In these times it’s appropriate to round-up what’s happened and predict what will happen. I will make my own futile attempts at the same. This is also the last post I write from Hong Kong in the following weeks as I am about to embark on my greatest trip so far – a 23 day long backpacking trip through Singapore, Malaysia and potentially other countries that will let us in. With us I mean Patrick and me (and later we’ll hopefully meet up with Claes). Unfortunately my lovely Shirley will not be part of the team and she will stay at home. I will surely miss her!
Anyhow, let’s make a really quick sum up of 2005 (concerning me, not the world events). 2005 is by far the most eventful year in my life with great changes and challenges. I finished off my regular studies at Chalmers this spring and began to realize my lack of interest in the field I’m studying. I went to two great trips this summer, one to Scotland with my family (one of the best trips I’ve had) and one to the medieval town Visby in Gotland, Sweden where me and a couple of friends dressed up in medieval clothes and wandered around on markets. Not extremely eventful, but nice! However, overshadowing all this is the beginning of my exchange year in Hong Kong at the University of Science and Technology. I left Sweden in the end of August and by now I have forgot how that cold country up north was to live in…
Hong Kong of course broughts it’s share of changes. I found a good friend in Claes, my fellow Chalmers student on this exhchange year. I also started with some sports; swimming, squash and gymming (reduced to gymming, if anything, by now). I met many nice friends among the other exchange students and went to Beijing with some of them – a truly memorable trip and a great insight into China. I started dating in Hong Kong and recently, on my second (or so) try, I found Shirley, a real lucky draw (which might my life in the long run, who knows?). And the year ended with a visit from my family, a visit that was nice and strange. Nice of course to meet them, to talk and pretend we were just on a family holiday from Sweden. Strange that as soon as they departed, the feeling was gone and I was back in my normal HK self. I’m sometimes so adaptable I get scared…
Creatively speaking, this year has been decent. The spring and summer saw some really good roleplaying, especially the campaign played in July-August. Through that campaign I got involved in the production of the Swedish RPG Noir. In the end of 2005 my long-time employer Neogames, the biggest Swedish roleplaying publisher, got bought and hopefully this will impose some changes during 2006.
And when it comes to the materialistic side of me (which seems to grow out of control đ ) 2005 was very eventful. I have bought, among other things, a new laptop, iPod, mobile phone, expensive clothes, all kind of computer accessories, camera and lots and lots of DVDs. Never before has so few (I) bought so much in such a short time…
So, what about 2006? I consider myself a decent predicter of future trends in science and technology but when it comes to my own life I haven’t got a clue. Although I will make some appalling attempts right here, right now:
2006 will be the year of great decisions. The greatest decision of them all is – should I stay in Hong Kong past my remaining 6 months or not? Let me just shortly enlight you in the matter – my HK visa and housing arrangements ends in June. By then I’m supposed to return to Sweden and continue my life, business as usual. But there are reasons to think of alternatives. Hong Kong is in many ways a much more interesting place to be than Sweden. The most interesting thing with HK happens to be Shirley and that is a big reason in itself to arrange something. HK also offer a great weather and many opportunities for those who can’t take challenges. Can I?
Not knowing yet what I will decide 2006 is very ambigious. In the spring I will continue to spend time with Shirley, study what I’m supposed to and try to find ways to stay here – prolonged studies, internship, regular work or other solutions. If everything goes as planned, I also have to pursue a lot of other projects (G knows how I will find time for that?) – starting up a software business (high priority), producing for Noir and producing for Neogames, as well as continuing my efforts on this blog and other sites of mine.
Further predicions? Nah. I won’t go there. I have no clue what will happen. I can through some completely random and unsupported suggestions into the air, more or less plausible: road-trip through the US in June, massive roleplaying in Sweden during the summer, several travels to China and Japan in general, preferrably together with Shirley, getting a decent source of income in the fall. And beyond 2006? Moving to Canada and getting married, or, maybe equally plausible, becoming a Buddhist monk? Well, I dunno! đ
I will keep you posted in the case a small part of you actually are interested đ As for now, I’ll pack my things up and depart on a truly unplanned journey that can take me anywhere (in Malaysia). Travel reports will come.
Minst sagt ett hÀndelserikt Är! =)
Grattis till Shirley! =D Hoppas ni hittar en bra lösning till avstÄndsfrÄgan (Àven om jag sjÀlvklart hoppas att du kommer tillbaks till Sverige). Vi som firade nyÄr tillsammans för nÄgon vecka sedan diskuterade lite om vi skulle kunna göra det igen nÀsta Är. Ska bli spÀnnande att se hur utspridda vi Àr över vÀrlden vid det laget.
Jag hade ju hoppats kunna komma och hĂ€lsa pĂ„ dig i samband med nĂ„n av pappas affĂ€rsresor – det verkar faktistk som han skall till Kina i vĂ„r, men tyvĂ€rr inte till Hong Kong. Jag har dock inte gett upp hoppet helt Ă€n đ
I second that 2006 will be the year of great decisions. And I guess the decisions I’ll have to take are about the same as for you. Good luck making good decisions. At the moment, it seems pretty hard for me.
Great post, and to echo what has been said already, 2006 will be a year of fundamental decision making, if everything goes according to plan. Life is an exciting experience, thats for sure…