Writing my wishes for 2017 really made me reflect on last year. Today I look back on my favourites of 2016.
In 2016, life was difficult. Let’s not even mention the world political shit show. But personally it was difficult too. I took a job that took a lot out of me – even though I came out of it much stronger! What followed, was a lot of uncertainty. I left said job and interviewed for many others. Even though I got job offers, immigration got in the way and I had to leave the UK and the Brit. And I’ve been sans passport for a while now. Overall, 2016 made me feel ‘stuck’.
However, there were a lot of beautiful things about 2016. I loved reading posts about my fellow bloggers’s travels and personal wins. Friends got married, babies, new jobs. And all of it made me feel so happy. I also read more than I have in a long time! I visited places I’d never been to before. And today I wanted to take a moment to celebrate my favourites of 2016.
Your favourite (or at least most viewed) blog posts
>> 10 Things Not To Miss on Your Visit to Scotland
>> The Usual and Unusual of Life in Scotland
>> Expat Diaries – In Which I’m Exiled
>> Top 10 Attractions in Edinburgh
>> Eating our Way Through Rome
>> Obsessed with all Things Denmark
>> Where to Stay in Scotland During Your Travels
>> Expat Diaries – In Which I Wait
>> 2016 Wishlist & Goals
>> Creative February
10 favourite books
>> The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, Katarina Bivald.
>> The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart, Anna Bell.
>> The Smell of Other People’s Houses, Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock.
>> Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, HP Wood.
>> Everyday Sexism, Laura Bates.
>> Why Not Me, Mindy Kaling.
>> Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice, Beth Revis.
>> Super Sushi Ramen Express, Michael Booth.
>> Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert.
>> The Penguin Lesson, Tom Michell.
10 favourite ‘watch’
>> La La Land || Enchanting, inspiring, and touching.
>> Brooklyn || Emotional story of an immigrant. It hit close to home a few times.
>> Star Wars: The Force Awakens || I just loved this new chapter of the Star Wars franchise!
>> What We Did On Our Holiday || Witty and touching movie set in Scotland. Highly recommended!
>> Friends || I rewatched all seasons in December 2016 and it felt like friends. That’s all.
>> Age of Adaline || Technically a film I saw in 2015, but I couldn’t stop watching it through 2016.
>> Jessica Jones & Daredevil || These two Marvel series are tied at ‘I couldn’t stop watching’.
>> The Good Wife || We will avoid talking about the series finale. The rest was kick ass.
>> Stranger Things || Watched this one in a day. It was amazing!
>> The Good Place || I love Kristen Bell and this show was a fresh new thing in 2016.
10 favourite new places visited
>> Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
>> Dublin, Ireland.
>> Falkland, Fife, Scotland.
>> Boulder, Colorado, USA.
>> Riviere-Bleue, Quebec, Canada.
>> Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland.
>> University of Pittsburgh Campus, Pennsylvania, USA
>> Estes Park, Colorado, USA.
>> Denver, Colorado, USA.
>> Hermitage, Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.
10 favourite memories
>> Being reunited with my person in Colorado last March.
>> Spending my 27th birthday in St Andrews with the Brit.
>> Reuniting with my college flatmate, the one who introduce the Brit and me four years ago.
>> Seeing dolphins for the first time at Chanonry Point in northern Scotland.
>> Driving through the whisky route in Aberdeenshire in Scotland.
>> Spending a weekend in the company of the Brit’s family for this uncle’s 70th birthday and feeling really part of the family.
>> Watching the amazing comedy show written by one of my friends and see her perform in it.
>> Singing along at the concerts of City & Colour, Skerryvore, and KT Tunstall.
>> Having a paper accepted at an international conference, and then present it in front of a nearly full room.
>> Leaving Scotland was a terrible feeling, even though it’s temporary, but leaving made me realise that it’s now home and that was a beautiful feeling.
What are your top 10 for 2016?xx
