NYE-Corning

Over the past few years it has been a small tradition of mine to make it a point to celebrate the New Year in a new place.  This tradition began with my first New Years away from home ringing in 2009 at Mammoth California, a small ski-town in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains.  The following three NYE celebrations took place in new countries for me. 

First there was Belgrade, Serbia.  At the party in the square we had a good time with some young, America-loving college students who couldn’t believe that we were from the states.  Other, not so pleasant factors of that rather warm beginning of January led us to vowing never to return to Belgrade.  Sure enough I ended up returning and learning the lesson that every place deserves more than one look.  Read more about NYE-Belgrade here. 

Next there was Budapest, Hungary.  Despite the cold, or maybe because of the cold, one of the greatest hostel experiences ensued.  The place was packed and people were sticking around the hostel to party there rather than groups splitting up for the clubs.  By people, I mean a couple of Americans, a Canadian, a few Germans, and an entertaining slew of Slovenians and Croats.  A “small world” experience came of it all when exactly one year later I ran into a couple of those Croats on a walking tour in another great European city.  For me, not enough time was spent in Budapest.  Read more about NYE-Budapest here.

Finally there was my last European NYE, for the time being anyway.  NYE 2012 took place in Krakow, Poland.  It was there that I met up with my brother and a large and unique group of fun-loving Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine.  Read more about NYE-Krakow here.

New Years Eve 2013 brought a new year and some new experiences, and even though it wasn’t spent in a different country, a European capital or an exotic location it was a bit unconventional comparing to the previous four years.  NYE 2013 was spent at home.  The original idea of this tradition was to celebrate the New Year in a new place.  So it turned out, each one of those places were places that I returned to for a second visit, another look.  In a way that tradition was followed this year as well.  After not being home for the holidays for four consecutive years, coming home is a bit like a new place.  Corning isn’t the kind of place that changes much, but enough time spent away and the growing number of recent memories clouding my picture of home have turned it into somewhat of a new place.  Also, in keeping with tradition I’m sure that I’ll be returning for another look someday. 

As for NYE-2013 celebrations I’d have to say that if the celebration is any indication of how the year will go then I’ve got a nice, relaxing year ahead of me.  We kicked off the night with a couple of drinks and a few rounds of UNO.  It was two of my best friends, a buddy, and me just hanging out, listening to some pick-me-up music and throwing cards down.  Later on we paid a visit to the bar so as to be around some more pretty faces as the New Year came about.  As the Time Square ball dropped on the LCD screen in the corner I scanned the room taking in the situation.  There were the glasses held up but not all that high in the air, the wide open mouths screaming out the countdown, the party hats, the couples embracing, and then there were my friends, their smiles and a clink of the glass to ring in 2013.  The party continued but remained low key.  With some of the upcoming moves that I have going on I doubt that my NYE-2013 celebration will be any indication of my year but I remain hopeful.