so long, 2011. i loved you and i hated you and i loved you some more.

{january}

After dramatically dubbing a flight from the US to Europe as “the worst thing that ever happened to me", I celebrated New Year’s in Poland but secretly missed my friends back home (or maybe just the Thai food).  I posted some fisheye shots from Wels, Austria…Berlin, Germany….and Rome, Italy and got a teensy bit nostalgic about my college life.  A conversation with a random girl on a Polish train blossomed into a new friendship and my oldest friend back home turned 23.

{february}

I made my official debut as a professional accordion player and became well acquainted with ‘anonymous’ after posting an open letter to gyms in Germany.  I dined at Mozart Cafe in Salzburg with Kayla, wished a happy 2nd birthday to my European life and laughed hysterically at this text message.  I became completely obsessed with HIMYM and returned to Vienna only to realize I missed it so.  I ate Sacher Torte for breakfast and attended church at this famous cathedral.  I visited an old friend in Mannheim and ate a lot of crap.  I wore this outfit (or something to the effect of it) almost every day.  I ate this marvelous breakfast in Heidelberg and posted about the best weekend plans I’d had in a long, long time.  I also started this little series that turned out to be a great big hit.

{march}

I embarrassed myself by doing this and then we learned about the difference between Veruca Salt and Angelina Jolie.  I flattered myself by thinking this was cool and then began endorsing the Swiss army knife as the perfect bangs-cutting tool.  I reminisced about my best friend and liked the way this book smelled.  I ate McDonald’s for breakfast, followed by Burger King for lunch.  I wished my mom a happy birthday by posting these gorgeous pictures of her.  I had mixed feelings about living in Europe and found solace in a Polish grocery store.  I had a hellish experience on a German train and then my students fell in love with my sisters.

{april}

I took a 5 hour road trip to Berlin and I missed America some more.  I finally got a bus pass and it was a huge deal.  I declared my love for my new living situation as well as these heavenly creations.  I had a euphoric experience at Ikea and then ranted out a plea to Europeans.  I professed my love for Marie Antoinette (the movie) and I wrote a letter to the city of Salzburg.   I remembered my favorite Easter – spent in Germany and Austria (imagine that!).  I deemed this weekend the best of the year and I provided live(ish) commentary on the Royal Wedding.

{may}

I smuggled french fries into an Irish pub and then took a page out of Maria von Trapp’s book.  I experienced a bout of travel-induced delirium and wrote about how special it was introducing my parents to Salzburg.  I wished my mom a happy Mother’s Day and then ended up in a German hospital.  I realized I have a bathroom-related addiction and then missed my sister’s birthday.  I wore a giant blue cast and took Caroline to Poland.  I ate my weight in these and proved myself to be somebody’s favorite daughter.  I accidentally dressed up as Waldo and then nearly scared my mom silly with this post right here.

{june}

I continued to horrify my mother by posting this, this and this.  Caroline and I flew to Spain and ate plates upon plates of tapas.  I posted my first work-out tutorial and climbed to the top of Alhambra.  Caroline and I forgot how to speak English and  I almost injured an old woman on a train.  I posted my favorite photo of all time and confessed a deep, dark secret. 

{july}

I boycotted the 4th of July and spontaneously met up with an Italian friend in Salzburg.  I took another trip to Berlin and made my affinity for the Berliner Dom very clear.  I visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber and dramatized my history with Harry Potter.  I introduced everyone to my Franconian family and then took a day trip to Munich.  I explained why I was hospitalized and the chaotic aftermath that followed.  And I wrote about the Nazi rallies in Nuremberg as well as a beer festival in Erlangen.

{august}

I became an au-pair (for all of one day) and took a trip to Stuttgart.  I posted about an unexpected trip to France, followed by a blogger meet-up in Salzburg.  After another trip to the Berlin wall, I ate the best meal of my life in Berlin’s Turkish district.  ‘Anonymous’ yelled at me again and I went to Krakow!  I posted about two of my favorite Bavarian towns:  Salzburg and Rosenheim.  I shared deep thoughts after my trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau, followed by even deeper musings on McDonald’s milkshakes.  I said good-bye to two American girls and wanted to strangle an Austrian man.

{september}

I posted some lovely instax photos of Munich and Salzburg and then documented my flight home to the US (including a 6 hour layer at JFK).   I summarized my time in Oklahoma, which included indulging in Mexican food and non-Mexican food.  I awarded this town the title of one of my favorite places on Earth and then provided a fisheye illustration.  I read The Help and posted this strange, yet amazing, video.  Jetlag plagued me for what felt like months and I moved to Dresden!  I posted about my commute to school and found new ways to identify with the Kardashians.  Oh, and I turned 24.

{october}

I posted about friends in Dresden and my favorite restaurant.  My students asked me hilarious questions and I documented my day at Oktoberfest (and my night there, too).  I decided this day in Salzburg was perfect and this day in Cologne wasn’t so bad itself.  I realized living in Europe is really quite humbling. These fisheye shots of a summer trip to Cinque Terre finally made their debut and I shared my favorite Halloween costumes with the world.

{november}

I decided I have a few bones to pick with the Frankfurt airport and shared photos and a video of the wedding I flew home for.  I discussed my occasional struggle with being content and received a lot of nice feedback (thanks!).  I posted a second work-out tutorial of sorts, a fisheye tour of London and a glimpse of Dresden at Christmastime.  And I closed out Novemeber’s posts with a “Thankgsiving in Alaska” series.

{december}

I found a way to incorporate Andy Warhol into a post about Ireland (which isn’t easy).  I complained about early morning train rides and channeled Maria von Trapp once again.  I shared both my dilemma of cake-baking in Germany and a hilarious conversation with one of my students.  I wrote about a cloudy day in Munich, a trip to the baths in Budapest and a sleigh ride in the Alps.  I posed a serious question and wasn’t even being sarcastic, either.  I expressed my gratitude to be celebrating Christmas with family and reviewed the holidays here, here and here.

***

…and a happy New Year.

Let’s hope it’s a good one

without any fear.

-- John Lennon