One year on

It has been one year since I have started to document parts of my life here. In this year I have gone through many changes, in locations, emotionally, and physically. The only thing that hasn’t changed are the finances. It seems like I have hit a plateau here.

The location is first as it is easy from Long Xuyen to Rosedale to Melbourne. Definite changes in the way the world operates around me. Long Xuyen was great I found warm and friendly people everywhere. Rosedale was the same, except smaller – think 100 people at most. The big city seems stagnated, lots of motion yet I find no direction. I feel comfortable here because nothing seems to move or change.

Physically I have changed. I have been fortunate enough to watch my weight move around like a scrap paper caught in the wind. It appears to have moved up recently, and I will blame all the delicious foods I ate at X’mas. I don’t think I have eaten so much in such a short while. Exercise wise, I have definitely lost any bulk (real or perceived) that I had acquired. All the shirts I got made to measure in VN now seem to slip on the shoulders quite a bit. Need to address this issue with some gym work or something J. Maybe even beer, if I can afford new pants.

Emotionally I have been through the ups and downs. Moving back to Melbourne was a tough adjustment trying to get used to a new lifestyle and climate. Along with that I feel the death of my grandmother (who I was close to) and a back injury added to the toughness of the adjustment process. It has been a few months now and the optimism has grown with a variety of small victories. This coming year I expect will be better than the last 6 months.

Work life has been successful. My fish industry project was a success, as with SEEK employment projects (yet this seems to never end J), and the climate change projects have definitely been done well.

My goals over the next year include starting my phd, getting out more to travel, and holiday in VN.