Packing Anxiety

As the date of my departure nears, I'm filled with excitement as well as dread.  Dread because I need to sort through, reduce, recycle, discard and pack up everything in my apartment.  Although I fancy myself a bit of a minimalist, I still managed to collect a lot over the years.  It doesn't help that teachers, by nature, tend to be pack rats because "Maybe I can use this in one of my classes next year."  So a good third of my belongings are boxes of lesson plans, text books, workbooks, teaching supplies and other work-related things.  I gave a lot to one of my colleagues, but still, a lot remains.  Had I known beforehand how dear basic school supplies are in Haitian schools, I would have taken a suitcase filled with just school supplies last summer when I was there to teach summer camp.  The few packs of pens and pencils I did take were so well received one would have thought I had given the kids money. 

Another third of my stuff is my books, music and yarn.  I've given away a lot of yarn, but, alas, my closets are still full of it.  Although I've set aside a large stack of compact discs to take to the used CD store,  it doesn't make much of a dent in my collection.  Reading is like eating for me, so we're not even going to talk about getting rid of books.  I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "Books are my friends."  Well, I have hundreds of friends. 

Another source of anxiety is the fact that I have to pack everything I'll need for the next six months into two measly suitcases.  I pride myself in being a light traveler.  Even when I spent three months traveling through North Africa and Europe, all I had was my back pack.  However, this is different.  I'll be working, so I need to take more than t-shirts and leggins, and I have to pack for several seasons.  Also, I am tall, have big feet and curves, so I'm not even going to set myself up into thinking I can walk into any random Korean clothing store to supplement my wardrobe.  In addition, I need to take books, yarn and a few baking/cooking essentials like spices.  The other thing is that I'd like to get most of this done before I begin the CELTA course, which is a month from now.  Pressure.