one year

Apologies for the schmaltzy post. Just wanted to put down some thoughts that I've been ruminating over lately.

Exactly a year ago today I left my job at The Paper and got ready for a two-month trip round the world, a move across country, going back to school and generally starting a new life.

In that time I saw four new countries, started a job in a brand-new field and one that I'm really starting to love, found someone that I really do love, and generally fell in love with my new city and school. Now I'm preparing to spend two months in Armenia doing my own academic research (frightening but exciting), starting the second half of graduate school (and the more frightening prospect of writing a thesis), and in just one more year figuring out the next steps in my life.

As I was talking to Sarah the other day, she commented on how much my life had changed in the last year and how it was exactly what I'd been trying to do for so many years but just couldn't figure out the HOW part. She's right. It took me a while to figure out what to do if I went back to school, but once I got that part down, everything else just sort of naturally followed.

I've felt pretty fortunate in the last year, but I also feel like it's been well-deserved, so I won't make many apologies about it. Only one more thing could make this year perfect: A Georgetown win in the final four tomorrow night! HOYA SAXA!

HOYA SAXA!!!!!!!!!!!

Georgetown is in the Final Four!

So is UCLA...

A Georgetown-UCLA matchup in the final you say?

Dad -- You're going DOWN!

march madness

First and foremost:

GO HOYAS!!!! (They play UNC in Elite Eight at 5:05 ET tomorrow!)

Second: An apology for absentia.

Since going home for spring break in early March I've been running around nonstop seeing family, getting school work done, seeing more family, obsessing over March Madness, and planning for a summer in Armenia!

Third: ARMENIA!

Yes, that's right. I'll be spending June and July in beautiful Yerevan on an ALL-EXPENSES paid fellowship to do research on electronic media's impact on Armenia's democratic trasition. Needless to say, I'm beyond excited. It's all thanks to this wonderful organization. So if anyone's looking for some floor space to crash on in Yerevan (or will otherwise be in the country this summer) let me know. It's gonna be a "hoyagab" time.

In other news: Vahan and I spent a nonstop week in California on my spring break and his vacation/meet-the-family time. He thinks he's the Mayor of Cypress Tree Lane. I think his head has gotten too big for the L.A. Dodgers hat he bought in Venice Beach. You be the judge:



Now time to cram in a little bit of reading before spending the afternoon with Anya and Zela who are here for their spring break, then dining with Vahan and his parents who are here for a funeral (not as sad as it seems as Great Uncle Aram was 96 years old and he got a full military funeral at Arlington Cemetery on Thursday.)

Let the March madness continue...