My New Year Resolution

 I should have more time for friends and I should work less. That's it!

I could write a lengthy paragraph about how to be grateful for what we have but I wouldn't feel it honest - there are so many traumas that people go through every day, plus, I was also hit by my - usual - New Year anxiety. I remember when I was a child, I always cried when the national anthem was playing. Part of it was because of patriotism (ha-ha), but I really did feel so touched by it all the time! Another part is this uncontrollable and unexplainable fear of the future. I don't know why I was afraid of it, but I was. I would say now that I was afraid of the unknown. I was afraid of the possible scenarios, what could happen. That causes a lot of anxiety, I realize it now, but I also realize that we need to take one step at a time. 

By the way, the way Thai people celebrate the New Year, is slightly similar to that of Ecuador. It's a more intimate celebration than Xmas (of course, as people here don't celebrate Xmas :-) ), and everyone spends the Old Year's last moments with their families and everyone spends the New Year's first moments with their families. It's a lovely tradition, indeed! Also, by this time (by 1 am :O ) everything was fairly quiet. I read that the big venues in Bangkok were even closed - or streamed online if any - but in the rural countryside it was just a tiny bit of fireworks and that's all. 

When the clock struck 12, I realized, that I forgot: 

- to jump over fire (Ecuadorian tradition)

- to drink a glass of champagne (all-over-the-world tradition)

- to eat 12 grapes (Spanish tradition)

- to wear yellow or red underwear (Ecuadorian tradition but it is apparently something that Thais do, as well, and it has even snuck in Hungary, to some extent)

- to run around the block of houses with my backpack on my shoulders (in order to travel). 

But, we did eat pea-soup (well, not exactly soup, it's a dense sauce, called főzelék in Hungarian) today for wealth and health! Anyway. :-) 

I think the most magical experience for me this year was to see and notice how the clock struck 12 all over the world. First it was New Zealand, then us, then slowly Europe, and we were already preparing lunch, by the time my Ecuadorian friends said cheers and wished all the best to each other. Again, I feel so blessed to have friends in every corner of the world and keep in touch with them - even here, so I did not have to be alone, I did not have to be confined in my room, instead, I could chase balloons at midnight with a water-gun, like here: 

This picture is so me. Chasing my dreams in 2021 (sorry, I meant 2564), too! :-) 

Happy New Year, my dear Reader and I hope to report on many new trips in the coming year!