2013 year in review


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Published: November 10th 2013
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New Year's New Year's New Year's

At Disneyland =)
Whereas 2012 was the year for Europe, 2013 was the year for America. I rediscovered the beauty of my home country and I am gaining a deeper appreciation that grows with every passing week. I spent the first three months of this year in Chicago, the following four months back in my hometown in Southern California, and I'm finishing off the year here in Washington, DC. In between moves, I had the greatest fortune and pleasure in snatching glimpses of other parts of the country in Southeast Texas, Northern Oregon, and New England. Following tradition, I should be celebrating the New Year back in California.

Southern California marked a chapter this year of endless sunshine, a restoration of peace and balance to a spirit admittedly depleted from a few years of cold, stress and work. When I returned to California with my lone suitcase and carry on in early April, I dropped my stuff and went outside. The race to the finish over the past four years had come to a close. It was an instant change of scenery, a return to an old and distantly familiar environment. Mountains replaced the concrete backdrop of my bedroom window. And I focused
My all-time favorite Chicago roommatesMy all-time favorite Chicago roommatesMy all-time favorite Chicago roommates

(I seriously miss you all, SO much)
intently on restoring my once celebrated tan. It was sunny nearly everyday I was in So Cal, from early April until early August. Outside of my ritual runs, I never wore shoes. Oddly it was the small things that I associate with California, like the perpetual sunshine, driving, desert nights, early morning hikes, getaway trips to the beach and mountains, and omnipresent Spanish decor which made me realize how much I missed it. And of course, my family and friends that have grown so close they have become my sisters. That is where my home truly lies. Every passing week where I lost myself during that vacation brought me back to my teenage years, an era I had long forgotten. And I realized, the idealistic Yasmeen of 15 was very much alive and strong.

That said, I miss Chicago so much. The initial move to California and then to DC was unbearable. Weather and wind aside, I can say with absolute confidence that Chicago is the most vibrant, soulful, and beautiful city I have ever encountered. The city is real, it doesn't try to impress the visitor but rather accepts them as they try to discover Chicago's true essence through it's neighborhoods and people, lost in between the skyscrapers and endless sky blue lake.

On August 5, I boarded a plane with two suitcases. Two suitcases and my laptop, and I took a one way flight to start a new life. It took me the longest time not to associate a "big" city with tall buildings and endless crowds. Washington is different, it feels calmer, despite knowing the irony that it serves as the nucleus of the United States. In certain glimpses it looks like Europe, with revival Greco architecture and patches of cobble stone streets. And if every city in the world has a word to describe it, "polished" might have been my first impression. But as the weeks carried on, and I settled more and more into my new life, I began to appreciate DC. After the solemn moments at the Navy Yard and the government shutdown, my respect for the city grew. There are two sides to Washington- there is the side that the world believes it to be (Capitol Hill), and there is the city where people have lived in for generations. The politicians at Capitol Hill come to conduct business here and then leave, they do not necessarily carve out a true Washingtonian identity. There are also the students and young people from all over who flock towards the city in hopes of beginning long and successful careers. However, the real DC I have found is the side that quietly endured the government shutdown, standing by for several weeks unsure of when they were able to return to work. The population who knows the ins and outs of the city, whose families have remained here when many move out and on. The under recognized who make the city beautiful and strong, giving a foundation for not just this area but for one that extends throughout the whole nation. That is the DC (along with the milder weather and gorgeous scenery) that won me over.

So here I am, in between class assignments, taking a moment to reflect on this phenomenal year. Despite the changes in geography, several things always seem to remain constant: my running rituals, my sensitivity towards the weather, the marvel towards change. As a final thought, I think running has always been the real constant in this year and in past years... all of my most peaceful memories stem
Hyde Park neighborhoodHyde Park neighborhoodHyde Park neighborhood

My honorary home.
from the moments and hours when time seemed to have stood still as I let my body and mind run. Paris, England, on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, along the beach in Galveston, through the forests here in Washington. That might just be the only constant for the time being, along of course with a basket full of amazing friends and family who cheer me on every step of the way.

My Odyssey continues.


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Helllloo San DiegoHelllloo San Diego
Helllloo San Diego

(taken early April 2013)

Hotel Coronado Hotel Coronado
Hotel Coronado

... hotel California.
AlbaAlba
Alba

friendship est. 2003

a creeka creek
a creek

too close to home =)

backdropbackdrop
backdrop

traded in sky scrapers
LexieLexie
Lexie

friendship est. 2005
photo 4-20-13photo 4-20-13
photo 4-20-13

the only thing running through my mind: "this is SO much better than college."


Roses bloom year round in Calif

Wing tipWing tip
Wing tip

Off to visit family in Texas


Thanks for the home-made graduation cake Tia!
Two favorite people in this worldTwo favorite people in this world
Two favorite people in this world

my little bro and my cousin Alex :) and the elephant she won.


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