The post office and my Kindle

I don't know if I mentioned it on here, but my Kindle (the second one I got) is defective. This makes 2 for 2. Very bad, Amazon. The initial one I bought had to be returned because it wouldn't turn on after being switched off. I'd only had it for a month or so. So Amazon immediately rushed me a new one and I sent back the old one courtesy of them. Now I hadn't used the second one that much since I was trying to read my paperbacks before heading off to Brazil. I read maybe 2 or 3 books on it. You can imagine how unhappy I was when I discovered that both were defective.

I brought it my Kindle to Brazil in my carry-on and everything was fine - or so I thought. Once the plane landed in Brasilia I tried to turn it on. Not only would it not come on, but white lines appeared across the image of Jane Austen, the author, which was the screen saver and it progressively got worse to the point where instead of looking like Jane was in jail, it looked like she was on the other side of a mosquitoe net. Not cool. So I used my MagicJack (you HAVE to get one if you go abroad) to make a free call to Amazon. Since the second Kindle was also under manufacture warranty, they said they'd give me a new one for free AND reimburse me for the postage I'd have to pay since I'm out of the country (that I'll believe when I see it).

I asked Amazon to mail my new (the third one mind you) to my mom's address and I'll later decide the best way for her to send it to me. Suggestions? If my neighbor's mom comes to visit from Texas next month then she offered to bring it; that way my mom will just have to mail it to TX and then it'll be almost free for me to get it. Otherwise my mom will send it to me. But I still had to return the defective Kindle to Amazon. I was e-mailed the return UPS label (again, courtesy of Amazon) which I obviously can't use from here. But I went to the post office today with the label so that I'd have the address and I mailed it to Amazon for only (about) $22, and that's priority mail. It's supposed to arrive in 10-15 days so please cross your fingers. I don't want to be charged for it.

I'm relieved that my trip to the post office, or correio, was a success. A couple walked in right before us but because he didn't grab the ticket to be attended to, and I did, I got to go before him. I guess it paid to follow the rules. The woman at the counter was nice and helpful and let me take my time filling everything out. She explained everything to me and I was able to use my credit card from the States. I was a bit worried there'd be a problem using it in Brazil. All in all, today was a good day as far as running errands and going shopping. I finally found hangers for less than a fortunate and Havaiana flip-flops for R$8.50 instead of R$12 or more.

Update: Internet, School, Apartment

I am connected again! It's so great having Internet at home. If you live abroad then you understand the importance of being able to talk to family and friends, as well as handle your "business" at home on-line. We've been here for fewer than two weeks so it wasn't too long that we were without, and I probably checked my e-mail at least once every two days previous to having Internet at home, but still...Now I can use Skype, my MagicJack, and update my blog :).

Internet - We weren't too sure on how to go about getting hooked up so when we were at my school last week (maybe Wednesday?) we were told to go ahead and contact the company NET using the secretary's computer. I guessed that due to that suggestion (to contact NET) that they must be a good Internet/cable company. We decided not to get cable at this time and chose the 1 Mega Internet option (at only R$ 54.90/month); the faster Internet options were much more expensive. What we got is a reasonable price. That's maybe $35/month, roughly. We don't need cable at this time because we do have about 6 channels (in Portuguese) at no cost and we brought a lot of DVDs with us. We can also watch TV on-line. Our Internet speed is perfect, too. The company sent me a text this past Tuesday notifying us that the technician would be here the following day (yesterday) and he was. Quick and easy. The only issue is that only one computer can be connected at one time and we can't use our wireless adapter yet since we don't have a converter (the voltage is different here than in the US).

Apart from now having Internet, I've also had orientation with the executive director of the school, the woman who hired me, and the coordinators and principals of the school. This all happened this morning. Since I'm teaching 9th, 11th, and 12th grades, I have two administrators and two guidance counselors. See, in Brazil, 9th grade is considered the final year in middle school, but we know that in the US it's the first year of high school, so the principals overlap (as do the counselors). This sounds good to me. I REALLY like the principal that I met at the job fair and the other is very nice as well (I just don't know him as well). The orientation that we had for teachers in international schools was very helpful and informative. I'm more excited about working, especially to such a diverse group of students. The coordinators were all very nice and offered to help us in many ways. 

