Wrapping Up 2017

Hey look! It’s the last day of 2017! I guess I should put something up here. I’ve got free time. I've got motivation. So! Here are my year-end thoughts, for those of you dying to know.

This year started off kind of rough for everyone in the U.S., but it felt especially so for me and Ari, because we were still living with my parents, after moving in with them *temporarily* in September 2016. It took us until March to feel comfortable looking for our own apartment. We hesitated mostly because Ari was having trouble finding a music teaching gig (or any kind of gig). But then he got a job he really likes, working with kids in downtown LA through the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

The first couple of months of the year were rough politically and personally. But then we moved into our cute lil apartment in Pasadena (with a balcony! My dream!) and we both were working, and things started looking so much better. So much better, in fact, that I decided to propose to Ari in the summer (July 15^th to be exact, our 8-year anniversary), since I felt like things were pretty darn good. He’d moved to California pretty much just for me, and we had finally kind of found a place that we felt comfortable in. So, he said yes! Our wedding is Feb. 18, 2018! And totally coincidentally, the number 18 is the numerological representation of the word for “life” in Hebrew, so it’s considered an auspicious date, which is kind of cool.

I guess those were the two kind-of memorable achievements of this year for me – moving into our own place (20 minutes’ drive from my parents! Who’d have thunk I’d ever agree to THAT?) and getting engaged to Ari. I still miss New York City quite a bit sometimes (mostly the people; sometimes I miss the snowy, wintery weather), and I know Ari is not sure if he’s OK with living out the rest of our days in the Sunshine State. I am open to the idea of moving again when we decide to buy a house. I just really would like it to be somewhere that has indie movie theaters and doesn’t get snow…..

As I feel most of my friends (and the strangers I follow on Instagram) have been saying at the end of 2017: This year was a pretty terrible year for the world, but personally it has been pretty good. I guess we’ve all gotta keep fighting the good fight against this T character, but we can all love and laugh and enjoy life somewhat while we’re doing it, right?

OK, that is pretty much my wrap-up for the year, except for one more thing. I think I did a pretty good job of seeing new movies this year, so I have compiled a shortlist of my top five of 2017, in order.

1.     The Florida Project

2.     Call Me By Your Name

3.     Lady Bird

4.     The Big Sick

5.     Get Out

Honorable mentions: The Beguiled, Good Time, Logan Lucky, Wonder Woman

Overrated: Baby Driver, Dunkirk, Blade Runner 2049

Still want/need to see: Phantom Thread, The Post, Your Name, Personal Shopper

I wish you all a wonderful 2018! 

Yeesh.

Well, hello there!

I've been putting off posting mainly because I wanted to feel settled before announcing any more news. And I realized that feeling settled is really a long way off. Thankfully, within my first month of moving back to the city of New York City (and constantly asking myself, "Why do people live in this godforsaken city?" one minute and the next minute, "Why would I ever leave this wonderful city?"), I was able to find a good teaching job (English Language Institute at Pace University!) and an apartment.

Both things (work and housing) are progressing, but at different rates. I feel like I am starting to get the swing of things at my job, but I literally have a saved email of an ever-expanding list of questions to ask my boss the next time I can pin her down for longer than five minutes--we don't seem to cross paths as often as I'd like.

As for the housing--Gggahhhahhhh. Ari and I found a pretty sweet apartment the day before his birthday on August 30th. It was undergoing brand new renovations, but they said we could move in Sep. 15th, and probably even a few days before that. Then we had to re-sign the lease. We were supposed to get the keys today, but our broker didn't have them and told us to call another guy, who said he could give them to us at 5pm, but then his phone was mysteriously switched off at 5pm. Finally got ahold of him at 7pm, only to discover that the renovations were still in progress, and...our building has no front door yet. So the keys aren't really necessary yet. The guy seemed surprised to hear that we were planning to move in on Sunday.

So, long story not so short, we hope to move in on Sunday. If our building has a front door. Things in general are not quite as settled as I'd like them to be, but honestly, I am happy to be back in this city. Ari's here! A lot of my friends are here! I can actually Skype with my parents (which was mostly impossible in Indonesia), and I can eat Chipotle whenever I want!

All things considered, it's okay if things aren't totally settled.

Back in NYC

Phew.

After a wonderful whirlwind the last two months, including visits to Bali, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Fort Collins, I am now finally settled--sort of--in New York City for the next few years.

I say "sort of," because right now I am essentially crashing in Ari's tiny room with my three huge pieces of luggage, and sharing his bathroom with his other two roommates (one of which, fortunately, is my good friend Michelle). However, Ari and I hope to get our own place in the next month or two. Where it will be remains to be seen. I really like Brooklyn, but if I end up getting a job in the Bronx or Queens or something like that, it would make more sense to move into northern Manhattan, since Ari's working on his master's at Teachers College for the next year or so.

So: job interview tomorrow, job interview Wednesday. Wish me luck!

Whew!

I just got off the phone after an hour-long interview with a representative from the English Language Fellowship Program. I'm hoping to teach English abroad through this program after I graduate from Teachers College, but it's a pretty long, thorough process before I find out if I'm actually going to get the fellowship.

They're supposed to get back to me in March to tell me if I've been "shortlisted" for any one project, and then if I get selected for that project, great! But if not, then it's back to the drawing board to hopefully get shortlisted for another project. So for now I guess I just wait. But it's nice to just wait sometimes (with fingers crossed)!

Just thought I'd post a quick update on my life for the people who are reading this blog from farther away. Now, back to assessment reading!

Look!  I am officially a "lecturer" at Cal State Long Beach!

I mean, sure, I'm technically only "part time," and I only work at the extension; but the card looks cool!