[Sam B]

Here are some things I've noticed about my life right now:

-I'm drinking more than usual (alcohol that is)

-I can't be bothered to do any work at work

-I've become guiltily addicted to this forum (see above)

-I keep realising that this might be the last time I ever see the person I'm talking to, and then not knowing what to say when it's time to say goodbye

-I take 3 hours to get to sleep, then have weird, vivid anxiety dreams all night

- I have purchased a set of bathroom scales for the first time ever, just to weigh our luggage.

-We all keep getting cards/letters/comments about how much people like us/loved working with us/teaching us/can't live without us - how come no-one ever says these things to you until you're leaving forever?!

Sam

[kiwidebs]

-We all keep getting cards/letters/comments about how much people like us/loved working with us/teaching us/can't live without us - how come no-one ever says these things to you until you're leaving forever?!

I wondered about this one myself. As for the rest, sounds like perfectly normal 'lifechanging experience coming up' type of behaviour.

Good luck with it.

Debs

[Sam B]

So weighing luggage on bathroom scales is normal then, phew, what a relief...

[kiwidebs]

So weighing luggage on bathroom scales is normal then, phew, what a relief...

Oh, definately. Then opening said cases, moving something heavy into another and taking something out and putting it in the rubbish heap....and then closing the cases and weighing again....all the time muttering under your breath about kids and toys and socks and weather and shoes and how much underwear do i really need.......:laugh :laugh All perfectly normal.

[Sam B]

Ha Ha YES!!

[Nienke]

Oh yeah, very recognizable! :D

[Hannah]

Oh Sam, Brill...esp the bit about realising you won't see that person again and not knowing what to say. I keep saying 'oh well, i'll probably see you before i go, i may pop in' etc. because its less 'final'.

going to sleep each night about 3 am - its like i'm moving into kiwi time already.

Thinking about taking a photo of our local burger shop, tea shop, curry house etc. so i can 'remember it'. What's that all about!!!!!

Apart from that i feel numb. Telling myself it's just a plane flight after all - i could come back within 25 hours and a 2 hour tea break in Hong Kong!

Sitting among boxes stacked 6 high, waiting to see if our house sale goes through, just thinking about the wonderful 4 storey library in my new town!!!! House so near to the sea i'll be able to hear the waves from my bedroom.

Damn that burger bar and curry house...i'll live without them!!!!....?????

Great fun, isn't it!!!!!!

[marcia]

this brings back not too distant memories - especially the bit about weighing the cases. :laugh And unpacking them and changing stuff around - remember to list which essential items are in each case to make it easier those first few days when you are living out of the cases.

I have kept all the cards people gave to us and I still haven't managed to read some of them properly becasue they make me cry and I can't see the words for the blurr!!

Remember when you are saying those last few 'see ya laters' - Special people will always be with you in your heart - they won't go away and neither will your memories, you take them with you no matter where in the world you are!!! :yes

[Jenny & Mark]

Here are some things I've noticed about my life right now:

-I'm drinking more than usual (alcohol that is)

-I can't be bothered to do any work at work

-I've become guiltily addicted to this forum (see above)

-I keep realising that this might be the last time I ever see the person I'm talking to, and then not knowing what to say when it's time to say goodbye

-I take 3 hours to get to sleep, then have weird, vivid anxiety dreams all night

- I have purchased a set of bathroom scales for the first time ever, just to weigh our luggage.

-We all keep getting cards/letters/comments about how much people like us/loved working with us/teaching us/can't live without us - how come no-one ever says these things to you until you're leaving forever?!

Sam

I completely agree, but is it normal 6 months early!! :D :roll

Mark.

[NeilV]

Here are some things I've noticed about my life right now:
-I can't be bothered to do any work at work
-I've become guiltily addicted to this forum (see above)
-I keep realising that this might be the last time I ever see the person I'm talking to, and then not knowing what to say when it's time to say goodbye
-I take 3 hours to get to sleep, then have weird, vivid anxiety dreams all night
- I have purchased a set of bathroom scales for the first time ever, just to weigh our luggage.

&

going to sleep each night about 3 am - its like i'm moving into kiwi time already.

