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Today, Android Developers published Domain’s Developer Story. In it, Gary and Rique talked about how the Domain Android app was rated very poorly and had all sorts of problems. Fast forward two years and it is now a highly-rated, top-ranked lifestyle app in Australia. You would think that going from a 2.8 star rating to 4.1 stars is all sorts of amazing. And it is!

Rique mentioned how 2014 was a really big year for Domain; in a very personal sense, it was for me too. This video coming out gave me pause and kicked off a bit of a melancholy spell for me.

Around the middle of last year, I packed up half of my clothes, left all of my books and games, said goodbye to my family and my friends and my love, and moved to Australia. The choice to relocate was hard, and I almost didn’t take it. I was just about to accept a new job at a big OEM, my boyfriend and I just bought an apartment, my friends and I have regular game nights – everything was going really well. I really had no plans of going anywhere, I have long given up on the overseas dream. And then BAM, the Universe decides to spring this surprise onto me; and out of nowhere came this chance to work on something I truly enjoy doing.

I am so lucky and grateful to have been a part Domain’s journey over the past year. The app did a lot of growing up, so did I.

I have possibly learned SO MUCH over the past year than the three years before that combined. Sure, it can get lonely being alone in a foreign country. Of course I miss my mom. Of course I miss my boyfriend. I surely do miss my friends – I can never get anyone to play board games with me here. But at the same time, I have been meeting a lot of really great, really awesome people. I have learned how to cook (it turns out I can make a great cranberry feta salad, which technically is not cooking, but whatever). I have been on a lot of adventures, traveled to cool new places, jumped out of a plane, drank a lot of beer.

Plus, I DO have the best team ever. :)