2022 is over, welcome 2023! A year full of unexpected events, many personal changes and a lot of new experiences… But since I wrote a review every month, I just want to highlight the highlights here.

The year already started with the first big change: I moved out of my parents’ house or apartment after more than 22 years. In January, I looked at two apartments and immediately snapped up the second one. After spending January and February cleaning out and packing, I moved into my first own apartment in March. It was a step that made me grow personally once again. I have lived alone for the last few years, but having my own place is something else.

February was a terrible month in terms of the situation in the world. Russia invaded Ukraine, a war that not only marked the past year, but will certainly be very present for several years to come. Why are some people so cruel?

March consisted, as I said, of moving, then in April I settled into my new apartment and also did more programming again, such as further improving my blog software. As for this, there was no slowdown in new or improved features last year. The much programming has probably only led to the fact that I simply blogged less (publicly), roughly only half as much as in 2021. But I’m not bound to numbers and I just blog when I feel like it, so all good, maybe it will be more again in 2023.

Not only did I turn 23 in May, I was also looking for a new employer after almost 5 years. I was a bit frustrated and didn’t see many future prospects, so I responded to recruiter requests, attended interviews and finally found a new job starting in September that I enjoy more again, working with newer technologies, 100% remote opportunity and new challenges. After a few months it turns out to be absolutely the right decision.

In June, July and August, there was the 9-Euro-Ticket in Germany, whose end made me sad in September and whose continuation as a 49-Euro-Ticket I am already looking forward to. Not having to pay 3 euros for every trip within the city or being able to visit my girlfriend cheaply or take a weekend trip to another city was brilliant. Especially as someone who no longer owns a car (as, by the way, more people in Germany do than some privileged fellow citizens might think), it offered a rarely seen flexibility.

But I didn’t only travel by train a lot within Germany in 2022, I also went on vacation to Croatia in August in a climate-friendly way by train. It was not very relaxing, but possible and a great experience that brought back a bit of memories of my Interrail trips in 2015 and 2017. For 2023 we are also already thinking about where we can go by train. Maybe Great Britain?

The flexibility through the company agreement in the new job, which allows me to work remotely up to 100% (because my colleagues are spread all over Europe anyway), not only offered me the possibility to work more often at my girlfriend’s or my family’s place, it also reignited the idea to move in with my girlfriend, because for two years, since my girlfriend had started her studies, we had a long-distance relationship. In October we had a few apartment viewings and finally got an acceptance for a cozy 2-room apartment in Kassel. I’m keeping my apartment in Braunschweig, just in case I want to work in an office some day and because we plan to have our center of life in Braunschweig in the long run (after my studies and possibly my girlfriend’s teacher training). It’s a good thing that the new job also allows me financially to run two households.

Then in November we moved. And in December, I finally spent the Christmas season (partly sick) with my family and celebrated New Year’s Eve with my girlfriend’s family.

So, all in all, a lot happened for me in 2022, but mainly positive things, which I am very happy about and which, in view of world events, is not a matter of course at all. I am very happy that, despite inflation and the energy crisis, I and my loved ones lack nothing important and we do not (have to) freeze.

For 2023 I wish that the situation in the world improves again, that mankind stops fighting each other and finally starts to stop the climate crisis. I also wish for a bit more routine in everyday life again without the almost daily negative news, that I finally manage to start exercising again and that the 49-Euro-Ticket comes as soon as possible. 😅