I was also set up with my school e-mail address, was given a tour of the beautiful campus, and had another delicious lunch. The food at the school is out of this world mouthwatering and it's healthy; there is a nutritionist at the school who makes sure of that. And we were told this morning that it's the law that we be given an hour for lunch (on a daily basis of course). That's what I'm talking about. I also really like how the school is a bilingual school. This way there is a lot of Portuguese being spoken around the school; with that being said, I need to give off the impression to my students that my language skills are rusty so they don't try to speak Portuguese with me. We'll see how well that goes.

It was nice to visit the school for orientation and introductions since we've been doing a lot of running around to get our documents taken care of. In addition to visiting the policia federal and getting my CPF (like my Brazilian SSN), I also had to have a medical exam for my health insurance, open up a bank account, sign documents, among other errands. It's good to now have a temporary ID and to know that I'll soon have a local bank account and health insurance.

Everything with our apartment is good. We've gotten to know the doormen (there are three) and it's nice to never have to open a door (haha). Sebastian is also getting used to his new home. I have to clean this place differently than in the US since there are no carpets (thank God!!) and since we're in the dry season and it hasn't rained since about May, it's not only dry but also dusty outside. I've found myself dusting more often and have realized that sweeping is not as useful as I thought. I need to "mop" the floors. But the "tools" that I have to use to clean the floors are easy to use and it takes less time than it did in the US (or so it seems). Today the school dropped off a chair for our spare bedroom since we only have a computer desk when we arrived. In addition, I found a nice bookshelf at the school that was no longer being used; in fact, it was in storage only to collect dust. I was told that once it was sanded down it would be delivered. I'd say that apart from those two pieces of furniture we're all set. 

We've also been sightseeing, have hung out with friends, have been trying to get E resettled in his country, and of course have been busy running errands and trying to explore/get to know our new city. E's been job hunting, trying to get his school transcripts so he can go back to school, and has found a gym where he can train MMA and BJJ. There are some big time fighters there to train with so he's really challenged. I was able to check it out the other day so that was exciting for me because we met a UFC fighter and I love to meet famous people :). 

Speaking of settling in, I need to organize this place (I've been so busy that I haven't spend more than a few hours at a time here), clean up a bit, and find the closest post office so I can send my defective Kindle to Amazon before they charge me for another. Now that I have Internet I should be updating more often so keep your eye open. Talk to you soon!

Fellow American expat bloggers with cats....

....I need your help!

I'm taking my cat with me on a really long flight in a few days. I need some advice about maintaining him calm, helping him feel comfortable, how to feed him, give him water, and how to deal with him having to make a bowel movement or urinate. I'm taking him in a carrier that he's already very comfortable in and bought dog training pads in case he needs to use the bathroom it'll be easier to clean up.


The vet told me to just give him breakfast in the morning, the day of our trip, (we travel overnight) and then don't feed him a regular meal until we arrive. She stressed the importance of feeding him a little as we fly and she also prescribed him a sedative, but I'm sure there's more I can do. I'd like advice from Americans who have already traveled to South America with their cats. 


Sebastian is only 2 years old and he's normally a pretty well behaved cat. He only cries when he's in the car (maybe he gets car sick?); the rest of the time he's quiet. I want him to be comfortable. It's going to be a long trip - probably 24 hours from when we leave our current apartment until we arrive at our new apartment in Brasilia.


Suggestions? What worked for you? What would you have changed? By the way, he'll be in the cabin with us. Thanks in advance!

I'm back!

I've returned from New York and am back to reality - moving overseas. My cat was SO glad to see me as I walked in the door. He kept "talking and talking" and purring and just seems excited that he  doesn't have to be home alone anymore. Poor thing.


I'm relieve to see that my apartment looks emptier than I remembered. But enough of that, it's crunch time; we have fewer than 2 weeks before we move. Time to go to bed. Until tomorrow...

An excuse to go shopping

How could I ever move abroad and survive without certain items? Now I'm used to living without while in South America, I mean, isn't that kind of the point of going abroad? If everything were the same "there" as it is "here",  then why even leave? I've loved being overseas ever since I first step foot onto the Bolivia ground years ago. I like what's different, what's foreign....so why the "need" to shop for what I'll miss from the United States? There is no need, but it is nice to have certain things with me.


