welcome (and encouraged!)

Merci mille fois to everyone who helped me celebrate in 2014, from my parents who still think I’m kind of crazy (endearingly, I hope?) but have supported my move to all my friends who have been by my side–2014 has been one of the best yet.

And since I still haven’t shared the photo booth pictures from my going away party, voilà:

Ciao ciao, 2014.♦