As always, with this time of year... A recap:
January
I was living with my mother, had $688 in my bank account, love struck over someone who didn't love me back, and I had just landed my "dream job." I painted. Pink became my favourite colour (and still is, an entire year later). Got vertical labret piercing. Said goodbye to boy-I-loved.
February
Realized early on that said "dream job" wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. And the commitment that I thought the job meant scared me so bad that I applied to VSO's NetCorp program. I was still love struck. I visited my University town and her. I took a trip up the CN Tower and drank cocktails. Talked to Jen for the first time ever. I accidentally snorted while laughing for the first time ever. Formed a mild obsession with an ex-boyfriend after a night of goood making out.
March
Made out with someone I had convinced myself (in a drunken stooper) that looked like Eminem. Got myself an interview for VSO. Fucked my OCD away and stayed with homeless kids for a weekend. Got accepted into VSO (27 people accepted out of the 750 who applied (brag, brag!)).
April
Moved into the cutest little three story house with a garden. My first home, all by myself. Best ever. Said goodbye for the fifth year afterwards. Changed my name! Turned 23. Was a computer genius. Was still in love with someone who didn't love me back.
May
Chose The Gambia out of my four placement options for VSO. Pura Vida. Had a conversation that changed my point of view on my current boyfriend at a crowded bar. Got my first real girlfriend. I was still in love with someone who didn't love me back.
June
Got too drunk and lost my girlfriend. Got angry at a hippy. Went on a road trip with my sissypoo. Got back together with the girlfriend. Started being a smoker again. STILL was in love with someone who didn't love me back.
July
The Boy came back, he didn't smile when he saw me, and I promptly fell out of love with him within 24 hours. Ha! Falling out of love feels goooood. Broke up with the girlfriend, and entered into a secret relationship. Got more piercings. Loved my siblings. I started falling hopelessly in love.
August
Fell deeper and deeper in love. Prepared myself for my trip to West Africa. Said goodbye to my sister on her first big trip away from home. Ran smack dab into a glass door. Moved to The Gambia
September
Had a horrible kidney infection that caused a temperature of 104, and contemplated wimping out and heading home. Smoked cheap-ass cigarettes and gave up my hopes of quitting. Missed the biggest hurricane in Nova Scotia, in like, ever. Was misdiagnosed with Malaria. Learned the pace of the country. Read a whole lot of books. Had a whole lotta nightmares (thanks, Lariam). Got my Gambian name, Alimatou Bah. Got drunk at a British High Commission party. Moved into my house. Developed a paranoia (thanks again, Lariam) about bugs. Fell in a pit latrine.
October
Got my hopes up and down, up and down for my boy to come to The Gambia. Got homesick. My Boy found my journal. Didn't have any good friends here until the very end of October. Had a rabies scare. Swam in the warm Atlantic for the first time. Worked on my tan. Got fed up, and then fell back in love with Africa. Dressed up in African wear, and went to a real Gambian wedding. Fasted for one day during Ramadan (water never tasted so sweet). Met Geoff, The Gambia changed.
November
Decided to leave The Gambia five weeks early to make My Boy and I happy (and because I'd be able to achieve all my goals here before leaving anyway, so it doesn't matter in the long run). Started seriously thinking in terms of WE and not I. Dealt with my first water outage in the country. The Dry Season started. Got myself a social circle. Ate food out of a bag. Wildlife, like hella. Saw my first monkey. Wrote a long entry on my time here.
December
Explored happiness. Helped a Gambian propose. Changed my point of view on "Development" Work. Dipped my feet in the Atlantic ocean on Christmas Day. Had the longest conversation with My Boy in four months. Got kittens!
**
This year has been separated into three parts. 1. Living away from my friends, and being obsessed with a boy who didn't love me back. 2. The summer of strange relationships- my first girlfriend and the love of my life. 3. The Gambia, West Africa.
It's been a hellova year. I've changed so much. My outlook on my life and other people's lives has totally shifted.
And I found The One I want to MARRY!
10:43 a.m. - December 30, 2003
Recent entries:
It's been twenty years. - September 07, 2021
Don't Delete Me, Dland! - October 20, 2004
Started Again - March 22, 2004
The End - January 19, 2004
Tofu - January 15, 2004
My profile
Archives
Notes
Diaryland
Random
RSS
others:
narcissa
unclebob
quoted
mrpopo
unresolved
itsmylife
tinok
bevanandjen
leftunspoken
lauralgood
argyle-socks
verdulero
anamlabodis
amysloss
methybeth