2018 has gone by. Let me begin by wishing you all a happy, healthy and blessed new year. As I look back on the year gone by, I cant help but stop and give thanks to the Almighty for blessing me with such a wonderful and eventful year. A year filled with great experiences (both good and "not so good"), beautiful places, new friends.
Being in Manchester this festive season has been a truly amazing experience. Christmas celebrations starting almost couple of months in advance means that you have the city all decked up and in the festive mood well before time. Amazing Christmas lights and decorations adorn the city and accentuate its beauty. Christmas fairs and markets are a treat (literally !!) for all those wanting to have a great evening / night with friends or loved ones. Beautiful decorative items, mouth-watering street food and drinks make up the recipe for a perfect evening. Being Christmas season, you cannot miss the Christmas carol programmes being held across the city (some are even free…!!). Melodious voices proclaiming the birth of Jesus Christ fill the air – indeed making it a heavenly experience. I was fortunate enough to experience all of this during this past one month and for me it was a completely new Christmas experience than the ones I had in India (my home). Being away from family during festive times is always tough, but the festive atmosphere here in Manchester does help to a great extent to lift your spirits.
However, the past month was not just about festivities and celebrations. It was also a period of assignments / presentations / submissions / exam preparations. Also, we were required to submit our dissertation topics so that we could be assigned supervisors by the start of the next term. So most of the time before the break was spent immersed in books or in front of the laptops in a rush to finish and submit the assignments on time (which I was able to complete…). Over the Christmas break, many of my friends have gone back home to spend time with the family. For others, Christmas and new year celebration was in Manchester and let me tell you the New year celebrations too are mesmerising. At the same time, we all are trying our best to complete the pending assignments and prepare for the forthcoming exams.
So, as I write this blog, feelings of anxiety, hope, motivation and excitement fill my mind about this coming year. And I hope and pray that this "Vagón – 2k19" lead us to greater experiences, more beautiful places and much more amazing people. So Vamos 2k19!! Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the journey!
