I'm off to see the wizard...

No not really, but I am off to Myanmar... I'll be 10 1/2 hours ahead from East Coast time so I may not catch you chatting on Facebook, but the word is I'll be able to access Facebook, not blogger. So join Facebook and add me as a friend and we'll travel together :)

Talk to you all soon!

O M G

So this morning at 5 am it hit me that I'm moving to freaking Burma. Seriously? Tonight is the packing party. I'm busy prepping the goods so we can start the party right away. The goal is 2 checked bags (50 lbs or less) and one carry-on. We'll see if I can make it. I do have another carry-on ready just in case.

There are so many things to reflect on as I pack up my life and head for a third world country. Of all the changes I am most nervous about teaching there. I am so used to "inner city" kids who put me on a pedestal. My challenges are going to be completely different. It is an interesting situation because I know in two years I am going to look back with fond memories and joy, but right now I am nervous about my new classroom, supplies, other teachers, the students, time for prep/planning, and basically everything to do with my new school. What I have not made time for is to be nervous about what I'm going to eat or the differences of day to day life. We'll see what the biggest challenges are when I get there.

So you don't have any new money?

This pic shows how much Myanmar currency is exchanged for $100 US dollars... Their money is called "kyat" pronounced "chat". I'm going to be a billionaire with kyats.

Who would have thought it would be so difficult to find crisp, new 100 dollar bills... I've physically been to 4 banks, called 2 more and my sister called 2 more and FINALLY she found a bank in Raleigh that has crisp new bills. Are you kidding me? My bank tried to give me a bill with smudge marks. I know it sounds crazy but we were emailed twice to tell us that we would need new bills for the exchange in Myanmar. Thank god, there is a bank in Raleigh that is holding some for us when we drive up on Thursday. One more thing to check off my list...

Gettin' ready

Just doing some last minute errands before the big packing party... When I was a kid my mom would always say, hey, there's a clothes folding party... and my sister and I would reply that we were grounded and couldn't go to any parties... Well, my mom ain't gettin' out of this one.

I canceled my phone today and am headed to the bank to get fresh 100 dollar bills. Apparently they will only take brand new bills with NO creases...

Sorry you can't come to my packing party. I'll let you know how it goes.

Just another Saturday night...

Don't we look mature :)

We're only two hours into the night...

So my crazy friend Emily (we taught together in Denver for a year two years ago...) is moving to Raleigh to teach middle school... She came into town on Friday so my sis planned a night out to welcome her to NC. The theme was "Hello - Goodbye" and those of you who know Emily know it was a very entertaining night. She is funny as shit and as always on the "prowl". I won't tell you the story of me having to pick her up in the wee hours of the morning (at least not on the blog). I warned my sister, but she had no clue. Well now she knows :)

Will you please hold...

So after hours on hold I have a new plane ticket to Myanmar. I had to change departure dates because the alternate arrangement was to fly from Raleigh to Dallas to LA to Taipei to Bangkok to Yangon... and I would rather eat rat dumplings than have a 60 hour travel itinerary, so now I leave on Thursday. Fun times.

Don't worry... be WHAT???

I get a text today from one of the teachers that is going to Burma with me... She is also from Colorado and on the same flight as me from Taiwan to Yangon... Well she texts me today to tell me that she has just received a call telling her that her flight from Taiwan to Yangon (remember we are on the same one) has been canceled... and for me to wait for a call. So at the end of the day when I have not received a call, I call her and see what's up. Apparently she had to rebook her last leg of the flight and the travel people made her mail back her hard copy of her ticket so they could issue a new one. Well I am in Raleigh with my sister and my ticket is at my parent's house... I have not been able to contact anyone yet because we went to see the new batman movie. I'll call the agent tomorrow and fill you in...

p.s. batman is stupid

Out with the girls

Last night my sister and I went out with a few of her friends. We went to a place called The George in downtown Raleigh and had apps and dessert, yum. Do you think we look like sisters? We can't decide. I think I really look like my mom in this pic.

Saturday morning at the doggie park

Here's a video of Nala playing with her strange friend at the dog park in Raleigh. I have no idea why someone would want such a big dog with slobbery, goobery lips. The owner said that during a "growth spurt" she fed the dog 11 cups of food per day. RUFMITA.

Wake up call this morning was at 6am, but we convinced Nala to lay around until 7. Mary is dog sitting for Kyle's parents yappy dog so we got up and took them for a walk to the bagel place, then off to the dog park.

Help...

How many hours in a row do you think one person can watch Law & Order? You know what I've discovered... I kind of have a crush on Tori Spelling's husband. Have you seen Tori and Dean? Yes, I need help.

