I have so much to do before I leave. It is extremely overwhelming. However, I am not going to let that get the best of me. Right? Right. This post is going to be random and scatter brained.
Macedonian is ridiculous. There are random v's in words and i am going to sound crazy for awhile. Usually, in French, Italian, Portugese, and any other romance language, I can read the text and catch on to the meaning. Not in Macedonian....these words are like nothing I have ever heard before. Also, I can't help but always giggle when people ask me, "what language are you going to learn?" and i say, well.. Macedonian. Doesn't that sound fake?
Well, I need to learn this thing:
Macedonian is ridiculous. There are random v's in words and i am going to sound crazy for awhile. Usually, in French, Italian, Portugese, and any other romance language, I can read the text and catch on to the meaning. Not in Macedonian....these words are like nothing I have ever heard before. Also, I can't help but always giggle when people ask me, "what language are you going to learn?" and i say, well.. Macedonian. Doesn't that sound fake? Packing:
PACKING. Ahhhh. I am so terrified to begin this packing adventure. I need to pack up my life in boxes, find houses to store my random items in for 2 years, and weed out what I deem to be a neccesity for me to have while in Macedonia. The below items are recommendations from current Peace Corps volunteers.
A) An Osprey bag. These bags just look so cool and mountainous. Is it worth it to spend a week of Bravo money on this? I bet this bag has so many secret compartments. It is so tempting to splurge.
B) Measuring Cups- Good thing I am the owner of the gaggle of geese to the left. They are most definitely being wrapped in my clothes and coming along with me to Macedonia to measure out the ingredients for Baklava. And eclairs. and I still don't kow any other Macedonian delicacies.
C) Hiking boots- ALL HIKING BOOTS ARE SO UGLY. Including these. And these were the only ones I sort of liked. I am going to look like the realest dyke. Macedonia has a ton of mountain ranges, beautiful sights, etc. etc. I suppose it depends where I am placed after training if I will be hiking a lot or not. But I am sure the boots will come in handy at some point in my 27 months abroad. BUT THEY ARE SO UGLY.
I feel like I am going camping.
Also suggested was a can opener, potato peeler, dial soap because the soap there is really hard? Tampons, because only the cardboard kind exist... and only in big cities. A sleeping bag, pillow cases, deodarant, ziplock baggies....I have to bring clothes for every season. 100 lbs. of all my clothes for 27 months? This is going to be absolutely insane.
List of items I need to get rid of from my apartment:
1. Pointless clothes that I am never ever going to wear. In Columbus or in Macedonia.
2. My futon of love. Coffee Table. TV Table. Lamps. Big red chair. Computer desk. Computer chair.
3. What am I going to do with my bike? :( I want to bring my bebe.
I found a Macedonian bike site on facebook and got soooo stoked again about having a bike while I am there. I am not sure how my one speed bicicyle will manage in Macedonia though. Or how my set of deep-v wheels will look among the goats and babushkas.
I can't stop thinking about leaving. I just feel like there isn't much left to do in Columbus for me right now. Things have been sort of dragging. And extremely average. But then when I think about leaving I also think about how puffy and red my eyes are going to be while sitting on the plane waiting for it take off from Columbus. Ok enough about Macedonia ! For today at least.
3 comments:
I didn't know you had a blog. Hiking boots are ugly! That's why I decided against them. I'm currently trying to decided btwn northface or sorel (clearance) and I'm going to pass on the osprey, though it looks cool. Ppl laugh at me when I tell them that I'm learning Macedonian. And unfortunately, i haven't put much effort in it now. And I'm also dreading the teary plane scene.
Phebe
yeah, you'll make it without hiking boots. i don't have a pair and frankly don't get what the fuss is about, but i think some people use them as winter boot replacements when there's snow. looking back with my year of wisdom, you don't need to freak out too much about packing, don't need to buy an expensive bag (i brought my dad's 70's hiking backpack; it's fine); you don't need pillow cases, a potato peeler, a can opener or soap. these are all things you can buy in macedonia or that will be in your place when you move in. trust me, i love cooking, but you get used to chopping things with blunt knifes, and i have never had need for a can opener.
Phebe, I too am deciding against the boots.
Ellen, I love your blogggg. I found it via google a few months ago. Is that creepy? Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I too am taking vintage luggage. And the expensive luggage just looks nice... highly doubt I can invest in it.
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