This past year was a challenging and surprising one. I encountered adversity where I did not expect, and I found solace in the most unexpected places. There were quite a few obstacles, but I've made it to the end of the year, and I'm all the more wiser.
I want to say thank you to the people who supported me, namely my family and friends. They reminded me to hold my head up high and to forget about the people who acted against me out of jealousy and resentment. The path to success is not easy, and you will encounter these types of people on the way to achieving your goals.
2017 has taught me many things about myself. Although at some point I was at my lowest, I still grew from this experience and was able to meet such wonderful people along the way. It's been quite a year of events, and the number of positive experiences outnumber the negatives, so I wanted to highlight several below:
Longer-Term Goals
01. I got into my first choice of study at UW! I literally burst out into tears when I found out that I had been admitted into HCDE. Months and months of hard work had paid off, and I'm grateful for everybody who supported me. I still feel that "pinch-me-I'm-dreaming" feeling because I'm still not sure why they chose to put me in the 11% that got into the program.
02. My food photography was featured on websites like Eater Seattle and Zagat! If you follow my Insta, you know that I love taking photos of my meals. To be able to get paid to do this was a first for me, and it is so encouraging to see my work appear anywhere else.
03. I became a U.S. citizen as of February! My family's been in the States for several years now, and I'm excited for my new rights as a citizen of this country.
New Experiences
01. I went to my first opera with my best friend Alina. I was never much into musicals or operas, and I was so glad to have been invited to see one! I ended up enjoying it a lot (and later wishing that I could reach notes that high.)
02. I hiked up Rattlesnake Ridge and literally saw the reason why people say the Pacific Northwest is the best place for hiking and everything outdoors-y. Looking back on the photos, I'm not quite sure how I wasn't afraid of that altitude, but something about scaling that trail that makes me feel so proud of myself.
03. I ran my first 5K/mindfulness triathlon with my family! I had been training up to the moment, and we finished off the day with some yoga and meditation. Who would've expected I would do something exercise-y? Best part was that my parents and sister were there too, so I wasn't alone in complaining about sore shins the next day..
04. I found confidence in an unexpected place-- a thief. An ex-friend stole a few of my creative ideas, and though I was initially frustrated as I had never encountered a problem like this before, but I ultimately felt comforted by the fact that my ideas are good enough to steal. It further encouraged me to pursue my creative pursuits and surround myself with real friends who want to see me grow.
05. My summer workplace also invited me to go to a baseball game at Safeco Field, so I was able to go to my first game! We had a suite at the top, along with catering (hotdogs, anyone?). Now that I'm a citizen, it felt so American and I'm quite proud of that.
06. I witnessed political protest and was able to photograph it! I never used to partake in such things, but being in the midst of it all, I couldn't not capture the moment. It was empowering, startling, and inspiring.
07. I traveled to a different country! Once I got my citizenship, I immediately got a passport so that I could finally taste the Vancouver food that everybody talks about. I went with Alina's family since they were going on a day trip to Canada anyway, and it was exciting technically being out of the country for the first time in ~11 years.
07. I traveled to a different country! Once I got my citizenship, I immediately got a passport so that I could finally taste the Vancouver food that everybody talks about. I went with Alina's family since they were going on a day trip to Canada anyway, and it was exciting technically being out of the country for the first time in ~11 years.
Food Places
I ate so. much. food. I don't think I've ever tried this many new restaurants, cafes, and other food places in a span of 12 months before. I've tried so many that I literally had to create its own section in this post. I tried my best to tally them up, and I think it came to at least 50 that I could remember (in Seattle alone). Though I ate in new places in Canada and Portland, I've put the Seattle food places on a map below:
Other Notable Things
Generally, 2017 can be best summed up as a "year of experiences". There were just so many exciting things going on around me, and I'm only realizing this now as I look back on my photos throughout the months. The year just flew by without me noticing, and it's a little sad how quickly time is passing. Still, just a few more things that I was very excited about this year:
01. My little sister and I went and saw Yayoi Kusama's amazing artwork at the Seattle Art Museum. It took us 3 tries and many hours (in vain) to get tickets, but we managed to pull it off and see the exhibit before it left.
02. I got my wisdom teeth pulled out. Perhaps some of you wouldn't consider this such a major feat, but four teeth are a lot of teeth.
03. I completely re-made my personal website/portfolio from scratch. Admittedly, it's still not 100% done, but this project meant a lot to me educationally and professionally since HTML and coding introduced me to engineering in the first place.
2017 may have been challenging for many of you as well. But despite these obstacles we face, we've still managed to make it to 2018. Now, we're only wiser and stronger. I wish you all the best for the new year! As Cake Potato approaches its fourth year, I'm excited to see how my blog will further evolve and expand. Thank you all for your support!
