Hello everyone. I hope you’re hanging in there during this current situation. I know everyone is getting a bit stir crazy, but as I said in my last post, things are starting to get better and I am hopeful that we will make it through to the other side of this soon. Today, I wanted to share some excitement with you all because this time of year marks the anniversary of the site! It’s been four years of this writing thing here at chiaragoesglobal. It’s crazy to believe that much time has gone by already, and everything that has happened in that time period.

I’ve shared a lot of key moments with you from my life over the past four years. From when this whole thing started while I was embarking on exchange, to adjusting to life after exchange, to re-launching the site in 2017 and re-designing the site in 2019… To living in the Okanagan, Manchester, Toronto, Vancouver, and visiting many countries and countless cities in between… To finishing my undergraduate degree and graduating from UBC to landing my first job post-graduation… To navigating the new responsibilities of apparently being a full-fledged adult and now navigating a global pandemic… It’s been a hell of a ride the past four years. I am grateful to have had something as constant as this site to be a way for me to express myself through all of these changes, and I am so grateful for all of you that have joined me along the way! And if you are new here, welcome, enjoy the ride 🙂

Today I’m recapping some of those top posts over the last few years – some of your favourites, and some of mine. Read on below for some of the highlights!

Let’s take it back to 2016. One of my most-read posts that year was about my return to Canada after exchange had finished, and what it would mean to re-adjust after having gone through such a transformative period of time. This did mark a big change in my life, and after this post I did not write for awhile until I re-launched the site again in 2017. Read the full post here.

2017 was a bit of a wild year and a ton happened during this time. I travelled abroad again and moved to Toronto in the fall, and this was also when I made the decision to transfer campuses from UBC Okanagan to UBC Vancouver. In between all of that, I was doing a lot of reflecting and thinking about what I wanted and needed for the future. My most-read post ever, The Wake-Up Call, addresses those feelings I was having, when I really felt I was at a crossroads and needed to make a decision about where I was going next. It is one of the most vulnerable pieces I have written and one of my favourites as well.

In 2018, I kicked off the new year moving to Vancouver, which was another big adjustment for me. It seems you were all excited about the move also, as my most-read post of this year was about that initial change and what it would mean for me. It marked the beginning of studying at UBC’s Vancouver campus and the beginning of many adventures around the Lower Mainland throughout the rest of the year. Read the full details here.

2019 was a busy year as well. I finished my degree and graduated from UBC, which marked the most significant milestone in my life to date. One of my most-read posts this year was talking about undergrad being over and how weird it would be to finally be done with school! You can find the details here. Later this same year, I also landed my first post-graduation job at UBC, which I was absolutely ecstatic about and also marked a very big milestone and accomplishment for me. I talk about this position and adjusting to all of the changes it would inevitably bring as I transitioned to being a full-fledged adult in Adjusting to Adulting – and don’t worry, the adjustment is still ongoing 😉

Though 2020 has just started, we’ve been off to a busy year so far. Our current climate with the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic has definitely made this year feel so much different than the rest. I talked about how I’ve been coping with these circumstances in my last post, which you all loved, as it’s been my most-read post of the year thus far. I am glad that my words were able to reach you and I hope that you know that this is an unprecedented time and we are all going to be coping differently, but all of your feelings are valid and it is so important for us all to be there for one another right now. I hope you will continue to find my words and posts uplifting and a space where you can relate.

It’s definitely been a roller-coaster of a few years. I don’t think this life will ever get any easier, as there is always going to be something new and challenging to discover and work through and grow from. I am glad to have you on this journey with me as I continue to navigate becoming a grown adult and all of the complications that come along with it. And who knows, maybe another creative project linked to this site will be coming in the near future… 😉 stay tuned! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for your support. Sending all of my love and health to you. Xo <3