I have decided (maybe long ago) that slow and steady wins the race. As I'm inundated with school and work, I have decided little by little to prepare for my trip abroad. I'm glad I've made that decision because there's not much time left.
We haven't gotten our tickets yet (the school hasn't bought them yet - gotta pick up my visa still), but we're guessing that we'll probably leave early-mid July, thus not leaving us with much time. Fewer than 90 days.
From now on I'll be packing, donating, throwing away, or selling something each day. I have actually been making a mental list of what anyone who's making the move abroad needs to keep in mind (well, it makes sense to me anyway). And I promise I won't become the queen of "lists".
- Copy all of your CDs onto iTunes to leave room in your CD cases for your DVDs. I like DVD covers as much as the next guy or gal, but really, they just take up space and are unnecessary. That goes for TruBlood covers as well (I think....)
- Question whether or not you've used an item in the past 6 months and would you need it in a different country
- My mother actually told me that she'd read that if you own something valuable and you're moving, and questioning whether or not to keep it, you can take a picture of it instead and then dispose of it. I did that with our wedding candles (sorry, I'm not taking them to South America) and my bouquet. These items have sentimental value, but are not "necessary". I took pictures of them and will now leave them behind. I have a wedding video and photo album anyway.
- I downloaded DropBox and will therefore save important documents on-line
- I contacted my school and inquired about opening up a bank account with a bank that is international and that has branches in upstate NY (where my 'rents live) and in Brasilia. I was told that's a good idea, which of course I already knew because I'm a genius :). Just kidding.
- Take breaks from packing/sorting/throwing away and go for a walk. But not too late (especially if you live in a dangerous city like I supposedly do)
- Remember if you're married/attached that you're not moving alone so constantly verify plans with your "someone special" so he or she is included and can have a say in how things go - even if he or she doesn't care
- Buy a Kindle (great investment)
- Post on Facebook that you're selling your belongings
- Read expat blogs and visit forums of the country you're moving to; people tend to give good advice from past experiences
- Visit on-line stores and buy poster tubes because you can't take the frames with you
....and this list could go on and on. Hopefully it'll be helpful to someone making a "big move". I know that it would have been for me. Then again, you learn as you go. I'm sure that if I wasn't so organized and didn't plan so much, that I'd be a hot mess. I mean, you can't plan too much, but you get my drift.
Good luck.
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