A very mixed year (Looking Back at 2008)

Member Name: louanna8

Product:	Looking Back at 2008
Date:	19/06/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Things got better

Disadvantages: The year started off badly

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I moved to another country. France, to be exact and it was one of the best things I have done in my life. A new culture, language and life!

2. Did anyone close to you die?
My great-grandma, we weren't close exactly and didn't get along most of the time but she was still family and it was sad to see her go.

3. What countries did you visit?
Austria, Spain, Belgium and France. I'm not exactly a world traveller I know but it's a start!

4. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Confidence, both in my self and others. It's something I'm working on, a little everyday.

5. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
24th of August which is the date I came to France.

6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This carries on into 2009 too but learning to speak "proper" French is something I'm pretty proud of.

7. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not particularly, I have an excellent immune system :)

8. What was the best thing you bought?
My plane ticket out of England, not to sound too cliched but it was almost like buying a new start.

9. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Certain "friends" who seemed to just abandon me, particlarly at the beginning of the year when I had a few problems. However, I'm now a lot closer to those I know I can trust.

10. Where did most of your money go?
Plane tickets back and forth across the channel and phone calls on the same thing.

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to live in France and also my 18th birthday which was a really great day.

12. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Toi +moi by Gregoire was a great song of the year(ta main by the same artist is better but was only released a few weeks ago so I guess it doesn't really count.)

13. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Much happier
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner
c) richer or poorer?Eternally poor

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Smiling, laughing and just being happy in general. Again, this is more about the first 6 months of the year.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about things to come and dwelling on things that have happened that I have no way of changing.

16. What was your favourite TV programme?
Dexter was a great show last year.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I try not to hate anybody, it's not good for me and not good for them. There are people I dislike but it's something I try not to dwell on and I'm not going to name names.

18. What was the best book you read?
There are way too many to list, I think I read about 1000 books last year and at least two thirds were pretty good (don't know why I finished the others to be honst.)

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I didn't have a great musical discovery but was introduced to lot's of french music I'd never heard/ had the chance to hear before.

20. What did you want and get?
A second chance.

21. What did you want and not get?
To be a little materialistic not to mention unrealistic I had my eye on a motorbike but it wasn't to be.

22. What was your favourite film of this year?
Slumdog Millionaire was a fantastic film in my opinion. Very original and both funny and moving. The child actors were also better than any I've ever seen before.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 17 in 2008 and did nothing. It wasn't a great birthday to be honest but things can't always be great.

24. Who did you miss?
My family in the second half of the year, more than I expected to be honest.

25. Who was the best new person you met?
People I met in France; the little 5 year old so keen to learn english, the 28 year old woman who was unbelievably welcoming and a great friend, the 40 year old jockey who is one of the most open people I've ever met, the 22 year old "computer guy" who will talk to anyone regardless of language barriers and is completely crazy. These are just a few but there are many more people, I can't pick just one.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
If you try hard enough you can turn things around and make something of yourself.

28. What do you want from Dooyoo in 2009?
To read and write interesting and (very) useful reviews.

Summary: May the rest of this year be as good as the start.