I know I'll miss American television and movies, so we're taking our DVDs with us, which means that we need to take our DVD player that will read said American DVDs. We'll also be taking our electronics and some appliances with us due to the cost and quality of them in Brazil. Scarcity of food and personal items makes one want to take peanut butter, BBQ sauce, tampons, English language books, and teacher resources.


And then there are the "fun" purchases like the TrueBlood Season 3 DVD set! And of course, I wouldn't have bought a Kindle if I were not leaving the country. And the new fluffy towels we got last night, the suitcases, and visits to the mall. I guess moving abroad just gives you an excuse to go shopping. Obviously you'd buy the suitcases if you needed them (like we did last year when we went on a cruise), but it's fun to go shopping regularly in preparation for the big move. We'll just have to pretend that it's not as expensive as it is. But in our defense, we hadn't shopped seriously for months knowing we'd be doing this right before we left.


I guess, then, with all of the shopping and preparations in moving that we will only need to buy what is necessary to settle us down and make us comfortable once we arrive in Brasilia. After that we'll be golden....that is, until our first trip back to the U.S., right? So although I don't need to watch TrueBlood, it's a show that I love and am glad to have an excuse to buy (I already own seasons 1 and 2). Plus, what girl doesn't want an excuse to go shopping?


Plus, I found out today that I don't need any dental work done before we move; I can wait until we get to Brazil to have my (partially) broken crown replaced. Now I just need to call TAM and do more laundry, pack, throw out boxes and maybe make another trip to GoodWill. Oh yeah, and stop by Walmart to get the MagicJack we need so we can make cheap calls to the U.S. Among other errands that need to be run...


But of course I have to wait for E to get home because we only have one car and one cell phone between the two of us. And of course I think that Lafayette is one of the best characters I've ever seen on a TV show so he'll keep me company until E returns; I can't get enough of Lafayette, his cousin, and these vampires and werewolves. And God knows I can't watch any more of these shows on the Internet - I got two viruses and had to restart my computer twice as a result.


So off I go....hookahs... 

Have a good day,

What's on my mind?

As I have less than a month before my departure, I've been thinking about...

• My crown breaking and although I had planned to have it fixed in Brazil (at a much cheaper price), looks like I may have to have at least a temporary crown put on by my dentist =(
• Needing to sell textbooks from graduate school because I don't have room to take them
• Glad I earned some money from selling my textbooks. Maybe I'll use it to pay the dentist.
• How I have an excuse to go shopping =)
• My new clothes
• Sales at the malls and shopping centers
• Donating clothes and household items to Goodwill
• Packing four more suitcases 
• What I'm going to do with my box full of books. Do I buy a duffle bag to put it in?
• Laundry
• Upcoming trip to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. The consulate again? YES
• Our imminent trip to New York state and seeing friends and family!
• How I'll miss my friends in Orlando and where our goodbye should be because people keep asking me
• Paying the rest of our bills, cancelling our utilities, cleaning up the apartment, and selling our bed and TV
• How I'm glad I'm no longer working

Oops, time to make adjustments

I have too much stuff. I actually know that the "problem" is me so I can't say "we have too much stuff" because that wouldn't be true. Maybe it's because I've lived in the U.S. for 20-something years, maybe I'm a hoarder (I don't think so), or maybe it's because I'm a saver of all books that I read a professional and have to keep my books. Honestly, I like the last option. I don't own that many clothes so that'll make packing easier; regardless of the reason, I have just learned that I need to make some major adjustments as to what I take and what I leave. Now. And most of what I need to chuck needs to be that which is heavy, takes up a lot of space, and does not need to go. It's for that reason that we've already begun our initial packing. 

At least I can confirm that those shoe boxes and the magazine are not mine

We have bought our suitcases and are now ready to begin the real packing process, even though E has been slowly packing away clothes in his smaller suitcase. He knows what he won't wear before we leave and what he wants to take with him (i.e. new shirts and socks) so that can be packed away now. As I'd mentioned earlier, I have two piles of mostly books and papers that I planned on taking with us. Now with the luggage staring me in the face, I've had to reconsider my options. I packed up 5 grocery bags of books and will be donating them to my co-workers tomorrow. I figure if I've read it once than that is enough. Because let's be real, only so much is going to fit in our 6 suitcases and 1 box (plus cat sans carry ons).

