It is always a big bunch of hope every time we end a year and face the new one. And from the previous one we all have had, it’s safe for me to say that we are all looking forward to a better new year. Of course, at the back of our minds we know that the virus is still there, and will be for quite some time, but with all the experiences we’ve had and the lessons we’ve learned from these, we are looking forward to a fresh start.

On the eve of the new year, I spent my afternoon with my colleagues at one of their houses. We cooked (I did pansit, while they did tartiflette) and had late lunch / early dinner, and had some games and wine afterwards. Since there was a curfew here in France that starts at 8pm, and I don’t want to stay overnight in their house, I bid goodbyes and new year wishes to them at about seven in the evening. It’s a quiet, New Year’s eve for me, as I read my books and listen to others in nearby apartments having a party of their own. That certain kind of quietness might have been less appealing to some but I am most content in those simple moments. I love going out and be with friends, too, but there are times that I just don’t want to expend so much energy into. Before the clock struck at midnight, my sister called. She’s spending her holidays in one of the islands in Thailand because like me, she could not go home to the Philippines to spend time with our families, too. So, I welcomed the new year with my sister on a videocall, and it’s nice. It’s simple, quiet, but nice.