As the year draws to a close, I thought it was fitting to pause and reflect on the whirlwind of experiences, challenges, and growth that marked the past 12 months. Turning over a new leaf seems harder this year, as it involved an unprecedented number of changes and moments I cherished at work, and with friends and family.

The decision to pen down this year-end recap — which, admittedly, came out of a mere inclination to revisit the past — very soon turned into my desire to document small, meaningful moments of change and growth that could otherwise be overlooked.

Consequently, I have decided to make this a celebratory document of milestones, a nod to lessons learned, and a recognition of the resilience that carried me through these times. This is not going to be a rundown of my best work or my proudest projects, but more about me as a regular person nerd. That said, I invite you to join me in this reflection.

Looking back

In January, I started buying fresh coffee beans, using a grinder and scale, along with my trusty Aeropress. This newfound routine very soon became my daily source of caffeine satisfaction. I also got my master’s diploma in the mail — a pretty cool moment. I hadn’t seen my undergraduate diploma, as it was sent to India, which made this more special.

I decided to redesign the back end of my portfolio site in February. I hooked up the app with GitHub Actions to automate deployment, which allows me to push updates to the website without opening the code editor. While it took me a considerable amount of time to build, I think my site remains one of my proudest non-work programming projects. And, in an attempt to get into gaming, I purchased a Steam Deck. While the attempt was largely unsuccessful, the console has made for some good memories with friends.

In March, I attended the NICAR conference in Nashville, Tenn. Always a good time to hang out with fellow newsroom coders, nerding out about the intersection of journalism and development. At work, we published a series that examined the role of the AR-15 rifle on American life, which we had been busy with for several months.

I learned in April that I was going to move to Seoul, South Korea in the fall — change was going to be the author of the next chapter. I went back to Iowa for a few days, where I got to hang out with my best friend and see some of my favorite people in one of my most-loved cities in the world.

In May, I started packing up my apartment for the move. The task was to condense my belongings into six bags, and sell off or give away the rest. And while I was largely proud of my semi-minimal home setup, it wasn’t easy to trim down everything I owned over the past seven years. Leaving the U.S., however, meant that I needed to purchase all the productivity tools that were either cheaper or only available in the U.S., resulting in a hefty credit card bill.

June was my last month in the office. I always enjoyed working in person and found great satisfaction in collaborating with my colleagues. And while I would still be working with them remotely, I knew it wouldn’t be the same over Zoom. I met my friends from my master’s cohort for a final farewell. Saying goodbye to everyone wasn’t easy. Later in the month, my parents visited me in the U.S. and helped me wrap up my apartment. We flew back to India with six bags — which had grown from two bags stuffed with essentials that I had moved to Iowa with seven years ago. After four long years, I finally got to see my grandparents in India.

In July, I resumed working for the Post, while staying in my childhood bedroom in India. The last time I was in India was in 2019, and back then, I never thought I’d end up working for The Washington Post, a publication I had always admired for its creative, interactive journalism. My parents took me to my favorite food places in India — just thinking about them now is making me hungry.

I got my work visa for South Korea in August, and before I knew it, I was on a flight to Seoul. My dad — very kindly — accompanied me to help me settle in for the first couple of weeks. I got set up in temporary accommodation for a few months, while I got my immigration documents in order, and began exploring the city. I also opened my first bank account in Korea.

By the time September had rolled over, I was already craving Indian food — Paneer Tikka Masala in particular. I realized that access to niche Indian vegetarian groceries in Seoul was unreliable at best. So, I learned to make paneer at home from scratch — demonstrating my commitment to Indian food. I don’t see myself going back to store-bought Paneer again. I also joined AAJA and became a part of the Seoul chapter, and met some amazing people.

In October Seoul had started cooling down, so my parents shipped some of my winter clothes from India — along with my belongings that I couldn’t bring.

I moved to my own apartment in November. It’s a cozy studio — albeit small — that has a nice view, marble tiles, and is conveniently centrally located. I also made several trips to a local Muji outlet — a brand whose nod to minimalism and no-brand policy resonated with me — to buy supplies.

In December, I put together my ideal desk setup, carefully gathering every detail I had ever seen in a desk setup video on YouTube. I also decided to revive this two-year-old blog.

Reflecting

Goes without saying, this year was defined by big changes. I owe a few thank-you’s.

Leaving America was not easy after calling it home for seven years. It holds some of my fondest memories and moments of growth. Here, I chose what I wanted to do for a living. From Iowa to Maryland, and finally to Washington, D.C., I crossed paths with so many amazing people who touched my life and changed it for the better. They challenged me to grow, and showed up for me when I fell. I will see you soon, America; until then, thank you for everything.

I count myself fortunate for the job I have — the people I work with, the avenues for personal and professional growth it provides, as well as the life experiences it presents. Every morning, I get to immerse myself in what I love, and getting to push the boundaries of storytelling — and accordingly, journalism — keeps me excited. I consider that a privilege and frequently find myself checking if it’s not a dream.

I would not be where I am without my parents’ support. At every turn, they’ve encouraged me to chase my dream.

I am grateful for everything my five months in South Korea have taught me. Living here, I have been forced to explore parts of myself I didn’t know existed. Making paneer, of course, truly tested my adaptive and inventive spirit.

Stepping into the unknown feels like starting with a new coding language without reading the documentation first. There’s a mix of excitement and irritation, with a touch of imposter syndrome. And patience is not one of my strongest traits. At times, I think I see myself wishing for what I’m comfortable with: my familiar past. But I believe that feeling will change with time. After all, the best way to learn a new coding language is to start writing. Plus, I had read somewhere that reading documentation is like trying to assemble furniture with a manual written by someone who thinks you should understand the inner workings of every screw, anyway.(Just kidding … almost.)

Happy New Year — and hello, 2024!