These are our new upright Samsonite (chic, I know) suitcases. I kept stressing to E while we were at the store, the importance that they must be large, durable, and expandable - so we didn't buy anything smaller than 30". We've also bought a heavy duty box that I can jam full of 70 lbs of books; I just don't know how we're going to lift it, but I guess we only need to do that a couple of times.....and didn't I marry an MMA fighter? Well, yes, yes, I did :). E also bought a duffle bag-type suitcase which is very large and has wheels. All of our suitcases are cloth. And all of them come from Ross so we got awesome new luggage for a decent price. 


I need to also make a mental note to call TAM and find out how much we're allowed as far as carry on baggage because I heard it's not very much. And then we have the cat so that'll add luggage. We're really going to have an adventure at the airports. That's a fact. But with that being said, this is definitely not my first time traveling/moving abroad and I have had to deal with situations similar to this before so we'll figure it out. Plus, we still have another month, I just wanted to start packing/planning now so I know what we're up against and I can decide on what is really important/necessary to take with us. At least we made a list (which of course we also had to shorten, crossing out items that we now realize that no-way-in-hell will fit in our luggage).

We're getting there folks.

Wordless Wednesday: Car sold!

I sold my car!! Yeahhhh!!

(What a relief :)

I'll miss you. You were good to me.

No more cable or Internet

"How am I going to live without cable?", I ask myself. Well, that should be an easy answer seeing as I've done it previously and it wasn't that long ago. We actually lived in this apartment for 6 weeks without cable or Internet (when we first moved in) and no one died. We should be fine this time around.


Having TV and Internet is not so much about the entertainment aspect, but the convenience and informative part. I mean, need directions? Want to know what time the restaurant closes? Need to know the temperature outside tomorrow afternoon? What time does your friend's flight arrive? Do you need to confirm your flight to South America? All of the answers to these questions can be found on-line; therefore, having the Internet at home is imperative these days. 


But we'll make do without our own connection to the outside world. We'll still have a phone and can always "borrow" our neighbor's wireless or use our laptops while lounging by the pool at our complex, and watch TV at a friend's house as if we even were to have the time. We decided to cancel only 4 days before we move so we should be fine. We'll be busy with last minute packing, making sure the cat is situated, and of course, saying goodbye.


It's not just the cable TV and/or Internet that you have to be responsible for cancelling (and don't forget to return the equipment that you'l be responsible for if you don't). I have already spoken with our cell phone provider because our 2-year contract is supposed to end next week and if we don't cancel it then they won't say anything and we'll keep paying. So, in order to not have to deal with paying for bills after we leave (for this I'm grateful that cable TV/Internet services are prepaid) we'll cancel our cell phones, downgrade to just one phone, and prepay our service for a month. This way our utilities and responsibilities are easier to handle.


We were told that our final water bill will be taken out of our deposit; this just leaves us with our electric bill which can be paid on-line. Yeah! Rent is of course paid the first of the month. So does this mean that I have everything taken care of? At least the utilities? It looks like it. And anything else we'll have to handle from abroad or with the help of my mom (who graciously offered to help, even though I don't want to burden her with anything).


We've also been selling our belongings like hotcakes (crosses fingers) for a couple of months now and that always makes me happy. Having an empty home makes me realize what we'll be taking with us. We have not started packing suitcases yet because we still have more than a month left here, but we need to have a good idea about what we'll be taking with us. I know that we don't want to be doing anything stressful during our last couple of weeks here. I'm still amaze at how much we have that we can sell and make money off of. Do we need three cameras? No, so let's sell one. Crock pot or pressure pot anyone?


E mentioned today how he wanted to know how I planned on taking all of my books; I told him that it wouldn't be too hard. I already have about 53 lbs of books packed into 2 boxes that I will then put into a larger box and then fill it up until it reaches 70 lbs. We're each allowed two 70 lb bags and then the school will pay for more than 3 additional bags. If E and I, between the two of us, take seven 70 lb bags then we're talking almost 500 lbs. That's a lot! (Plus the cat) I don't think that we'll need anymore than seven bags. And God knows I don't want to push and carry and lug around all of that weight.


Sounds like we have our work cut out for us. 


Wish me good luck.

A couple images from a couple moving abroad

It's true. We're all tired of it. 

