From Daydreams to Suitcases
The transition from dreaming to departure in about three months is a strange psychological shift, at least for us.
Six months or so ago, time felt different. We would sit together with Google Earth and explore neighborhoods, or watch YouTube city walkthroughs, food markets, and art shows, dreaming of France. Back then, we had so much to do in front of us, and the weight was paralyzing. So many times we were just dreaming, unable to move under that weight. Yet ironically, time was moving fast. We spent our evenings in a blur of "What if…?" and "Imagine when…" The days disappeared into research and excitement, moving quickly.
Now, with only three months left on the calendar, time moves differently. Time has slowed down. It hardly seems to be moving forward at all.
Maybe it's because of the paperwork. Most of our documents for Europe…mostly Lelaine’s…have all been sent off for apostille, and some needed to be notarized. Done. Now we're just waiting for them to come back to us. Sending off documents, notarizing them, gathering everything necessary……..it's the unglamorous bridge between two lives. Each signature, each document, making the reality of our departure more solid, but the wait more agonizing. Actually, the document gathering part wasn't that bad, maybe because the entering into France for Lelaine is less complicated…so far.
We've reached the stage where we are no longer "imagining" Toulouse, we are preparing for it. The YouTube shows and Google Earth walkthroughs are now more focused on specific areas where we think we could live. Transportation, banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, and markets must all be within easy reach. I don't think that will be a problem in Toulouse, though. The city has great public transportation available all around.
What do you pack when you're moving to a foreign country and don't want to ship your entire household? As of this moment, our suitcases are empty, but I think in the next couple of weeks we're going to start packing them. Packing for a brand new life in a brand new country.
Personally, I'm getting more and more excited and ready to go. Departure: May 13th. Are we there yet?
We're already planning our first two days in Toulouse. Getting to our place from the airport the first day. Unpack, relax, and soak up everything. I’m sure it will be a culture shock to both of us. Second day: go for a big walk around our neighborhood to discover the closest bakery, supermarket, metro and bus stops. Then head out to a park with some baguettes, cheese, ham, and a bottle of wine to celebrate.
We are ready to start walking, biking a lot, and exploring our new surroundings. Ready to eat healthier and live with a lot less stress. At least, that's the plan.
