One last post to end 23
8:07 PM
I turn 24 in 3 days. Makes me look back in retrospect and think how 23 was significant to me. Apart from having to turn older quicker than everyone else,I kinda love how my birthday falls in the month of January. Everyone's still in a festive mood from the remnants of Decembers' partying and fired up with new resolutions to take on the new year.
This year my birthday falls in that odd wandering period of the Chinese New Year holidays. I mention "odd wandering" because although it isn't an official public holiday, a lot of people are still on leave continuing to enjoy the prosperity that the dragon year hasushered in.
Truth be told, I am not even the least bit excited to be turning 24. Maybe it's the roll of the tongue when you say those numbers or the fact that as I write this I feel that there is little to look forward to in the coming months? To eliminate the lack of enthusiasm, I forced myself to be inspired enough to come up with this blog post so I could recap all my achievements in 2011
and hopefully put 2012 in perspective. After all, I should remain an optimist because I hear that 2012 is a good year for the diplomatic rabbit person (yours truly).
So 2011 kicked off with me starting all over again in the motherland.
taken from SkyBar durig Allan's 24th Bday celebration (Jan 2012)
I did not know if I was going to be back for good or if it was just a phase I would grow out of once I revisited the place I called home and reconnected with my family and friends. At that point in time, deciding to work in Malaysia was one of the least likely decisions that I would have made.
The Internship
taken during Louis Vuitton's annual dinner, theme 70s (April 2011)
Interning at Louis Vuitton Malaysia in the public relations department was yet another venture that fell onto my lap pretty soon after I returned to Malaysia. All I knew was that I needed and wanted an internship to pass my time not very long after my return so that I could pick up some useful skills. Also, it didn't hurt to beef up my CV with written achievements. I have to admit that I only accepted the position because LouisVuitton was an exclusive name and to be associated with it was an honour on my part. And additionally because it was the highest paying internship that I had come across.
Besides, I was curious to find out if public relations was something I wanted to venture into in the future and before I knew it, I was frequenting a posh penthouse office in the luxurious Starhill Gallery smack in the center of KL everyday. It mattered at first that I had to take the LRT back and forth to KL everyday and that my life was like a flashback of scenes from Devil Wears Prada but it all played out to my advantage at the end of it all.
I realized that it really paid to be organized and I got a taste of working directly with media publications. I even got a chance at writing one of my very own cover letters which was circulated to the most exclusive magazines and which I will be endlessly grateful to the Assistant Public Relations Manager, Jasmine for. I suppose although it felt like I was moving from day to day in a routined manner, I managed to inject some form of creativity into the job scope and I am ever so grateful to have left my mark on LV in a way.
Travels
2011 was a year that really took me places which I find quite ironic given that I was forced to be rooted in Malaysia even though my thoughts strayed about starting a life in a different country.
It started off with Singapore once my internship ended. Felt like I needed to get away and see Akash for a bit which is exactly what I did. But Singapore turned out to be as much as a holiday as it was a reason to spend quality time with the person I loved. I knew from this trip on wards that there were many more to come for us.
Taken on the Boardwalk from Sentosa Island to Singapore City (April 2011)
I can still recall clearly how thrilled I was to finally visit Universal Studios in Singapore. It was really all that I had ever imagined. (April 2011)
Flinders Street Station. Melbourne's trademark. (April 2011)
Next up was Melbourne where the sun shone brightly and city bustled with vibrance. The countless markets and ad hoc street shows and events were all a real entertainment and I could tell why so many choose to flock to Melbourne and make a living there. I enjoyed everything really, from the diverse food choices to the museums which boasted culture and the shopping although I was overwhelmed with frugality. Will definitely visit Melbie again.
Reconnecting with old friends. (April 2011)
At Yarra Valley for wine tasting with the family. April 2011.
Taken from the Park within Queenstown. May 2011.
I think one of the highlights this year was Queenstown but in a very subtle sort of way. Queenstown was breathtaking. The views were amazing although the weather was slightly too frigid. Definitely one of the most serene places I have ever visited. I mention that it was a subtle highlight because it was actually our last stop during our three week holiday and we were all pretty worn out by then. So it was the perfect way to end the awesome trip. My mum, aunty Purni and I made this our to go destination after my graduation in Auckland.
Breathtaking Milford Sound. A place you definitely have to visit at least once in your lifetime. (May 2011)
taken from the peak of Kings Park. June 2011.
And then there was Perth, Western Australia. Perth, again, was as much as a trip as it was a getaway to spend time with the person I loved. There was so much about Perth that reminded me of Auckland. The laid back lifestyle, the rolling hills and acres of parks, even some parts of the city itself. So much so that when I walked hand in hand with Akash down the walkways that felt somewhat familiar, it seemed perfect. Like we were back in the days when we had just met and everything was funnily uncomplicated.
