Intention Set for 2024

Another year is upon on us! This amazes me when I think that nearly a quarter of a century has passed since the unnecessary craziness that surrounded the Y2K rollover. I worked for Hewlett Packard in that time and volunteered to work that night when everyone feared that bank servers would crash and the world would be a mess. I worked because the pay was double time. I made great money on a night when absolutely NOTHING went wrong. The call center was silent and those of us that worked just hung out and talked all night.

Now we prepare to turn the page to 2024. As I look back at my posts over the last year I discover that I never shared about the word that guided me across this year. Shame on me.

So before I reveal my word for 2024, I need to take a moment to reflect on this past year. 2023 was the #yeartoFLOURISH, and I can say it has not disappointed. I flourished financially, professionally, and personally. Allow me to elaborate.

Firstly, my bank account flourished thanks to an opportunity to provide school library consultation to a group of schools in Saudi Arabia. Beyond finances, this also allowed me to flourish professionally–I built up a team of local librarians, got three school libraries back online post COVID, provided some sessions for teachers during induction, and ordered new books.

Professionally, I also achieved my first service award–Five years of service to ACI–and enjoyed being recognized at our Teacher Dinner earlier this month. I can say that this country does a nice job of respecting and honoring teachers. The profession of education is a noble one, and one that Atatürk, the founder of the modern republic of Türkiye, placed great emphasis upon. “Teachers are the one and only people who save nations,” said Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

I flourished in relationship and community thanks to (a) my wonderful family reunion back in July, and (b) unexpectedly finding love with a Turkish man in my neighborhood. I met Fatih back in 2021 when I organized a boat trip for our new teachers. A colleague recommended I visit his butcher shop to acquire the meat for the trip. And so I did. He provided the meat for two trips I organized for new teachers in the falls of 2021 and 2022.

Then when I moved to that seaside apartment last year I found myself living next door to his shop. We had small conversations when I stopped to get meat. He would use his English, I would use my small Turkish. Sometimes we drank beer together in the evenings outside of his shop or at the iskele nearby. We were friends that occasionally socialized. But things changed this October when I met up with him for the first time since the summer holiday. I took a chance and made a move. I had no expectations about the moment–in fact, I can say I expected to have my advance fall flat. 

Instead we found ourselves surprised to experience mutual interest and attraction. We have spent hours talking, laughing, listening to music (I swear he knows EVERY song and artist from American rock–even some I don’t know!!!), walking, drinking, and even dancing. We do have language challenges. He speaks more English than I do Turkish and I’m grateful every day for his willingness to do so. I jokingly say that we are a modern threesome–me, Fatih, and Google Translate. When we are together hours pass like minutes. It’s magical. ❤️

And lastly, I flourished by moving again. But I will save that information for a full post on another day. I’ll just say that my new apartment is very much home in every way. I feel comfortable and happy in this rooftop apartment with my two terraces; honestly, it may be the most favorite place I have ever lived.

So you can see, I have flourished this year. This is why I believe in the power and importance of choosing a word to guide and focus a year. Now the pages are turning and tomorrow we will begin a new year.

I have spent a LOT of time thinking over these past weeks trying to discern and discover the word which will be my guiding focus for this next year. I sought input from my sister, from friends, from colleagues, and even from my Turkish language teacher. It has NOT been easy. In fact, I can say this has been the hardest year to choose; it is my 13th year to choose a word. Previously words have bubbled up to the surface free form. I think this year has been different because I have a couple of specific goals in mind that I want my word to address.

I am in my 6th school year at ACI and my 6th year of living in Türkiye. The pandemic derailed my plans to do an intensive language course in the summer of 2020. I have continued to chip away at learning a second language, but it has been slow going (I think because of my age). I’ve always taken lessons either with a local teacher or online like I am doing this year through Royal Turkish. In the past I have done just one hour a week; this year I’ve moved to two one-hour lessons a week. I understand a LOT of what I read. I can write okay as well. And I understand a lot more than I can speak. This is why I decided I wanted to focus on pushing myself to speak. It is time to crack through and level up. I know I am far from being fluent. That will take more years. But I need to push myself to speak, to get past the fear and shyness that holds me back. This is the first purpose behind my word choice. 

Another change for this coming year is that while I will still spend part of my summer holiday in Dalyan, I have decided to try on a different sort of summer there. I have rented a place on the other side of the river in Çandır.  I intend to spend a good amount of my time TRYING on the retirement life I think I want to live. This will let me know if it is REALLY what I want, allowing me to alter course, if necessary.

What exactly is that? I imagine myself retiring in about 10 years to a quaint apartment in Dalyan and spending a good bit of time writing my memoir(s). Therefore this summer will be part writer’s retreat. I’m still in the process of what that will look like (I’m thinking a daily word count goal). But it is time to do the writing I’ve been thinking about for years. 

For these reasons, and more–probably some I will find along the way–2024 will be (drum roll) the #yearofVOICE–I will focus on speaking Turkish and actively using my author voice. 

The featured image at the top here includes the 28 journals that I have filled over the past 10 years. These go back to June of 2013. I have always been writing–cataloging my life and also sharing my life with you through these blog posts. But I want to do more. I want to challenge myself to stop waiting until “someday.”

There you have it–my word revealed. Are any of you interested in joining me on this journey/in this exercise? If so, please take a moment and share in a comment your word choice and reasons for its selection. I’ll wrap up by saying I wish you health, happiness, and love in the new year.