So 2013 is fast coming to a close and I thought I’d take a break from Malaysia blogging to thank everyone who’s been reading about my adventures.

2013 has been a shaky but overall amazing year. The first few months were filled with uncertainty as I waited for word on my post graduate applications. For anyone who has been in a similar situation, waiting on an institution to tell you whether you’re good enough to study with them, its very scary. I vividly remember getting shakes and sweats while reading admission requirements. I could literally feel my heart beating through my chest.

This was my second year applying to study Occupational Therapy. For those following the blog, I was wait listed at Queen’s University for the class of 2014, but was sent a final rejection letter while I was in Abohar, during my mission trip teaching English in India. It was a harsh blow but I promised myself not to get discouraged and apply again.

Sure enough, after many nights of prayer and mini freakouts, one morning in May, as I was waking up from my dorm bed in a hostel in Honolulu, I got my acceptance letter to Queen’s. I couldn’t hold back those tears of joy. A HUGE weight was lifted off my shoulders! My outlook on the future became instantly brighter.

Hawaii was just a taste of the travel I would do this summer. With its amazing mountains (click the link for my guide to hiking the most breathtaking trail) and oceans (both of which I will blog about in the coming year), my excitement for my trip to Southeast Asia grew. SEA came around and each country I visited offered something special. I fell in love with Thailand and its vast selection of thrills and adventures, Indonesia for its raw beauty and friendly people, and Cambodia for its rich history and the struggles of their people.

I’m now one semester into my master’s in Kingston, Ontario. It’s definitely been a different kind of adventure with its own set of challenges but I take joy in writing about my adventures for the pleasure of anyone who cares to read them. I thank God for the wonderful opportunities that I’ve gotten to study and travel, the family that’s supported me and the friends that made each leg of my travels above and beyond what it could have been had I done it all alone. If you’re reading, I hope I’ve inspired you to pack your own bags and hit the road. May the new year bring on many more adventures 🙂