We are settling into everyday life in Auckland. Girls are busy with school (although have opted out of after-school activities for the time being having just wrapped everything at home – insert HAPPY DANCE here!!) and Dave is working regular hours so if you strip back the accent, the driving and the proximity to the glorious sea, life has already become pretty normal.
Said normal life has afforded me the time and cycles to reflect on the move – the months leading up to it, my packing, what I chose to bring and what I chose to leave behind – and I really need to give my head a shake.
There should be a manual on the ‘how to’ of something this epic. I was assigned a relocation specialist who kept asking me how I was feeling about the move but no one to GUIDE the process. Sigh.
Here are my learnings in the event that you ever find yourself moving half way around the world.
Pack what?!?
We were allowed 40 cubic feet of space to airship. These were meant to be the things we would want right away as they would arrive within days of our flight – essentials; things I couldn’t replace easily; items that would make wherever we were feel a little more like home.
I packed less than half of the allotted 40 feet (head scratch) but thankfully snuck a few purses in that I haven’t used in years in there and some toys the kids have yet to really unpack.
I neglected to pack my migraine medication (they are narcotics so tough to carry on a plane without a script…which….I neglected to get before we left), enough contact lenses to get me through the months I would be waiting for our container to arrive, closed shoes (honestly – what was I thinking?!?)…this list goes on and on.
In my do-over, I would pack a little something for every possible weather – save snow. A rain shell, boots, a heavy sweater and its lighter relative, long and short sleeves, this list goes on.
Picture This
Where are my pictures!?! I am mental for our family wall at home. I add to it ever year like it is my religion and without fail, it would turn my day around – all of those sweet faces. Why didn’t I pack a handful of pictures? Or my treasured photo books? Dumb. Ass.
We are renting right now and even just a few of my pictures would make such a difference in making this feel like home as we wait for our container to arrive. Seriously.
Keeping it on the Downlow
I would also have decided to not tell a soul we were leaving until we were leaving. The drawn out good-bye process was mentally and emotionally exhausting, not to mention it had to be boring for everyone around us. I can’t count how many times people said “Oh…you are still here…”….”Yes….we are still here…”