A good year personally, a bad one financially (Looking Back at 2008)

Member Name: lillamarta

Product:	Looking Back at 2008
Date:	30/03/09 (370 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You learn

Disadvantages: You lose

:: Introduction ::
It may be April already but believe it or not, today was the first day that I felt I was starting to fit into my new life in Marseille, after 9 years of living and working in London, UK.

1) What did you do in 2008 that you have not done before?
I went to live in Mauritius with my partner who got recruited for an expat job from France there.

2) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my twin sister to her little girl Sara Greta who is one year old today 30th March.

3) Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully noone.

4) What countries did you visit?
Hungary, France, Mauritius, Reunion Island and Madagascar

5) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
To realise a long term business idea and be more independent financially.

6) What dates will you remember from 2008?
The birthday of my little niece 30th March and 26th September as this was the day I left England for Mauritius.

7) Did you suffer illness or injury?
Well, a minor one but it really scared me. I got sunstroke after a day trip in the middle of the bush in Madagascar. I've never had sunstroke in my life so I didn't know what to expect. I was vomiting uncontrollably and was feeling terribly unwell and thought I caught some kind of a tropical bug. Luckily a nurse checked on me and reassured me that it was just a sunstroke, whuh!

8) What was the best thing you bought?
I'm a perfume collector so the best vintage buy was a discontinued eau de toilette from Lalique called Nilang. I bought it just for the bottle and its rarity but it's one of the most beautiful scents I've found so far.

9) Whose behaviour has merited celebration?
My sister's way of looking after her little one. She's such a devoted and patient mother, I don't know if I could do that but I guess you adapt and fit your whole life around the baby.

10) Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Politicians who aggravate the state of the world. It's terrible as it is so there's no need to make it even worse.

11) Where did most of your money go?
Either holidays / flights abroad and other usual living expenses.

12) What did you get really excited about?
Living in Mauritius for 3 months.

13) What song will you remember from 2008?
I don't really follow the charts buy pop albums though I've been listening to quite a lot of Radiohead and Mogwai last year. I also discovered the Notre Dame de Paris musical and I got obsessed with it, especially with the song 'Belle'.

14) Compared to this time last year are you? Happier, fitter, more productive?
I feel happy and anxious about my new life so I can't say I'm definitely happier. I have a lot of insecurities regarding the relocation in the middle of the biggest economical crisis since I remember it. I've lost some weight though I didn't change my fitness routine (I don't really have one, in fact, I'm less active now). I'm not working at the moment though I'm looking to develop my own business so again, it's something waiting to happen.

15) What do you wish you had done more of?
More exercise and a bit more money to put aside.

16) What do you wish you had done less of?
I'm an up and down person, so I regret feeling bad, crying and having depressive thoughts.

17) What was your favourite tv programme?
I don't watch television.

18) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate last year?
No.

19) What's been the best book of 2008?
The best book I read in 2008 was The Physician by Noah Gordon.

20) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not very different from 2007. I've been listening roughly to the same artists from French Variete and World Music. One artist that particulary stood out for me in 2008 was Touname Diamate.

21) What did you want to get in 2008?
A nice time in Mauritius.

22) What did you want and didn't get?
To stay longer in Mauritius.

23) What is your favourite film of the year?
My two favourite genres are drama and comedy. In the former, it's 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'. My award for 2008's best comedy goes to 'In Bruges'.

24) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I was 34 and me and my partner accidentally moved into our new flat on the same day. I can't remember whether we went out for dinner or not as we went out quite a lot in January to catch up with old friends.

25) What political issue stirred you the most?
The US presidential elections.

26) Who was the best person you met?
Some friends we went out with in Mauritius.

27) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?
No matter how carefully planned, things can change the last minute and everything can fall through.

Thanks for reading.

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Summary: A good year for me I will need to remember to keep positive this year!