My 2015 in 40 answers
1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?
Apart from a lot of medical stuff? Made a wreath for advent. Went to a cabaret show.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept them for some time... to some extent... better luck next year with the daily struggle against my inner Schweinehund.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Aluta's brother and his wife had a baby in January.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Friends and relatives, fortunately not. Patients, yes. Some of them hit me quite hard - I kept asking myself whether I had made a mistake or whether there was something I should have done differently.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia! My childhood dream. It was lovely, not entirely what I expected though. I wish I'd had time to explore the outback but I was mostly around Sydney.
Also Switzerland, skiing with my father. That was really, really nice.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
A clear idea of where my life is heading. A better social life.
7. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
1 April, the first day of my internship.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving to Durban all on my own. If that can be counted as an achievement.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Slacking on academic reading.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had skin cancer, had it cut out and now I have a cool scar on my back. Luckily it was the "best" kind of the malignant skin cancers, as it grows very slowly and hardly ever metastasises. But apparently I am very young to have that type of skin cancer, so from now I have to be particularly alert to any new suspicious lesions.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My piano.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Dr Ramji for saving my spot at King Edward Hospital while I was waiting for my visa.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Worried?
When you work in healthcare, a lot of people's behaviours appal you. Doctors, nurses, patients. It can get quite disheartening, really.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Apart from rent? Furniture. I had to furnish an entire flat from scratch.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Starting my medical internship. Going to Australia.
16. What song will always remind you of 2015?
Run Away by Said The Sky. But that's just one of many.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder, I think?
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same
iii. richer or poorer? definitely richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Swimming in the ocean. Reading up on medical stuff.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating.
20. How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?
In my flat, with Aluta and a scrawny little Christmas tree, eating home made kofta balls with pasta and tomato sauce.
21. Who did you spend most time on the phone with?
Aluta.
22. Did you fall in love in 2015?
Nope, same as last year.
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Brooklyn 99.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I've been strongly irritated by people who let me (and others) down at work.
26. What was the best book you read?
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
I (re-)discovered how much I enjoy playing the piano. I've gotten a new kind of enjoyment out of playing some of the old pieces.
28. What did you want and get?
A flat with a sea view. A piano.
29. What did you want and not get?
Can't think of anything.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Whiplash was the best movie I watched this year, but I wouldn't call it a favourite. No other movies stuck though, so I guess that's the one.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went on a "Scootour" with Aluta - going down a mountain on a cross-country unmotorised scooter in the Drakensberg. It was good fun!
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A Christmas holiday.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Kind of restricted by having to look hospital-appropriate. Also, comfortable clothes are underrated.
34. What kept you sane?
Knowing that I am in control of my sanity.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one really caught my interest this year...
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The refugee crisis, of course. Seeing how much hate there is in my home country. I thought Germany was peaceful and progressive, but it seems a lot of people still live in the past.
37. Whom did you miss?
My family.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Yumna and Luke I think. A lovely couple that hosts awesome dinner parties.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
Not so much a lesson, more of a philosophy. We should base our actions more on values, and on whether they are "good", rather than on what the consequences will be. (E.g. a poor person inviting someone in to eat with them, even though they have little. Obviously I am thinking of our refugee situation in Germany.)
I think that would make the world a better place.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm terrible at that kind of stuff.
Apart from a lot of medical stuff? Made a wreath for advent. Went to a cabaret show.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept them for some time... to some extent... better luck next year with the daily struggle against my inner Schweinehund.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Aluta's brother and his wife had a baby in January.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Friends and relatives, fortunately not. Patients, yes. Some of them hit me quite hard - I kept asking myself whether I had made a mistake or whether there was something I should have done differently.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia! My childhood dream. It was lovely, not entirely what I expected though. I wish I'd had time to explore the outback but I was mostly around Sydney.
Also Switzerland, skiing with my father. That was really, really nice.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
A clear idea of where my life is heading. A better social life.
7. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
1 April, the first day of my internship.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving to Durban all on my own. If that can be counted as an achievement.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Slacking on academic reading.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had skin cancer, had it cut out and now I have a cool scar on my back. Luckily it was the "best" kind of the malignant skin cancers, as it grows very slowly and hardly ever metastasises. But apparently I am very young to have that type of skin cancer, so from now I have to be particularly alert to any new suspicious lesions.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My piano.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Dr Ramji for saving my spot at King Edward Hospital while I was waiting for my visa.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Worried?
When you work in healthcare, a lot of people's behaviours appal you. Doctors, nurses, patients. It can get quite disheartening, really.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Apart from rent? Furniture. I had to furnish an entire flat from scratch.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Starting my medical internship. Going to Australia.
16. What song will always remind you of 2015?
Run Away by Said The Sky. But that's just one of many.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder, I think?
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same
iii. richer or poorer? definitely richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Swimming in the ocean. Reading up on medical stuff.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating.
20. How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?
In my flat, with Aluta and a scrawny little Christmas tree, eating home made kofta balls with pasta and tomato sauce.
21. Who did you spend most time on the phone with?
Aluta.
22. Did you fall in love in 2015?
Nope, same as last year.
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Brooklyn 99.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I've been strongly irritated by people who let me (and others) down at work.
26. What was the best book you read?
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
I (re-)discovered how much I enjoy playing the piano. I've gotten a new kind of enjoyment out of playing some of the old pieces.
28. What did you want and get?
A flat with a sea view. A piano.
29. What did you want and not get?
Can't think of anything.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Whiplash was the best movie I watched this year, but I wouldn't call it a favourite. No other movies stuck though, so I guess that's the one.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went on a "Scootour" with Aluta - going down a mountain on a cross-country unmotorised scooter in the Drakensberg. It was good fun!
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A Christmas holiday.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Kind of restricted by having to look hospital-appropriate. Also, comfortable clothes are underrated.
34. What kept you sane?
Knowing that I am in control of my sanity.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one really caught my interest this year...
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The refugee crisis, of course. Seeing how much hate there is in my home country. I thought Germany was peaceful and progressive, but it seems a lot of people still live in the past.
37. Whom did you miss?
My family.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Yumna and Luke I think. A lovely couple that hosts awesome dinner parties.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
Not so much a lesson, more of a philosophy. We should base our actions more on values, and on whether they are "good", rather than on what the consequences will be. (E.g. a poor person inviting someone in to eat with them, even though they have little. Obviously I am thinking of our refugee situation in Germany.)
I think that would make the world a better place.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm terrible at that kind of stuff.