How do you pack for a year?

Seriously though? How do I fit everything I need for a year into 2 bags? And how do I even write a blog?

For those of you who don't yet know, I've decided to make a bit of a career change... as of today, I'm leaving Canada behind and embarking on a new journey - joining the glamourous and luxurious lifestyle that aid workers live. Yup, a life where everything is unknown, everything changes, you don't know what's happening from one minute to the next, you have very little in the line of possessions, you often enjoy packed and less than desireable living conditions, and the pay...well...let's not talk about the pay :) But I am absolutely thrilled to finally be doing what I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember...and it's been nothing short of an adventure already. The past few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of events, and I still feel like I can't breathe.

I had just returned on a Saturday from a trip to Ireland with my girls, one day after my birthday, and was ready to continue learning a new service at work - plastics. (For those of you who don't know, I'm a brand new O.R. nurse - which is quite the change from my previous 8 years working in psychiatry.) But instead of enjoying the rest of the long weekend and preparing for another week in the theatre, I was welcomed back to this fun turn of events:

Sunday: "Hi, do you want to interview for a job?"

Monday: The interview.

Tuesday: Said job is offered to me.

Wednesday: I accept said job.

Friday: "Here are your flights to Switzerland for your pre-departure briefing. Oh, and you leave tomorrow."

Saturday: Flying back across the Atlantic to Switzerland for an intense week long briefing at my organization's headquarters.

Once back in Canada (again), I had 3 weeks to go, and 2 of those included still working at my Edmonton job... and now, sitting in the airport, I'm just realizing that only giving myself one week off of work may not have been the best idea (should have listened to you Courtney)! You don't really realize how many people you want to see, and how much you have to do... and between packing up an apartment, running back and forth to Wal-mart and MEC a million times, and essential patio drinks on 29 degree days, the days run out quickly. So here I am, about to get on a plane, desperately wishing I had had more time to see everyone, and I'm still wondering how I was supposed to pack for a year. I'm pretty sure I have too much of "this" and not enough of "that" but there's not much I can do about that now.

Thankfully, I've had amazing family and friends available to help me out... and in just 2 days I managed to pack up my entire life into a few boxes (surprisingly only one of which were shoes) and haphazardly put together 2 bags (and a carry-on) of what will become my new life abroad.

Moving out... my life in boxes.

A year worth of clothes, all rolled up into a neat little package.

So here we go... I'll keep you posted.