One Year

It's been one year since I moved to Montana - one year a at new job - one year away from an amazing group of friends - one year further from my family than I've ever been.

I learned that:

• I'm really good at program planning (or, re-learned that - I think I knew that in college.)
• I dislike basement apartments
• I like smaller towns
• How to write grants
• I like designing infographics
• I am perfectly okay spending a good amount of time by myself
• However, I still need community (But that community/friends like I had in DSM take time.)
• How to ride my bike with no hands.

What I'd do differently:

• Try more churches - I only visited three throughout the year, settled into one, and then never really felt like I had a part there, and eventually just gave up all together
• Have more of a stable morning routine - especially when the churches fell through - I read for a while, and that was lovely, but then I fell out of that. I think living above ground will help with that again.
• Write more - I had plenty of free time this past year, and I could have spent much more time writing. Now that grad school is looming, I wish I had more time to write (non-academically.) It's one of those things that will continually be pushed to the side for other life priorities, and I wished I'd utilized my time this past year a little better - as in, did I really need to watch all of Doctor Who? (Yes, yes I did. But none-the-less, I still could have written more.)

What I'll miss:

• No humidity
• Dry snow
• The climate controlled basetment
• No mosquitos (in the valley - they're terrible in the mountains, so I must be specific.)
• Bluebird days
• My co-workers, who gave me so many opportunities, challenged me and taught me so much about non-profit and community work.

Don't you worry Montana, I have a strong feeling that I'll be back after this next adventure. We're not done with each other yet.