Cheers to Not Going Alone

I've been doing more and more thinking about the actual day that we move to Brasilia and may I say, I'm increasingly becoming more excited. Big surprise, I know. See, the last time that E and I really traveled internationally together was when he moved from Brazil to the U.S. (I say "he" because I arrived first and then returned to get him). We have traveled outside of the U.S. together, but our drive across the Canadian border to Niagara Falls and our cruise to the Caribbean don't really count. I mean, we don't even have stamps in our passports to prove we even left the country. Therefore, now that we're moving all the way to Brazil, I'm feeling quite excited. You know how I much I love to travel. travel. travel. And travel abroad is even more exhilarating. Add that to moving abroad and you can imagine how I feel. The thing is that I love to live overseas.  

It's actually kind of funny that each time that I graduate from school/college I'm simultaneously preparing for a move abroad. In high school it was my adventure to Bolivia to be an exchange student. Two months after my college graduation I embarked for Brazil to spend a year teaching in the rainforest. Fast forward 7 years and I've graduated again and now I prepare to head off to Brazil (again) in fewer than 6 weeks. Each time in the past I was going alone, unfamiliar with my destination, yet extremely excited about the adventure and the unknown. But this time is different. Brasilia is still a city I can only daydream about since I have never visited it nor thought much of doing so in the past 5 years or so. However, I'm not going alone. I don't have to worry (though I never really did previously) about not having any friends or not knowing too much about what to expect. Yes, I've been to Brazil before, and even lived there, but I still don't know what my life will be like there - as an expat in the capital with a job similar to the one I have here.

This time, this move abroad, I will not go alone. I will go with my husband. Oh yeah, and the cat :).  Not only do I get to travel again with E, which I love, but I also will be able to hold someone's hand as I move from my old life to my new life. I will already have a friend, I will know someone else who's going through the same uncertainties as me, and I can double my luggage allowance. 

Vet Visit #1

This afternoon I took my cat to his first veterinarian visit before he crawls onto a plane in a few months and moves far far away from the only home he's ever known. Well, when I say it that way it makes it sound like it'll be a tough move for him. The truth is, maybe it will. 


Although Sebastian was well behaved at the vet's office - even when the doctor felt him up to make sure he is healthy (which he is) and when he got his rabies shot. He didn't make a noise. Good boy. He jumped up on the scale and stayed long enough to be weighed. And how much does he weigh, you ask? 15.4 lb!! Woah. He's a big boy. But like the vet assistant said, it's not that he's fat; he's just tall. The issue with the weight is that I can take up to 10 kg - cat and kennel combined. As of now we should be fine, but that means he can't gain weight. For all you Americans out there, 15.4 lbs is 7 kg.


The problem that Sebastian gave me were on the way to the doctor and the way back. He cried and cried, non stop. Maybe he gets car sick. Well, he's going to have to get used to it (my poor baby) because he's about to take off on the trip of his life. Honestly, I'll think he'll be OK. He'll be with his parents, he'll be breathing in calming kitty spray and should calm down once he's settled on the plane. I hope. I'll make sure to buy him a comfortable carrier and take his toy with him. I also will ration what he eats before he travels so he doesn't have to use the litter box.


I'll take Sebastian on one more vet trip; next time it will be to get his international health certificate and to have a final exam a week before we depart. I feel confident that everything will go well like it did today and my kitty will be ready for his flight. Let's hope we're as ready as he will be :),

Flight number...well, almost

We heard back from the travel agent today who heard from the school. They've made another reservation for us to fly from Orlando to Brasilia (the first one may not have been the best situation for us), and hopefully by tomorrow our tickets will be purchased. Yeahhh!

I won't say too much until they have been bought, but this appears to be the best deal for us.  I'm excited and will feel wonderful once everything is taken care of regarding our flight.

I don't want to worry about packing, shipping, or travelling with a cat, but I do realize that this is all part of moving abroad. I guess I should be grateful that we don't own a home or that we won't be moving to an unfurnished apartment. Now that would give me something to complain about. All of this, well, it'll all work itself out in the end.

I'll keep you updated as to who we fly with, what's the deal on shipping and our cat, and when we depart.

We have a lot to look forward to, that's for sure.




PS: By the way, this is my 100th post :)

Vicarious Living

Just like Alice spent hours daydreaming, so do I. And apparently I'm not the only one who will be dreaming of a "different world". There are people around me who will be vicariously living through me as I embark on my journey to Brasilia. My world will be full of adventure, and hopefully more fun and less stressful than that in which I live currently. It won't be full of queens wanting to cut my head off at least (when I was a kid that part of the film scared me to death).

