It began when the firm offered me only two options, not three: start your full-time career straight after you graduate, or a year after you graduate. No mid-year intake, no middle-of-the-road option, no small decision to make.

It was scary both ways, but, ultimately, scarier (much scarier) the first. So I took 2008 off to do whatever I want - and whatever I want has amounted to the fun, and the educational. The fun, sadly, is over. Western, Eastern and Northern Europe, Hong Kong and Japan, in 4 lifetime-memory months. The educational, though, is still to come.

5 months in Beijing learning a language that people assume was mine at birth, but wasn’t; 5 months adjusting to a culture I know nothing about, food I’m not so excited about, people who may or may not be a surprise; 5 months mastering something that I’ve tried to master 3 previous times in my life, but to no avail.

I can’t wait.