2011

We only five months into 2011, and I honestly feel like it has been the most eventful year in my life; globally, politically, and personally. On hearing the news of Bin Laden's death, I was shocked, and almost in a state of disbelief. Seeing justice served to the person who brought my nation so much grief and pain was incredible. I choose to see his death more of a symbol rather than actually celebrating someone's death. His death symbolizes the end of an undercover tyranny. It is the end to someone who tried taunting and shrouding Americans in fear, and won for a short while. The unfortunate fact is that there are others who are willing to step up to his plate, but seeing the mastermind behind 9/11 gone is something I will truly never forget. All of the Middle East uprisings, and demands for leaders to step down has been another huge event in 2011. I saw Egypt throw out their leader, same with Cote d'Ivor. I saw people from Cote d'Ivor demonstrating in front of United Nations when I was in Geneva. At the time, I did not know the magnitude of what I was witnessing, but as the events unfolded, Ilearned that I saw something huge. The Royal wedding took place this year. While it may not have been overwhelmingly important, it was still a very historic moment that will go down in text books and be in museums. I have seen enough museums and portraits this year to know that their day will forever be remembered. Even 200 years from now, when school children meander through a museum, they will see the portraits of King William's wedding day. I was in Rome merely days before Pope John Paul II was to be beatified. While I am not Catholic, that was still something very historic that I had the opportunity to witness. On a less positive note, I will also never forget the natural disasters I saw this year. As for my personal life, so many, many wonderful blessings have happend: I have had the extremely wonderful opprotunity to pass the semester in France, which is one of my lifelong dreams finally come true. I have lived with a wonderful host family, and learned to speak a new language. I was accepted to UNC Chapel Hill, and I am enrolled! I met, and have the best guy I could ever imagine, who exceeds my expectations. Yes, 2011 has been quite a year for the world, the US, and myself. I can only imagine what the second half of this year could possibly be...