As I have increasingly been telling more and more people that I'm moving (including the dentist, who told me today that his unfriendly secretary is Brazilian....who knew? And of course, became much nicer once she learned I'm heading to Brazil), I'm actually surprised by the number of excited people out there. Honestly, I expected a lot more, "Why would you go there?" or "Is that a third world country?" or "Will you be safe?". I actually don't think I even heard any of these questions since I've sprung the news on people. One of my assistant principals did ask me today if I'm going to start up jiu jitsu. Um, no. But he's a nice guy and at least he knows a little something about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so I'll excuse him for asking me if I'll be rolling around on the floor with guys trying to submit them.

For instance, as I have been telling my colleagues that I will be teaching in Brazil next year, I've noticed a number of interested teachers. I even gave out the name of the association that connected me with the school in Brasilia to one teacher seriously interested in teaching abroad. This reaction was very unexpected because I thought that people would question my desire to move abroad, not want to join me :). This was a pleasant surprise and I hope to "plant the seed" of international school teaching in the hearts of teachers that I know and/or work with.

Maybe it's the state of affairs in public school education today, or maybe it's the call of adventure that stirs the idea of teaching abroad in the hearts of professionals. I don't know. But whatever it is, I hope that it spreads. One of my co-workers, an Italian national and French teacher, told me that she'd loved to go back to Italy to teach, but with her American husband and son here, it's difficult. She told me she'll be vicariously living through me, and immediately asked for my personal e-mail address.

People have expressed their enthusiasm, and even jealousy, and have made comments that they wish they could take their families abroad so they could go and teach. Some have told me that they're also ready and if they could just convince their significant other to uproot, that they'd move. This I didn't expect. Another ESOL teacher told me that she doesn't have enough courage to up and move to South America, but that she's happy for me and wishes she could do the same (which she could because she already left the Islands to come to the U.S.). All of the support and excitement of those around me in response to my news makes me feel even more ecstatic about moving.

I am really not afraid of too much (besides getting my wisdom tooth pulled, apparently). I'm anxious for some real adventure, a change of scenery and lifestyle and even the challenges that along with moving to a new country. I mean, even though I realize that moving back to Brazil is going to have its ups and downs, I'm ready for it. We're both ready for it.

Brazil in fewer than 90 days



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.

It's the little things

When it comes to moving (abroad) it's the little things that you have to take care of being departing. That often means the tasks that you don't think of right away, not because they're insignificant, but because they're not as obvious.

For instance, we had an XM radio hanging around the house that E bought years ago, and discontinued to use not even a year later. So this radio and all its accessories have just been sitting neatly in the box, collecting dust in the closet. So what do you do with it when you're moving to another country and know that you're never going to use it again (even if you could)? You SELL it! And you do so AND make a profit. It's not like the buyer knows how much you paid for it; you sell it for what it's worth (used, of course).

It's amazing what a difference selling the little things can do to help you reach your goal of emptying out your house.

It makes me feel a sense of completion when I slowly notice that I have less and less to do as we prepare to move. We still have so much to do with the shipping, selling our cars, goodbyes, final trip to New York to visit my family, finishing up our jobs, taking care of our bills/finances/mail, etc. etc. that at least seeing a near empty closest and cabinets make me feel a teeny bit relieved and accomplished.

Another of the "little things" that we should deal with before going to Brazil is that of our driver's licenses. In Brazil I've been told driver's licenses are expensive and a long drawn out process to get. In Florida they're cheap and easy (which of course would explain why there are so many poor drivers in this state). On a side note, it's more expensive and more difficult to get a driver's license in New York state - where I got mine from years ago.

We've decided to get an International Driver's Permit (IDP), take our Florida licenses with us, and pray to the Brasilia DETRAN gods that getting a Brazilian driver's license will be relatively painless to get. [For the application to apply for the IDP, click here. The AAA is supposed to be the only legal organization that issues the IDP, or the IADP, for those who will be driving in Central and South America.]

These are the "little things" (among others) that I can't forget to take care of here, if I want to make our lives easier, maybe even while putting money into our pockets - or at least prevent us from having to spend more once we arrive in Brasilia.

