![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR0G8WDmduIGX37V_Hnx181d8yY-g4DpJNSzxDlQqOWrsCBEVIKYWno0dYXwlAyu5FW7c_MEGLCd1k-pOG7Dfv5FbTWa4KJDv4ZELD67vPDLMogXkx4e8PBROOS_gYRb2LLV-iiO0HGU/s1600/2018-recap.jpg)
Before the year ends, here's a quick recap of my favorite memories of 2018.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoESvhPJQ51Bdqi8jirBTqplt_LZutfGmXLnBVc5mT6HlBPAkEsJV99ZVoIA9fO1EfmU1TzcnPYPR0vwhT8o8v3TH0bqoNvQQ-3cnsgeAGwYsUQcn89K4OuHp3b51aOtyIikwl0pW0NhI/s1600/current-favorites-january-february-2018.jpg)
Bought my first Midori Traveler's Notebook, and discovered the joys of journaling.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3dOBZJ5U2jeoiByTMvwj2HlNWBBKPAIWCXRLc4_5PBWahuXey0Oz1mYmnV9reAzAc3i_-wY1SRshbm9KBkGZOxj9iLu3vCVV0Ho0CFCEaAhF8sbqRU8-BAeCXU92CTbMl0_h8X6N3iQ/s1600/04.jpg)
Also tried a bunch of other new activities like archery, drawing, and watercolor painting.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0aKyfsAwkqP_Rdw45X14GGeDITg6ijaxyG9uTAVhyphenhyphenPs55lqZzigZnR2jYyuT0LA2oTwoB6NLOIDImr1faR3IpPiupaA_a3WQmUkYpnsF9ComuFh6RUl7HcniWY6iDrTdb_5kQr3IYl8/s1600/18.jpg)
Passed the JLPT N5 exam.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvnYowWzTdHsNvVugsZP_THwVriMUtv4OGK1CRiHXqAk2xyGQJfZTSdABO9PYTiiPasT1mLs5CX6gdJcAlIxlWDOoG19TBjulDFWMAeNbGI3ZcroJ-npXkS1ubG0nugAq_dnt9hidrzk/s1600/12.jpg)
Boothed at Komiket, which was the first time we boothed at a con in a long time.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDT-fXhSV7mD3dOQVVz2wDWfPP8e_BRwsVcZiYjzfU7L70am2_n2LhHHWRzoDqbiJFk1sf6YxbRlXBjrXkKn3Mr5A2C5aF-Wwt8Oe0MmRsJE754_slKdT5AtuV66V5o1YQ-6s4EIEp3c/s1600/2.jpg)
Went to our third Bon Odori festival at Manila Japanese School in Taguig.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2XnJ0hN91y7KVD4AWmnP0PuEHvbRac-oC1BCJBPrOwUijF1g9_j4w3aqKr7MhXBbZff8W7sCLFZZ6wKovZhdkq0kLPzBwSDpUqGr7cprwcIUcEddqUD0V2LSSx0gh6dNwvYu7v_1oZc/s1600/upd.jpg)
Got to re-visit UP Diliman after a long time, thanks to Aian being invited for a talk at CFA.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXlUJdeBLAshyphenhyphenGlDAOWAYz4TTCm3XvprSie6TWjmUxuoeoq4AewNwqu5fFX2Gr3Z6aZAiSFnG6dVmOBqZD240LakJtAzAZqx-QWMLyx_zcsWBuuUruEUCW-SALaiaunQEiDEFTs0xQk4/s1600/drum+tao.jpg)
Saw Drum Tao in Manila with Aian and Allysa!
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXF8B75MNuBch_NSUuAVgizzoczc4oGniJNPlulg5jF0yrQWNOYrRPOEfCX827PPHNb5Ghu_IZKBPaYQxJGkWlqzQHP9U-0tCEchQ8ti4UKJdd5sRidrtDpBQZu2VGJqme3zrfA41pXE/s1600/batangas.jpg)
Went to San Juan, Batangas with the family and got to swim in the strongest waves I'd ever seen in my life.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzbnQine5-lSIttPol80emwV0xxJYPJuX_M5K1ou22KZ-TUtmeJgD_k7HnzCN_RbXnvq82MHSVMKVhExUiWWu6_WPZMG9ly4elcTFngQnzToKnIXaRYo80RkgtkTULN_emt_tjKgKkFw/s1600/jlpt.jpg)
Took the JLPT N4 exam, and ended up failing (lol).
