2012: In Review

2012 was another great year!

It was a year of international travels. My wanderlust brought me to the following Asian countries:

1 - Bali and Jakarta Indonesia (March)
2 - Taipei, Taiwan (August)
3 - South Korea (November)

Although in 2011, I visited one more than than this year (four countries - Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan), 2012 is more expensive.  My Japan trip was sponsored by the company I worked for, so literally I didn't spend much there.

2012 also brought me to the beautiful Coron, Palawan.  It is one place I always recommend to foreigners.
This year also as I promised myself at the start, I went home to Cebu very often.  One reason was to attend weddings of friends. (I wonder when I will attend my own wedding, hehehe...)

If it was a year of travel for me, it was also the year when my parents and sister went to the USA. And boy, I was glad to be able to pay for their airfares (in cash!!!).  I think if the petition came a year or two earlier, I wouldn't have the money to fund it. It was God's perfect timing.

Career-wise, 2012 saw my promotion - my first ever taste of promotion.  I have been working for ten years, and never had I tasted the glory of promotion prior to 2012. I had always been reluctant of responsibility.  But this year, I embraced it. The leadership journey was not easy but because I perservered, I now feel grateful for the leadership opportunity given to me.  I am happy too that I was given a mentor to help me in this journey. I asked, and I received.   Randy Pausch said it well, "Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and it can lead to all your dreams coming true."   2013 will be a year to ask for more, and seek for more opportunities.

In July 2012, I passed my CIMA P2 exam! I now have an Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting from CIMA. Two more stages, I will become a full-pledged CIMA.

Financially, I didn't feel burdened, but I still have not achieved my promise to invest in the stock market.  I did get another life insurance/mutual fund investments, but to invest in the stock market didn't happen. Oh I need to start it this 2013!

With credit card debt, I still have them but all manageable. :)

I became this year a World Vision sponsor and a donor for Unicef Philippines.  I am proud of this achievement! :)

Love life, it is the subject I am so interested in but seems it is not interested in me. The result is a failing mark.       I probably should create strategies for this to succeed. :)

2012 also saw my lola broke her pelvis.  It meant I had to shell out money from my savings (good thing I had some!) and meant more stress to my family in Cebu.  But God has been very good and we were all able to surpass this challenge.  I am happy to have spent New Year's Eve with my lola, and the rest of the family.

I end the year and start the new year with so much gratefulness in my heart. I am truly blessed.