Gettin' it together

Q: So have you started packing yet?

A: Dude, I've got almost a week.

Q: You're selling everything, right? So what are you sleeping on?

A: Hahaha. Of course I still have my bed.

4 years after I started to get rid of everything back home, 3.5 years since I got off the plane with 2 suitcases, and it's time once again to get rid of an apartment full of stuff. It's actually going OK. Moving is always stressful and moving to another city (much less another country) is moreso because you've got the selling/ packing/ throwing away, plus all the good-bye dinners and coffees and dou-huas, plus sadness plus wanting to get in one last epic bike ride... plus other life things that have nothing to do with moving that have kept me busy these past few weekends.

But... it's all going pretty well. The only things I have that are worth more than I'd take out of an ATM machine at once are my 2 bikes, both of which are half-sold now, and if all goes well will be all-sold soon. I've had a few people who have come to buy one thing and then treated my apartment like an artfully arranged store with limited inventory, so I've gotten rid of a few more things. Now it's just a matter of pinning down who wants the rest of the stuff.

I actually feel a lot sadder about leaving here than I did about leaving the US- I've realized it's because I knew I'd go back there someday and see everyone again. But I'm working on enjoying the time I'm spending with my friends and not being sad about the time I won't spend with them. I know I'll be happy when I get back to the US, but it might be a sad plane ride!

And... I have one of my two suitcases packed! And 18 suitcases worth of stuff to fit in the second one. But we won't think about that now. We'll just be happy about that one suitcase.