Your Personal Review of 2008

1) What did you do in 2008 that you have not done before?
I taught English to a class of Germans over the summer. I was terrified when asked to do it but absolutely loved it and was a brilliant experience.

2) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I can think of although almost I have 7 friends who are currently pregnant and expecting their babies very soon!

3) Did anyone close to you die?
No one particularly close to, but someone that I admired very much. A local man who was well known for his dedication to the local carnival and his yearly appearances as father Christmas at various occasions. I had know him since I was little and he was short, a little overweight with a white beard. Throughout our childhood, my brother and I as well as our friends were utterly convinced that he was the real father Christmas! He was a lovely kind man and he died right near Christmas after being ill for a while. Unfortunately having always believed him to be father Christmas that was the affectionate term that a friend and I still used to talk about him. I choose the seriously bad timing of saying to her "oh did you hear that father Christmas died" whilst out shopping - unfortunately we were walking by santas grotto and a whole line of children heard my comment and looked rather devastated. Ooops.

4) What countries did you visit?
Unfortunately none! It was the first year that I haven't been abroad due to university commitments and lack of money! The only time that I managed to get away from home was a four day weekend break to Cornwall which was lovely.

5) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
To be a weight that I a comfortable with. Over the last few years I have been gaining a lot of weight and it reached a head in 2008 where I realized that it had gone to far, so hopefull 2009 will be a skinny year for me!

6) What dates will you remember from 2008?
Not really any dates specifically but I will certainly remember October as this was when I started my final teaching placement in a school that I absolutely loved. This was also the time that I actually realized that I can now teach and am ready to do it for real.

7) Did you suffer illness or injury?
No major injury thankfully although at the end of the year I was ill for two months solid with a horrific chest infection, virus and chronic laryngitis and then severe asthma that resulted in me ended up in hospital and wasn't a pleasant time. It felt like I was constantly ill! Although was probably caused by working too hard on placement.

8) What was the best thing you bought?
Other than clothes I haven't really brought much this year. I have brought some nice gifts for other people that I have been pleased with. My favourite item of clothing is my bench top which I brought as it is the most expensive item of clothing that I brought last year!

9) Whose behaviour has merited celebration?
A lovely girl that I taught. She is in year 9 and is known for her horrendous behaviour. She has been removed from school goodness knows how many times and is one of the least engaged children I have ever met. She had absolutely no interest in learning or doing anything that anyone asked of her. I build up a good relationship with her when I first took over her class and by the end of the year she was my star student! She worked hard, focused, was polite and had a complete turnaround in her attitude. She wrote me a lovely Christmas card showing her appreciating of what I had done with her and I am very proud of how she has changed.

10) Who's behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
An ex boyfriend who seems to think it is appropriate to spread rumours about me and still harass me even thought everyone has moved on.

11) Where did most of your money go?
Mostly on petrol going to and from school placement and then to and from University! I got through a tank of petrol a week last year!

12) What did you get really excited about?
Getting a surprised sum of money from the university! Well actually it was from the government as I am training to teach a subject that there is a shortage of teachers of in secondary schools. It meant that I didn't have to struggle for money last year which made life a lot easier an a lot happier!

13) What song will you remember from 2008?
Take a bow by Rihanna simply because it was played so much and I really liked it! And country roads by John Denver because it is the song we kept getting the german students to sing in the language school.

14) Compared to this time last year are you happier, fitter, more productive.
Definitely. My new years resolution was to lose weight and get healthier. The weight has been dropping off and I feel a lot happier than I have for the last year.

15) What do you wish you had done more of?
Exercise! It would have done me good and meant that I didn't have quite such a huge amount of weight to lose this year!

16) What do you wish you had done less of?
Eating! For the same reason above!

17) What was your favourite TV programme?
It has to be lost! Iv watched it since the first series and am utterly addicted to it. My addiction to friends has also grown!

18) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate last year?
Not really seeing as there is only one person that I hate! Although saying that my hate for her has grown stronger during the last year! She stole a large amount of money from my holiday club when she was working there, then bad mouthed us all over town. She used the stolen money to open her own holiday club over the road from us and only charged parents half the price we were charging to steal all our kids! She is a nasty spiteful woman and after years of providing a really good service we had to give up as the loss of money was just too much. Unfortunately there was no way of provng she had stolen the money as destroyed all the records the day she was found out. She still runs her holiday club and cons the parents as the quality of care she offers is horrific but she makes it look good to parents. Hopefully one day it will all come back on her.

19) What's been the best book of 2008?
The main books I read last year where university text books in order to do my assignments! I read a couple more Torey Hayden books and I do really like them as they are real and interesting and relevant to my career.

20) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Take that! Again!

21) What did you want to get in 2008?
New hair straighters as my old ones got broken! Luckily my dad got me them for Christmas! Oh and I also wanted an ipod touch which my daddy very kindly got me for my birthday!

22) What did you want and didn't get?
I was very lucky last year and seemed to get every thing that I wanted.
23) What is your favourite film of the year?
I loved forgetting Sarah Marshall and I also watched Hotel Rwanda for the first time which made a big impression on me.

24) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I was 21 and my birthday celebrations seemed to spread over a few days! On my actual birthday I had a party at my mums with family and friends. Luckily it was nice weather in July so we were able to sit outside till late.

25) What political issue stirred you the most?
I think that would be the horrible situation in Zimbabwe as my Aunty is Zimbabwean as is my boyfriend and so It was something that seemed very relevant.

26) Who was the best person you met?
I met a few really great people on my final teaching placement and they are certainly all the best people I met last year. They were really supportive and I have become close friends with many of them.

27) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?
That I am capable of a lot more than I realized. If I want something then I can achieve it and also that I am proud of myself and how well I have done.