I remember sitting down here 2 years ago, for the first time, to begin reflection upon 2006, and then again last year, after my final year in London. Snap! Here I am again. When I started I didn't anticipate it would become a yearly habit. It's mid morning a few days before the end of the year. I'm sitting in a mostly empty Starbucks on Princess street. The familiar smell of coffee puts me in the contemplative mood I now associate with this space. It's nice to see some of the same faces behind the counter. My thoughts drift from wishing they had found a more interesting job, to being glad some things remain when everything seems to change, to wondering if perhaps they enjoy working here. I would. So many people come through this cafe every day. The service is good and happy. This place rises to buzz continuously with energy from late morning until evening: Old friends, new friends, tourists, families; the beautiful view of the Castle across Princes Street; the large windows affording lots of natural light for the coffee drinkers of the moment; people sharing and spending time. They are sharing each others lives, an human act that will prevail above all others. For some reason I like it here, and I always have. It's the energy, I think.

What a year. It has been packed with energy and challenges. It has been different, not least because it's been my first one outside the routine of college life, but largely because of the depth of experience I've had in India. This year has been a journey of discovery; despite the intensity of my final few years at IC, I think I've grown and learnt more this year than ever before. But onwards! Rather than comment upon it, I'd like to make this piece a journey itself. A journey carrying experiences, lessons, and of course thoughts. This will probably be the longest thing I've ever written, an inevitable challenge because over the next few days I'll be making time with family and friends too. I'll have to find a way keep the momentum and energy, to get it all out. So without further ado, let us start, at the beginning of the year 2008, my first in India, and yet another of discovery and life long learning.