Packing Challenges
Last night I had to do the one thing which I dread most when I travel: PACK! I always procrastinate too, waiting until the last possible moment before beginning to pack. And I knew this time was going to be especially bad since I was going to have to try to fit everything I brought PLUS everything I bought during my semester of travels. The only up-side to it all was that I had my sister’s extra piece of luggage which she had brought for me, packing in just one suitcase herself. If you ever study abroad, I would recommend bringing up a family member for this reason alone! Haha! If not at the end, sometime in the middle of your semester so you can give them some stuff to take home.
So, with some uncorked VinSanto (a Tuscan dessert wine) and biscotti, we began the long process of packing, organizing, and cleaning out the room that had been my home for the past 3 ½ months. To add to the chore of packing, we had to document everything I’d bought with an estimated value in order to be prepared to fill out the U.S. Customs form on the return flight. Don’t forget to do this when you study abroad! It makes things a lot easier when you’re tired after 9 hours on a plane and the flight attendant hands you the Customs form. After a bit of packing, Heather and I both passed out on the bed, our bodies crookedly and strategically placed around the luggage still on my bed.
I woke up a couple of hours later, finished packing, organized trash piles and such, and then laid down for another hour before we had to get up again. We woke up with less than an hour until the airport shuttle was coming, which is what we had planned to do since we just had to get dressed and take the luggage downstairs. My roommate, however, had planned to get up a couple of hours before departure and well, she was still asleep. After waking her, some hustling, and a few trips down the tiny apartment elevator with all the luggage, we made it outside and into the waiting shuttle.
Then our never-ending day of traveling commenced. AND about 22 hours later, I finally was walking into my back door at my Texas home!
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