Like a sack of bricks....

**originally posted July 29 2006, but was somehow deleted. Let's try this again!**

I've started to become overwhelmed with the realization that in 5 days I will be moving to another country. In case you're reading this blog and you don't know me (doubtful, but I'll flatter myself), I graduated from the University of Michigan in April (cultural anthropology and French). Next thursay, august 3rd, I'm leaving for Geneva, Switzerland to be a"fille au pair", for two adorable little boys (well they're adorabe in photos....guess I'll find out for real once I've been around them forawhile).

I've been planning this for months, and have known since may I would be leaving in August. However this past thursday, I started thinking about everything a week in advace. Like how next thursday I won't be at work with my middle schoolers, I'll be on a plane (ahh). And this morning while eating my Kashi GoLean Cruch and watching E!, I realized that next saturday would be my first morning waking up in a new house, with people who are little more than amicable strangers tome. The realizations are hard hitting, and I constantly vacillate between being excited out of my mind, and utterly terrified of the unknowns to come.

And yet, I can't see myself doing anythingelse. There is no specific career path I want to jump into, and I don't have the money to go to grad school. Doing something so "crazy, brave,bold" as I've heard it described by many, somehow fits and defies mypersonality; I guess being a gemini suits me more than I care to admit.A lot of the time, I doubt if I will be able to make a successful transition to life on another continent; take care of 2 small children,make friends, make a home for myself. The only thing for sure is that I'm going.

Last weekend in NYC I was walking around Chinatownand eating ice cream with a friend, let's call her "Tyra." A passing comment from her was that, "fear isn't productive, I try not to think about it." This is valuable advie for someone who is not only making a transatlantic move, yet also has a paralyzing fear of flying.I just need to do what I need to do (and that includes PACKING, which Ihaven't started), and get on with it. Here goes nothing.