So TRUE!! finally feeling validated :cheers

1 week to go! [Egypt 2 weeks, HK 6 days, arrive Feb 1st]

I swear, the idea of rolling the journey into a big holiday [benefiting properly from free stopovers] REALLY SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME :roll

Now I think I'm truely certifiable, but from the symptoms, so are a lot of you :D

[gil]

[QUOTE=marcia] remember to list which essential items are in each case to make it easier those first few days when you are living out of the cases.
/QUOTE]
OMG I wish I'd known that!! What a great tip. The first few days living out of cases was a nightmare, only fractionally improves when you live out of boxes, but we are getting there!!!

Gil
PS Sam B, yes, we went through all that too and we're still enjoying the wine :D

[Junnifer USA]

Now, Almost years after arriving in Christchurch...

I wonder how my 'best friends" from home turned out to be my second best friends...the ones who really did stay in touch with me from such a great distance.

I wonder how take out in Chch started to finally taste good to me...it sure didn't when I arrived!

I wonder when it was thet prices seemed 'reasonable' sometimes even cheap at the market.... it sure wasn't when I arrived.

I wonder how our heat pump seems to be enough heat, and the insulating is fine enough...it sure wasn't the first year we were here.

Love this place!

JJ

[Trigirl]

we had the opposite problem saying goodbye to everyone. i'd arrange a meetup (meal or drinks) with someone only for them to say - oh well you're here for another week - we'll catch up wit hyou before you go. we were out every night for about a month before we left so i kept having to say no you won't!

[wanderingoregonian]

We had lots of rolling goodbyes - made it even harder to say goodbye... the goodbyes at school in June, the goodbyes of friends in Boston just before, then all the goodbyes during the summer of friends popping back home for weddings how no longer live there anymore, etc. Then with all the immigration delays, we'd have a goodbye party and then I'd ended up being around another couple weeks. It was like crying wolf, and then boom I was gone! On the flip side, we've already had 3 friends pass through which helped greatly.

The lengths some of my classrooms (as a speech therapist I was in many many schools and classrooms) went to send me off was incredible - and I completely hear you, why didn't I hear more of this before I moved - then again how often do we remember to take the time to do that for the people in our daily lives..... :(

[lollypop]

Now, Almost years after arriving in Christchurch...

I wonder how my 'best friends" from home turned out to be my second best friends...the ones who really did stay in touch with me from such a great distance.

So true.

[Sam B]

Neil V - yeah we thought about a holiday stopover, now I'm glad we didn't with our 8 cases weighing 23 kg each and 4 pieces of hand luggage, plus all my current neuroses. Just need to get there I think.

Hannah - yep 3am on the dot. And I'm full of those "Well probably see you around / next week etc" phrases. So true. Not as attached to my local burger bar though, but my Indian takeaway - well that's another matter. Might take the camera down there next week...

Marcia - all my luggage is now labelled - kid's summer clothes etc. Thanks for advice!

Cheers everyone - love hearing that people are as neurotic as me!

[willowshouse]

1 week to go! [Egypt 2 weeks, HK 6 days, arrive Feb 1st]

I swear, the idea of rolling the journey into a big holiday [benefiting properly from free stopovers] REALLY SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME :roll

Now I think I'm truely certifiable

Tell me it wasn't a good idea when you've had the holiday and arrived in NZ!

We spent 3 weeks travelling around America on the way over here and it was well worth it - we had a ball!

Dawn

[Croft]

Oh, definately. Then opening said cases, moving something heavy into another and taking something out and putting it in the rubbish heap....and then closing the cases and weighing again....all the time muttering under your breath about kids and toys and socks and weather and shoes and how much underwear do i really need.......:laugh :laugh All perfectly normal.

I have the problem with only with wife and I travelling. I have got myself down to just a few days worth of underwear plus shirts, banking on the fact we'll be somewhere in that time to wash the kit. This is so my wife can pack all those just in case clothes that she abosulutely must have with her.....

[NeilV]

I have the problem with only with wife and I travelling. I have got myself down to just a few days worth of underwear plus shirts, banking on the fact we'll be somewhere in that time to wash the kit. This is so my wife can pack all those just in case clothes that she abosulutely must have with her.....
:clap :laugh :clap

Glad to know it's not just me who has to EMIGRATE in a hand luggage case so the wife can take everything she just "can't be without"
[even though we sent our container in JULY and it's ready waiting for delivery once we find a home!!!]

Somehow the things she couldn't be without then, are still the ones she can't be without [OR replace?] now...

And now I run for it :exit