I keep saying, "experience of a lifetime, soon to begin" but in all reality, has the experience already started?
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt
I would like to think that I am looking fear in the face, and at that, I am telling it to buzz off. I mean REALLY, how many of you would jump on a plane, alone, and fly to a foreign piece of earth? So, in the GREAT words of Eleanor Roosevelt, I am going to get on that plane, and experience the world, that I once thought was impossible.
Experience is a funny thing….I only thought getting to Abu Dhabi was the experience! Well, I am starting to rethink that!
I had let go of a job, a job that had become quite comfortable after four years. I figured after accepting this new job, I would have a summer of leisure…..a summer of relaxation, research of the new place, and goodbyes.
Relaxation? HAHA…there would be NONE of that my friends....follow along as I track my summer of leisure: (clear throat)
1. I resigned my position of 6th grade World Cultures Teacher and Team Leader during the month of May. By this time, I had checked out....I had a new dream in mind, excitement of the new place, and plenty of things to do to get ready. June 4th (last day of school) couldn't have come FAST enough. Although, I had built great relationships with the people at work, so telling them I was leaving was really hard!
2. Accepting this new job meant that I had to renew my passport! (Grab a drink of water, this could take a while)
Passport...P-A-S-S-P-O-R-T....hmmm, I have now come to hate this word. And for the next TEN years, I will not have to face the ladies and gentlemen that so gladly renew these for us. I had left school early, one marvelous day in May, as I was going to visit the local post office to renew my passport. Mind you, I already had one, it was expired. I had also printed out the necessary paper work, online, and filled it out. All I had to do, contrary to my belief, was hand it in. So, I get there, an hour to spare. (Sign read: Passport Hours 9:00am-4:00pm)
I gingerly open the door, only to be greeted with a blank stare (as if I had done something wrong) and a menacing “we are no longer open today; you need to come back tomorrow morning.” I simply reminded him that his hours of service sign stated 4:00 pm and I still had an hour, therefore I would wait. I also let him know, that like him, I also had a job.
Long story short, I had a very brief run in with the manager of the post office, before storming out, letting him know what a poor job he was doing running the place and how sorry it was that they would treat people the way they did. I didn’t get my passport that day.
The next morning, Saturday, I was the first in line at 7:00 am to talk to a different passport agency. Only to inform me, I had to make an appointment and they were 3 months out. But, I could go downtown if I felt lucky.
Lucky….well, I had nothing left. I had given 100% of my time to getting this passport elsewhere. I had just about gone postal in the post office, awakened WAY before my time on a Saturday morning, and I was out of ideas.
In my Mazda I go…all the way downtown only to wait in line for FOUR and A HALF HOURS to renew my passport. Since I didn’t have an appointment, it was a if they got to you basis….I was of the last 10 people they took that day.
Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.
Let me tell you, our USPS couldn’t move at a slower time, no worry in the world, and not a feeling of remorse! Something is wrong with this picture….a line of 1000’s, out the door, and 2 employees…1 of which puts the closed window sign up so she can sort through denied mail. I don’t get it!
Wasn't it the governments idea that we should all have one? If they want us to have a passport, why don't they make it an easier process?
3. Packing and renting my house. So packing up your life is never easy. But then to put a weight on it...yikes! I am packing TWO years of my life in TWO suitcases, and they can't be over 50 pounds. Okay, hello...I am female, I feel the need to pack the "just in case", "I know I need it", and the "I just gotta take this." Well, as you can imagine, both if those light blue boxes I referred to eariler = WAY over the weight limit! :(
I will be spending the next 4 days packing, repacking, and more packing.
Rental of the house = not happened yet!
Oh, have I talked about STRESS??
Stress will now cover # 4 through #100!!
What do I have to be stressed about? Well, nothing, I suppose, if you have found the following 45 minutes of muttering amusing.....silly and waste of time....senseless, etc.
Stressors:
When will my house rent?
Are the renters going to be nice to MY house?
Are my dogs going to run away, trying to find me?
Are my dogs going to forget who I am?
Are my friends and family members going to forget who I am?
Those are just a few to name.
Lastly, just to add to this "experience of a lifetime"...
I get a phone call this morning (August 9, 2010) from a new friend of mine to inform me that our flights are not listed as being international, and to keep from being charged for the extra baggage, I need to call the airlines.
hmmm...WHAT???
I called. Since it is not a connecting flight, I am not categorized as international, therefore, I will need to show my itinerary when I get there....I will need to go find my luggage in Chicago, carry it to check in again, and make sure it gets checked in for the rest of the flight to Abu Dhabi. Then, a 14 hour flight to Abu Dhabi.
New adventures and experiences here I come!! I am happy to be doing this...I can't wait, this is going to be GREAT!
I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
Martha Washington
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