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFkHr8WfZ_l3-cnvfzJa1NfBNEyXjfAogOeLUrWHguJ9yzecx9ylmXDujBSkqvqVpj4wDqfYtWw_ho2ET3FL1xf065dYMMGhacFKNLA0ZqIUpSdFzhG5JC5cYsgKEXn-GWqnV-X_vWdI/s1600/nekkoya.gif)
Got absolutely hooked on Produce 48, and ended up falling for a lot of 48 girls in the process. Also ended up hardcore stanning IZ*ONE after the show.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_J2kxD_vZWKdoc5kDH7EywVoLKtFZUuLANr23cc0HRfQvgLFTG9BTfr4ShBS6aWz6Opta3SgggEIRdnzfStlmoWlg-LLZPqp3QvSVxTxw65FP0rwfWfb4Zx7l2O21eolND8tdoWiMEI/s1600/buchi.jpg)
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZt-CEJH5Ch095ojIeUN8NiE5d7XD3KHHgI9jL5QFvuAqclDCnLMvyCe0iONEvtGQUAImLJYcjXGo8T-19o994jFE6O8rlMg8CB4e3A37Os6yXQY-j2RZ-eOWfLfQ8NwAt20NItmuVsjc/s1600/sosig.jpg)
Lost one of our precious babycats, but also gained another.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3CgJXPLI4fLFq56q-46QN9je_HXML5p13wqiuMjA9W5awDMUWG1XN3pbieyspR8__0SiwWFoeO7h05YhG6T3wG6iJvFYNJ62T5eIryu4Q7xuBXr6pZpfjxuJjnzaE0KSGWftxnw0QeU/s1600/komiket.jpg)
Boothed at Komiket again, and sold a bunch of kitty stickers.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliWPu36wHJfKt30WurNUy1-IC7Z1usLArSSXZR-J-ok8DVz9JTXwkxPsmF3ze0WqpX4qsRgTEy9NB-gj4bmEdMOnLFlcuZ9v5BXBfvxUqzPC-ubWjm443zhFdU8aaYny0Z2oCAZoMs6o/s1600/29.jpg)
Turned 29.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9QUdZQ0Nt8fTIi5s9tOAPoOSLE6JxP35Q6z-efpHAATuKs7TPLUpZoZX4416uoTeBrbtE32cc-ZdVpVriXLnP3MVYLKVXxu775p46Rs-9Ojkl9oJNJ5zChGQ5SQNxUxeyN543k2Ftv0/s1600/natsume.jpg)
Saw the Natsume Yuujinchou movie, Tied to the Temporal World.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAID72HoPkuiXgislfFoAnK66KKpBUZNEce94CJonrrBLwIMUEUiFbBnjEzRNZ1O12zO6KP6_whf0ilYlovNRAbXqW-R3K6XklbLpDVkJp8bcr1MqrOleIVPxA5Za8TckJwTT1U4aeS2c/s1600/kl.jpg)
Flew to Malaysia once again for Comic Fiesta.
![2018 recap | chainyan.co](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBPgYp0G6w5l6v0ieH0YYLnf3foHOT1nKnJdWbgM5IlctE_T3ZfN0l_Qenrcfl9xAiIIXCfs4_sjSmT3tBg_un3BlpHyxEfB5qDMjwYzWs7DyRVeynVtPO6RXmoJ_qHxN5Qjy_UMfD0c/s1600/stickerrific.jpg)
Finally got to visit Stickerrific! Also bought my second Midori TN.
And lastly, I spent my 9th year with Aian quietly at home, surrounded by all our babycats ♥
2018 was a year of immense growth for me, in a lot of ways. I learned a lot of new things, and grew to become more like the ideal person I envision myself to be. But despite all the good things that happened, Aian and I also went through a massive heartbreak. We lost Buchi, one of the kittens I practically raised after being born on our doorstep. He passed away just a month short of his first birthday, just half a year after he started living with us. His passing is still a bit hard for us to completely accept until now, to be honest. But we're healing.
I guess if I could describe 2018 in one word, it would be 'bittersweet'. Overall though, I became a much happpier person than I was in the past—something I wouldn't have imagined myself becoming before. For that, I'm thankful. Hoping 2019 would be much brighter for all of us. See you in the new year, friends! 👋
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