HOLY CRAP! I leave in one week!!
Um, where to start... Time flies, for one thing. I'm all moved back to Vancouver with my fam and will be leaving for the Czech Republic in exactly one weeeeeeeeeeek!!!!! I cannot believe it. I have so much to do!
I'm all set with my French visa and paperwork, but I need to practice packing and make sure I have a temporary place to stay when I arrive in Nantes until I can find an apartment. I think the apartment hunt will be the most challenging part. As well as getting into the routine of the school year, of course, but at 12 hours a week, I'm sure that part won't be too difficult. :)
My last day of work was August 17th. The last couple of days in the office were pretty stressful and overwhelming. I was trying to make sure I had wrapped up all the loose ends and that I took care of everything I needed too, and I wasn't really able to take the time to comprehend that I would no longer be working for the UW after 5 years!
It turns out that the tour guide for the PM campus tour on the 17th couldn't make it, so on my very last day of working at the University of Washington, I gave a campus tour. How fitting! I end work there just as I started it. I was joking with my co-workers about how funny it would be if I cried at the end of the tour. Lo and behold (and go figure), I started crying as I was introducing myself and I told the group (about 50 people) that it was my last day and that I was moving to France and that I was extremely sad to leave the UW because it had been my dream school since I was 10 years old. Best school spirit moment ever! Luckily, I pulled myself together after that and had a great tour, but everyone thought it was pretty cute and several people wished me good luck in France at the end of the tour. All those prospective students should come to the UW now because of my awesome attachment to the school. :)
Anyhoo, after that emotional end to my UW career, Kris and I headed up to Bellingham for the weekend to help his brother out with his and his girlfriend's baby shower! It wound up being a great party with LOTS of his girlfriend's family. Kris and I were the only people from his brother's side of the family in the area, so we represented in that regard. We were also able to be quite helpful with food prep and cooking, decorating and cleaning up, as well as being the palace photographers during the event. Success!
I drove back to Vancouver on Monday (thanks to Kris for letting me borrow his car for a few days), and on Friday I'll be driving back to Seattle for one last hurrah with Kris and the gang before I leave for good (forever??) on Saturday morning. Between Saturday and Thursday, August 30th, I have a lot to do.
Among the tasks already completed:
- Got my haircut. 5 inches off and it's still super long! It's perfect.
- Bought an iPod Touch. This means I don't have to buy a smart phone and a data plan in France. Score!
- Finalized plans for Kris and my trip to Italy (trains, hostels, etc.)- SO excited!!
- Called all my banks and credit cards to warn them that I'll be in Europe for a year and not to cancel my cards when I make a purchase there, if you please.
Among the tasks left to complete:
- Print out confirmation details for all of my flights, hostels, trains, and various other events from August 30-September 25th. I will be killing some trees with this one, I'm sorry to say.
- Figure out HOW the HECK to pack for 10 months in one 60-litre backpacking backpack and one 20-litre daypack. Merde.
- Put together a box of supplies to have my parents send over once I have an official place to live (sheets, pots/pans, extra clothing, shoes, camera equipment, etc.)
- I know there's more than these things, I just need to think think think and hopefully I won't remember something as I'm stepping off the plane in Prague. D'oh.
A couple of shots from the past few weeks:
I'm all set with my French visa and paperwork, but I need to practice packing and make sure I have a temporary place to stay when I arrive in Nantes until I can find an apartment. I think the apartment hunt will be the most challenging part. As well as getting into the routine of the school year, of course, but at 12 hours a week, I'm sure that part won't be too difficult. :)
My last day of work was August 17th. The last couple of days in the office were pretty stressful and overwhelming. I was trying to make sure I had wrapped up all the loose ends and that I took care of everything I needed too, and I wasn't really able to take the time to comprehend that I would no longer be working for the UW after 5 years!
It turns out that the tour guide for the PM campus tour on the 17th couldn't make it, so on my very last day of working at the University of Washington, I gave a campus tour. How fitting! I end work there just as I started it. I was joking with my co-workers about how funny it would be if I cried at the end of the tour. Lo and behold (and go figure), I started crying as I was introducing myself and I told the group (about 50 people) that it was my last day and that I was moving to France and that I was extremely sad to leave the UW because it had been my dream school since I was 10 years old. Best school spirit moment ever! Luckily, I pulled myself together after that and had a great tour, but everyone thought it was pretty cute and several people wished me good luck in France at the end of the tour. All those prospective students should come to the UW now because of my awesome attachment to the school. :)
Anyhoo, after that emotional end to my UW career, Kris and I headed up to Bellingham for the weekend to help his brother out with his and his girlfriend's baby shower! It wound up being a great party with LOTS of his girlfriend's family. Kris and I were the only people from his brother's side of the family in the area, so we represented in that regard. We were also able to be quite helpful with food prep and cooking, decorating and cleaning up, as well as being the palace photographers during the event. Success!
I drove back to Vancouver on Monday (thanks to Kris for letting me borrow his car for a few days), and on Friday I'll be driving back to Seattle for one last hurrah with Kris and the gang before I leave for good (forever??) on Saturday morning. Between Saturday and Thursday, August 30th, I have a lot to do.
Among the tasks already completed:
- Got my haircut. 5 inches off and it's still super long! It's perfect.
- Bought an iPod Touch. This means I don't have to buy a smart phone and a data plan in France. Score!
- Finalized plans for Kris and my trip to Italy (trains, hostels, etc.)- SO excited!!
- Called all my banks and credit cards to warn them that I'll be in Europe for a year and not to cancel my cards when I make a purchase there, if you please.
Among the tasks left to complete:
- Print out confirmation details for all of my flights, hostels, trains, and various other events from August 30-September 25th. I will be killing some trees with this one, I'm sorry to say.
- Figure out HOW the HECK to pack for 10 months in one 60-litre backpacking backpack and one 20-litre daypack. Merde.
- Put together a box of supplies to have my parents send over once I have an official place to live (sheets, pots/pans, extra clothing, shoes, camera equipment, etc.)
- I know there's more than these things, I just need to think think think and hopefully I won't remember something as I'm stepping off the plane in Prague. D'oh.
A couple of shots from the past few weeks:
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| Kris cooking away at the baby shower for his brother and his brother's girlfriend. |
 |
| Visiting friends in Olympia |
So close!!!!
Afton!! You are gone already!! Was hoping to catch you before you left. Have a fun trip and please stay in touch while you're teaching--teach me all the argot des ados!
ReplyDeleteBon voyage
Fed