2012: A year in photos

Near the beginning of 2013, I wrote about the previous year - month by month - with pictures.  Since I spent the majority of 2012 in Madrid, I thought it fitting to repost here:  

JANUARY

I rang in 2012 in Válor, Granada; where I was volunteering in exchange for food and accommodation through HelpX over my winter break.

Válor, Granada, Spain

Válor, Granada, Spain

Inspired by my fellow HelpX volunteers, I acquired an itch to craft and made a DIY Kindle case later that month after buying my kindle.

DIY Kindle case

FEBRUARY

I played in a hat tournament in the Canary Islands.  There was plenty of sun; I was thrilled.

TIBU in Las Palmas

MARCH

I broke my glasses and smashed my face at Juanito's Open, a low-key tournament in Madrid.  (And consequently got my first ever black eye in the days to follow!)

I also went to Las Fallas in Valencia!

Las fallas 2012, Valencia

APRIL

I played in La Abuela, the tournament hosted by my team Quijotes + Dulcineas in Madrid.

Team Sancho: La Abuela 2012

I had my 23rd birthday, and celebrated it a bit differently than normal.

MAY

In May I finally traveled to Barcelona.  I went by myself and loved it, walking for 10+ hours a day!

Barcelona, view from Montjuic

JUNE

In June I had a visitor from the states; Chad came and spent two weeks in Spain!  We did tons of stuff, including a weekend trip to BEACH Alicante.

No more selfies!  Chad's presence is evidenced in this photo, not taken my moi.

Perhaps better evidence of Chad's visit -- out for tapas and cañas after the bullfight

JULY

I set foot in Germany with my sister and grandma (for two weeks), hunting for our family roots in many cemeteries while we were there.  We also did some planking in the country.

The sister and grandma in Dusseldorf, Germany

AUGUST

I finally went to France!  THE France!  My itch to become fluent in French and live in France has only grown since then...

SEPTEMBER

I ran my first 10K in Madrid with Hannah (and David)!

We did it!  Madrid's "Corre Por Madrid" 10K!

The very next day, I surprised my family and moved back to Wisconsin - unannounced.

OCTOBER

After surprising all of the family, I got a job and found an apartment downtown.

With both of the brothers near my new place of residence

NOVEMBER

I saw President Obama (on a chilly Monday morning) the day before the election.

I also participated in Digital Writing Month (#DigiWriMo) in November, writing a total of 17,314 words!

DECEMBER

I took the GRE in December, after studying for about a month.

I also got a day off of work thanks to the blizzard Draco, and lived through December 21, 2012!

What a wonderful year.  Here's to 2013, that it may bring just as many smiles and good memories.


[This post was originally published on Rebe With a Clause.  Reposted with permission.]