2014 was the year I lived in the same place for the entire time -- although still thousands of kilometres from home -- in San José, Costa Rica. I spent the year working with an environmental NGO, which was a great experience, allowing me to travel around the country, learn a great deal, and meet plenty of interesting people. My contract recently finished and I found work with a translation agency, so 2015 should be an exciting year of languages!

I also had the chance to see family and friends back home at the beginning of the year. While that trip was a lot of fun, it made me rethink going north in the wintertime - which is why I made my next holiday visit early, coming to Canada and the States for a few weeks in August.

Being in Costa Rica, I also spent a big part of last year seeing much of what the country has to offer, as well as to get to know a whole lot of great people. It's been an unforgettable year, and I'm thankful to everyone who has been a part of it.