Looking Forward to the Stories

In about three weeks I will be picking up and moving to Ireland for almost an entire calendar year. This was a very last minute decision, and I'm super excited about it. Ireland is one of my favorite places, and I'm looking forward to visiting all of the places I couldn't the last time I was there. I'll be dealing with school work and a thesis during all of this, but I'll definitely be making time to travel around the country.

I'm now in that stage of my pre-trip organization where things are starting to fall into place: I bought my ticket, my living situation is all figured out, I've been in contact with my program coordinator, I've received my summer reading list--and yet I am completely disorganized on the home front. I still haven't done easy but important tasks like locating all the documents I need to register for my immigration card, and yet even this is overshadowed by the gigantic amount of laundry I have to do before I can pack, although the packing doesn't phase me.

Now I don't deny that this is weird, but I LOVE to pack. I obsess about luggage the way that normal people obsess about shoes, cars, and domestic animals. I even have one of those nifty hand held scales that make it easy to weigh your luggage, because staying under 50 pounds is crucial. I am definitely better than you at packing.
Additionally, I am finishing up my intensive summer class and trying to say goodbye to as many people as possible before I leave--it's hard to see everyone though and I know that I'll have to settle for skyping many of you when I get there--and when I get internet. I'm also going to try and soak up as much sun as possible as I have chosen to move to a place where there is an average of 100 foggy days per year.

Love you all and will keep you posted! (pun maybe intended)