Leaving for Good

There is so much involved in "leaving for good", and with that said, I don't just mean the emotional aspect, or even the physical act of packing. I mean the ins and outs of leaving everything behind, and then actually getting on an airplane with your bags, laptops, valuables, and my kitty. Once you've arrived in your new country you then have to do what? Move in to your new furnished, or unfurnished, apartment? Set up Internet connection? Find your belongings that you nervously shipped and pray to _____ (God?) that they're all intact? With so much to do, do you know where to begin? When? Overwhelming, huh? It is, but it's also all feasible.

When moving abroad for an indeterminate amount of time, there is a lot more that goes into planning than just what to pack. In order to organize my scattered thoughts, I have separated our tasks in order to avoid the possible sense of feeling overwhelmed. I'm going to avoid the "settling in" part for now, but you have to think about that in advance in order to be organize yourself and plan appropriately.

Immigration

1. First and foremost, you need to apply for your visa (whether it be the work visa or the permanent residency visa) because that takes time and let's be real, you can't work/live abroad legally without the permission
2. You will also need to register with the federal police once you arrive, and you should also let the closest embassy know that you're there - to stay
3. Once you've settled down, you'll also need get all of your documents like your ID card, the country's version of a SSN (CPF in Brazil), and anything else you'll need to assimilate into society.

Packing

This is the most difficult part, in my opinion. There's only two of us, and we did just move 2 years ago so it's not like we have a plethora of belongings, but I'm sentimental and the hardest part for me was deciding what I think I need. I did successfully clean out my mom's house of my boxes and such last year, so at least all that I own is in one place. Here.

I suggest beginning by throwing away, donating, and selling that which you know for sure you're not going to take with you. Once you have done that, you can pack much easier. For instance, I have gone through all of my books more than once asking myself if I'll read them again, I've donated or given away a number of books, and then I bought a Kindle. Now I feel that I'm prepared to pack the books that I will be taking with me. So far I have two boxes of those that I could not live without, that I will use if I ever give private English classes, or that I know for sure I won't need over the next few months. Don't pack items that you'll need next week. Unpacking is no fun. Oh yea, I forgot, I have boxes of books at school and more to buy. Ugh.

I'm also selling furniture and household items that we won't be taking with us to Brazil. I'm grateful for all of the people in central Florida who need bookshelves, tables, chairs, and TVs and will take mine off my hands.

Now as I sit on my couch waiting for a woman to come and buy my chairs, I start to panic a bit that I'm selling too soon; but then I remember that the fewer items that we have in our apartment means less to worry about packing. See, we need to find a shipping company soon and plan on shipping our belongings to Brazil before we move. For this reason, it's ok to sell now. Plus, my friends and family understand this and I know no one will feel uncomfortable if we have fewer chairs or they eat dinner on a tray for a night or two.


Oooh, you have to think of that when you move abroad?

1. Our cell phone plan runs out weeks before we leave, but I don't want to keep it for another 3 weeks because I won't be here to pay that last bill and I don't want to be screwed (again). We'll need to buy a cheap-o phone and/or a prepaid plan to take care of this.
2. We're selling both our cars. To whom? When? How much? We'll have to deal with this in a few months, but doesn't hurt to think about it now. At least I'll be done working about a month before we move; this way we can easily sell one car sooner than the other, and then just have to deal with the one right before we leave. This leads us to car insurance. At least we'll get a bit of a break during the last month.
3. Any last bills will have to be taken care of on-line, paid in advance, or with the help of family (thanks, Mom!).
4. Our cat. I know I've mentioned it before, but he's important and is going on the plane with us. It's a bit of a pain in the ____ that he needs to get checked by a vet and all only 10 days before our departure. I mean, why not a month?

I know this is a lot to think about, but it's also not an extensive list; it could actually be much longer and more detailed. I didn't even get into the settling part, but that's mainly because I'm working on taking care of that with my future employer.

Hopefully this information will be helpful to anyone who is contemplating, or already in the "leaving for good and then settling" stage.

Old, raggedy clothes

I've decided not to buy new clothes until soon before I leave for Brazil. Maybe it's OCD of me, or maybe it's because I want to ensure that I have new clothes before I move abroad. Or maybe it's out of habit. See, I always buy new clothes and/or make sure my clothes are relatively new and have just been washed before I pack for an extended trip abroad, whether it be a semester away or a cruise to the Caribbean. I just like it that way.

This time is no different.

