I've nearly been run over by bicycles at least 3 times since I came back to Leuven. After three weeks in the States, I keep forgetting to look both ways even on one way streets. There are way too many bikes here!! >.<

Anyway. Finals season. :( I don't want to write a 10 page single spaced paper. :( SIGH. wish me luck!

Think this post is three days too late, but eh, feel like I should still do some retrospection of 2008!

It was a year with its ups and downs, more so than usual. Let's see ...

- First Chinese New Year spent back in Chia-Yi after graduating from high school. First Chinese New Year as a working person rather than a student, but still got a decent amount of Red Bag money. :P

- Applying for school in Leuven and getting in ... Woo!

- Quitting work and all the agonizing and guilt-feeling that came with that. At the same time, a lot of relief after the deed was done and could enjoy summer once more.

- Going to Kenting with sister, Picker, and Dan. Hopefully the start of a yearly tradition. Will see how this summer goes.

- Finding out parents are getting transferred to Washington, D.C. during Kenting trip ... @#!@#$!@#%$#@$%

- Finding out our grandpa had lung cancer during the trip to Kenting as well. Then finding out grandpa passed away during our flight to Belgium. Sadness. But it's a good thing we spent quite a bit of time with him that summer as well. Especially with my mom coming back for relatively long periods of time.

- During registration for school, learning that my program had been canceled. Then having the program re-opened.

- Starting school in KU Leuven. Meeting the three other classmates in my program and realizing how much we had in common even though we were all from different countries and cultures. Also bonding over how inefficient and disorganized our program was. =.=

- Wandering around Leuven taking pictures of everything and anything.

- Going to Berlin to visit JC and eating Thanksgiving dinner (it's been a while!) and doing very little sightseeing. :P

- JC visiting Brussels with his parents.

- Visiting parents in Washington, D.C. and visiting the old schools, malls, etc. Trying to recall things from the childhood and failing more often than not. Sigh. Memory sucks!!!

- Seeing old elementary school friends. Oh how we've all grown. Good times.

I think those are the main highlights/lowlights of 2008. Hope 2009 will be even better! Happy New Year everyone!

Not for me, of course. I wish.

However, first day of the new year, and I witnessed a proposal take place right in front of me. Generally I'm so unobservant that I don't notice these things. This time, though, we were at Jefferson Memorial in D.C., and this guy asks my dad to take some pictures of him and his girlfriend. My dad pushed that job to me, so while the guy was showing me how to use the camera, he said, "Be ready, I'm going to get down on my knees." At first I was confused, unsure what he meant. But then he took the ring box out of his jacket to check, and I was like, "oh shit! He's going to propose!" And that is what he did.

So I was just snapping away and watching the story unfold in front of my eyes. At first I was kind of worried about her saying no, then that would be awkward. But after some gasping, laughing, and hugging, it was clear she said yes.

Man, that was kind of scary, though. What if the pictures sucked?! I mean, this is like once in a lifetime (I hope, anyway) opportunity.

But anyway, best of luck to that happy couple and on the subject of engagements, to Wazi and John too. :D Congrats! <3