Today is my last total veg out day for a while. I'm leaving for Raleigh tomorrow and taking a week-long class at NCSU. My sister and I get to commute to campus together :) Time to hit the books. I start school in Myanmar on Aug 4. Where has the summer gone? I have to say it's a good thing because I'm starting to get couch sores.

If only I was around for Xmas...

I was checking out a blog I like to read... she went to a craft fair in San Fran and took pics of a bunch of cool stuff... so I went to one of the websites... If you are in the market for some funky organ related gifts check it out. Here is their uterus gift pack (comes with a stuffed uterus, t-shirt and button), and don't worry they have a pancreas, heart, kidneys, liver, etc..., pack. Be sure to check out their free e-cards too.

Departure = two weeks

It's time to start making plans to visit me in Yangon... I am an hour flight from Bangkok so we can meet there or you can come straight into Myanmar. You will need a Visa to enter Myanmar and I got mine with no problems at all from the Embassy in DC. Here is a climate chart so you can plan your trip :) I would like you to take special note of the humidity readings at the bottom of the chart. WTF. I also like (just for extra special effect) that they created the scales of the graph so that the July and August monsoon rains were "off the chart".

If you are up for it, I really want to go to Australia and New Zealand while I'm in that neck of the woods. We could meet there as well. I do get 3 weeks off for Winter Holiday and as you can tell from the climate chart, that is a great time to visit SE Asia.

Another option is a summer trip somewhere away from the monsoon rains.

I booked my flight with Vayama. Yes, the flight is super expensive, however once you get there it will be very cheap.

Now remember I'll be in Myanmar for 2 years (at which point I can decide to stay an extra year at a time or move on). It's time for your travel dreams to come true :)

Goodbye Ghetto Gold Car (almost)

Five and a half years ago I went to a car lot and bought the absolute cheapest new car I could find. Rolly windows, door locks that you have to touch to lock/unlock, manual transmission and ahhh the best part, it's ghetto gold. Well over a year ago I was driving to yoga and you know, jammin out to music in the parking garage and ssscccrrrraaatttcccchhh I am in contact with the cement wall. Ooopsie. I just kept going and thought, hmm how bad could it be. Well here's the result! bummer. I went to yoga anyway, what was I supposed to do sulk?

So, now I'm in the market to sell my car. I was able to make a claim over a year later and just pay my deductible. Oh, and I've sold my car... to my dad. He has quite a commute and a group wants to carpool and he owns a pick-up, so it just works for all of us for him to buy the car. So it's not really goodbye, just see ya later.

What should I do?

I need some help making a decision... As you know my little angel doggie died on Feb 26. I got her cremated and brought her ashes back to NC with me. So, here I am 3 weeks before I leave for Myanmar and Winnie's ashes are sitting in a tin container on the bed stand. So. I just don't know. Here's my options...

1. bury her in the back yard (behind the fence in the wooded area at my parent's house, my male ferret is back there, my infamous hampster Ted, 2 birds and my childhood cat)
2. spread her ashes at Ft. Fisher beach
3. a combination of 1 and 2
4. other (be specific on your suggestion)

Those of you that know me know that I'll do what I want anyway, but I just don't know! I'm sure that part of me is struggling with the symbolism of letting her ashes go, but I should do something before July 29...

Just another day at the Lake

I am addicted to heading to the lake every day and searching out my friends. Too bad they don't have facebook pages... I could have friends in the reptilian network and the avian network.

Facebook

The news is that I more than likely will not be able to access my blog when I am in Burma. I do have to leave the country for my Visa every 10 weeks, so I can take my computer to Bangkok or where ever I go... The good news is that I can access Facebook, so I have opened a profile on that site. I can post photos there so if you want to keep up with me in Myanmar I think you have to create an account to be able to view mine. On Facebook you can just search my name and it will link you to me :)

Lovin' the south

I love that there is so much wildlife here. I can go to the lake and see turtles, alligators, and lots of birds and not just sparrows, but herons, egrets, sandpipers, cardinals! (when is the last time you saw a RED bird?). My parents backyard is virtually a little sanctuary in of itself. The carolina anole is the coolest little lizard! I could do without the roaches, spiders, and freaking horseflies but I guess that's the price for the other stuff. Oh, the other night I rescued a little froggie from the pool :)

I love sweet tea. Although I'm pretty sure that the devil is responsible for concocting this special brew.

I love vegetation. I do miss huge outcrops of rocks but I love the thick, deep, green, dark pine forests.

I love the beach. The cool breeze coming off the water while the water cleanses and renews the land.

I love the tide and how the beach changes each hour.

4 Weeks and counting

Ahhh, my moving date is 4 weeks from today! I haven't had a trial run packing yet. My plan is to get those travel space bags that squeeze the air out without a vacuum. The only things left on my list are a dressy dress, toothpaste and some snacks for the flight... Am I forgetting anything?