My husband and I are making mental lists of what we want to take with us, and what we'll leave behind, and clothes are not any different. I've lived in Brazil before so I have an idea about what to expect as far as what to take and what not to take. I'm not very materialistic so I don't "worry" about buying all the Tommy Hilfiger clothes I can find. Actually, I'm more interested in the fit of my clothes, as well as the design. I prefer "American" jeans and since I'm tall and have larger feet than the average Brazilian woman, I need to keep these things in mind. Jean, check, sneakers and shoes, check.

In the meantime, I'm just going to wear the clothes that I already have (which are not really old nor raggedy). As a high school teacher, I'm not too restricted on what I can wear to work so that is not much of an issue. If I want to wear jeans and sandals then I can and I will. In addition, school is out in 12 weeks (not that anyone is counting), so after that I'll only being wear shorts, tank tops, and flip flops; therefore, it's not a big deal that I don't have new clothing yet.

Plus, if I am going to buy a bunch of items before I move, then why fill the house with clothes that I won't wear until I get to Brazil?

Shipping media mail to Brazil

Tonight I received the teacher handbook from my school in Brazil and it was full of helpful information and great tips for someone moving to Brasilia. Makes the trip even more real and me an even more very excited and anxious person!

In addition, I found out that there IS a way to ship books and other printed matter to an international address. Great news! I thought that media mail was only a treat for us bibliophiles shipping books/magazines within the United States.

This is what my school sent regarding "m-bags":

"The cheapest way to send books from the USA is M-Bag through the U.S. Postal Service. Mbags

are a special service to send books or printed matter to an international address at a

reduced postage rate. It usually takes one to two weeks, but it might take much longer. Send

books in your name to the school. Be sure to pack all books in strong boxes!!!"

For more information, visit the USPS website:

260 Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (M–bags)

261 Description

261.1 General

M-bags are defined as direct sacks of printed matter (see 261.22) sent to a single foreign addressee at a single address. There are three types of M–bags: Airmail M-bags, International Priority Airmail (IPA) M-bags, and International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) M-bags. All M-bags are subject to the following conditions of mailing:

1. Maximum weight of a sack: 66 pounds (including the tare weight of the sack). Lower maximum weights apply to certain countries. See the Individual Country Listings.
2. Availability: All destinations that are referenced in the Individual Country Listings for Airmail M-bags, in Exhibit 292.452 for IPA M-bags, and in Exhibit 293.452 for ISAL M-bags.
3. Identification: PS Tag 158, M–bag Addressee Tag, must be completed and attached to the neck of the sack.
4. Postage: The applicable postage for Airmail M-bags, International Priority Airmail (IPA), and International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) must be affixed to PS Tag 158.
5. Extra services: Certificate of mailing is available. Registry and insurance are not available.

261.2 Eligibility

261.21 Printed Matter

Printed matter is admissible in M-bags. Articles that meet the definition of “printed matter” include newspapers, magazines, journals, books, sheet music, catalogs, directories, commercial advertising, and promotional matter. “Printed matter” is defined as follows:

1. Papers upon which words, letters, characters, figures, images, or any combinations thereof appear.
2. Papers that do not have the character of a bill or statement of account.
3. Papers that do not have the character of current and personal correspondence.

261.22 Other Articles

Certain other articles may be enclosed in M-bags, provided that all of the following conditions of mailing are met:

1. The articles being sent are limited to discs, tapes, and cassettes; commercial samples shipped by manufacturers and distributors; or other non-dutiable commercial articles or informational materials that are not subject to resale.
2. The articles are related to the printed matter (see 261.21) with which they are being mailed.
3. The articles are affixed to or are otherwise combined with the accompanying printed matter.
4. The combined weight of each printed matter mailpiece and the related articles may not exceed 4 pounds.
5. The M-bag must be accompanied by a fully completed PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22 — Sender’s Declaration (green label), which is to be affixed to PS Tag 158, M-bag Addressee Tag.

261.23 Mail Not Sealed Against Inspection

M-bags are not sealed against inspection. Regardless of physical closure, the mailing of an M-bag, including an airmail, IPA, or ISAL M-bag, constitutes consent by the mailer to inspection of the contents.

Public Schools in the United States

An all too typical parent/teacher conference at a public school in the U.S. No need to remind me why I'm going to teach abroad at a private (international) school.





I like this teacher. She's too clever for this fool-of-a-parent.