LOOKING BACK AT 2011

Since Chinese New Year is different to the normal New Year, I thought I’d include this post here (since I’ve left it so late anyway).

This year was truly the most amazing year of my life (so far). Here’s an insight of the main events that happened in 2011:

1. I left Russell & Bromley, Bond Street after working there for 2 years.

2. I jet off to Asia in January.

3. Started my internship with Tongue in Chic in February.

4. Had the most amazing three months with the Tongue in Chic team. I met so many lovely people, learnt loads of things and got to go to press events for Fred Perry, Topshop, Puma, MaxMara, MAC Cosmetics, Burt’s Bees, Quiksilver and Roxy, LeSportSac, Kenzo, Wrangler and more (I GOT TO MEET MEL B!!). I also got to feature in an advert!

5. Featured in Rosevelt’s latest album for their song Mirror.

6. I left Tongue in Chic in May and travelled around Malaysia for a while, going to the island of Langkawi to work with animals (I got to ride an elephant!) and Penang to spend time with family and eat yummy food.

7. Flew to Bali in June for a month of paradise. Every day was an experience and I had the time of my life there. 

8. I started work with Hello Bali Magazine and got to go to loads of food and cocktail reviews so I could write for their August issue.

9. After a month of beach, sun, sea and work, I flew back to Penang for a family reunion and spent a week with family – full of food, love and sun! 

10. At the beginning of August, I flew to Singapore for a couple of weeks to see the city in lights and spend time with my cousins. 

11. A day after flying back from Singapore, I jet off to Thailand and spent another few weeks there, shopping, eating and enjoying the sights. 

12. A few days after arriving back in Malaysia from Thailand, I flew back home to London, which was the worst day of 2011… After 8 months of sunshine, I came back to rainy, gloomy England.  I had the biggest ‘gap yah’ blues when I was home, but spending time with friends and family made me a lot happier, although it was unimaginable how much I missed my friends, family, the food, the sunshine, the heat, the beaches and everything else about Asia! 

13. I started university on September 22nd and moved into my lovely flat, everyone was so friendly and I enjoyed it straight away, and I love being so close to the beach, I really feel like I belong here! 

14. I went back to work for Russell & Bromley for the Christmas Sales, but this time it was in the Marble Arch branch. I got along with the staff there so well, I love them to bits. 

15. Finally, I spent New Years at a houseparty with my best friends from secondary school. I love how it seems like none of us had ever left, since we’re all at university now. 

And after a hectic but the most amazing year, I’m here in Falmouth, doing a BA (Hons) Journalism degree (which I was promised a villa in Bali if I complete from my dad…)

I always look forward to the years ahead and just hope it’s as good, or even better than the last.

Hopefully the Mayans are incorrect in their predictions that the world is going to end this year, because I feel like my life is just beginning and I’m definitely not ready for it to end yet.

GONG XI FA CAI! Happy Chinese New Year Everybody, have an amazing 2012.

XO