My second visit to Perth. Taken at Freo (Oct 2011)
Achievements
I guess my biggest achievement was finally graduating with a double major in Economics and Psychology. I finally ended my phase of education this year to move on to another phase in life - WORK. I think I was high on life during my tenure at Auckland Uni. I loved being busy, loved being part of an organisation, loved the exam buzz and most of all, I loved the people that uni allowed me to stumble into. I started the journey alone but came out of it with a whole throng of people I learnt to love and trust along the way. It was one of the most amazing journeys I have been on to date and to finally have it end, I felt like part of me was left behind. But here I am, having started anew, with the sweetest memories that I took with me. And with many relationships that stand strong til now.
A picture with the family. Taken at Aotea Center, Auckland. May 2011
Another with my UMSA mates, people that made Auckland feel more like home to me. Taken in Albert Park, May 2011.
Groupon office (Sept 2011)
In July 2011, I became part of the Groupon family. I think this was the peak of my year. Joining Groupon was one of the best decisions I have made to date. There were other job offers, there were other opportunities, one of which was to apply for a work and travel visa and leave my family once again to live abroad. And in place of all those, I chose this. Groupon has been a roller coaster ride for me. The first couple of months plunged me into an unexpected twist of events and for a moment, I was convinced that I had chose the wrong path for myself. But resilience took over hopelessness and as I strove to achieve perfection, I began to really live for each and everyday and cherish the moments that went by. This was what completely differed from my experience at LV where I just lived through the phases. Groupon allowed me to actually enjoy every single moment while gritting my teeth to achieve what was expected of me.
In sept 2011 I graduated as a Groupon employee.
Months into it and all thoughts of quitting has left my mind. I keep learning from the experience everyday and the friendships that have culminated with time keeps me rooted even during the most trying times. Groupon beams with a culture that is hard to come by in a society that swears by pure achievement. It challenges you to speak up for yourself and allows your voice to matter. It allows you to be involved and feel like you are involved. And its rewards are endless, be it in the form of incentives, learning or people that you will meet along the way and within the organization. Of course I would really be appreciative if I were given the chance to expand my skills and acquire a position of leadership. But I am grateful everyday for the life that Groupon has enthralled me with because I am the sort of person who lives for an outlet like this.
Groupon expands with 120 employees, Dec 2011. This was during our christmas Secret Santa revelation party.
The working life has awarded me with independence. I have had three salary increments ever since joining Groupon and incentives which allowed me to formulate a savings plan. My increase in net worth is confusing at the very least and deeply gratifying at the most. Confusing in the sense that now that I have money, I don't know if I should start shopping for more branded items or if I should save the bulk of it for a rainy day. I think I am still a bit tight on my purse strings but I know how to reward myself when the time calls for it. Eitherway, I still have plenty of time to consider between branded or not judging by the number of working years that I now have before me.
Relationships
After joining Groupon, my social life definitely heightened. But I am the type of person who likes to base my life on the depth of relationships rather than the width of it. It's great to have a whole lot of acquaintances but I think what's even sweeter is to have friends that I am comfortable around and who I can truly confide in. 2011 was definitely a year of networking for me. A year of reconnecting with those who truly matter to me like my immediate family and the friends that I have had the priviledge of knowing since forever.
My central support unit. Everyone important to me is standing right here except for Leeza Foo who was away in the US of A during this point in time. Taken during my 23rd birthday party at Souled Out, Hartamas. Jan 2011.
My amazing bestfriends. I just realized that we truly are a travelling sisterhood unit. Lee Hua has been to UK and back and currently resides in Singapore as a posh architect. Cassie was once in UK too (ok, for a short period of time) but I think she has traveled journies of her own within Malaysia itself and within Deloitte to be more precise. Leez has gone to US and back and wishes to end back there someday. And through all of our journeys, we have still come back to each other with hillarious stories and thoughts to share. I love this friendship of ours and wish that in years to come, nothing about it will change. Picture taken at The Hills during Leez's 23rd birthday (Aug 2011).
Pictured here are some of my amazing colleagues who support each other through thick and thin. Without these guys, the Groupon experience would have fallen short. Taken at Brotzeit German Bistro, Mid Valley. (Dec 2011)
All personalities come shining through at Groupon. :P At our Halloween Party at a rented bungalow on Jln Gasing. (Oct 2011)
Last but not least, my relationship with Akash has grown tremendously this year. Ironically, the further a person is, the more you know about them. Things that work and don't work. Our temperaments. Personalities and the mounting of problems. We pulled through. Don't think it was easy, at least for me it was not and for him it was probably harder but at the end of it all, I am that much more grateful that he is a part of my life. There's this funny little thing called love. It drives you crazy but you can never say you have truly lived without experiencing all of it.
Another Beginning...
The social media team at Groupon asked me how I wanted to end my year back in 2011 and I replied : With lotsa love (see above). I think I really did end my year last year with lots of love. I could feel it jumping at me from all directions. Although sometimes I would beg to differ, because after all I am a worry wart, drama queen, slightly pessimistic and partly ungrateful sort of a person. Fact is, I am truly blessed and lucky in every way possible. We all are. We just forget to realize it sometimes. Because every one of us is so immersed and far off into our own little misconceptions of perfection, we forget to pat ourselves on the back for the things we have achieved and beat ourselves up over things we cannot seem to. Think about it.
