One Year Older

From today, I cannot confidently put myself in the early-thirties category. I turn 34 today and because birthdays are not a big deal to me, this will be a short post. The year between birthdays 32 and 33 was one of tremendous personal growth and change. I overcame the biggest obstacle to my mental well being a few weeks after my 32nd birthday and spent the following year growing into my new self. It was intense and daunting at times, but I managed pretty well. Comparatively, the last 12 months weren't as momentous. I say that without any trace of disappointment--not every year can or should be a watershed year. One doesn't have the emotional resources for it.
The standout feature of the year was that I spent five months of it in India for my research. That' s a long time to be away from one's base and it was challenging, especially given my uneasy relationship with my country of birth. But, now is not the time to dissect that part of my life, as important as it is. The next 12 months are possibly going to be most challenging of my professional life. It is the culmination of a journey I began when I left behind a promising career in financial journalism with little thought of what I would do after my Master's degree. When I write my next birthday blog, I will have submitted my PhD and be awaiting my defense. If all goes according to plan, I might even have a job in the field and country of my choice.