Packing Day

Today was packing day, and oh my goodness. PACKING IS HARD. Did you know that? I've lived in the same house my whole life, so the only time I've really had to move was when I went up North for school. And this isn't like that. I can't come home in a couple weeks to grab something I may have forgotten. No, I'm moving to the other side of the planet.

How do you pick up your life and move to the other side of the world??
You pack for all seasons.
You buy lots of toiletries (because they're expensive where you're going).
You condemn yourself to a life without paper books (eBooks are the new black).
You complete a lot of paperwork.
You select a few mementos to bring.
You steel yourself against the goodbyes.
But most of all: You feel like none of it is real.

You can't possibly be leaving everything familiar behind, can you? All of your family and friends? You can't really be starting up a new life in a new place with a new job and new friends, can you?

And it can't really be happening in two days . . . can it?

But yes, it is. And you can. And you do.

That's the thing about how today passed for me. I don't feel any different. All of my clothes are packed away, but so what? IT'S JUST TOO SURREAL. I can't wrap my brain around the fact that I'm leaving yet. That I'm moving to Australia. That I'm officially a big girl. That potentially the best part of my life is just starting. Or maybe it's the worst.

I don't know how to handle what's happening.

I hope that I can hold it together long enough for it to be too late to turn around.