Packed and Ready

My trip from home starts today. I'm heading down to West LaFiesta for the night and then up to Chicago to fly out. The last couple of weeks have been pretty crazy getting stuff together. I've never done anything quite like this before. I've traveled a lot, but never by myself to a place where I don't know anyone, and certainly not for this long. Every night I lay in bed thinking "what have I done?" Then I wake up and feel better.

I think I've finished packing. I hope I didn't forget anything too important. I guess I'll know when I get there, but then that's probably a little late. Since I will probably be doing a fair amount of moving around (at least in the beginning) I decided to try and pack with mobility in mind. If you've been on a trip with me you you might be able to imagine how that went. My normal packing thought process goes something like this: "Hmm, I might need that. I guess I'll throw it in." So I end up taking a full size suitcase for a weekend, or I take a "shoe bag" to Family Camp. (Which for your information was not packed only with shoes, a rumor which some of you have so viciously circulated) The point is that I would normally pack this much for a long weekend. A weekend - Three months... meh, pretty much the same. It'll all work out. Thankfully that backpack is roughly the size of Texas.

When I get to NZ I'll try and put my life together; get a bank account, find a job and a place to stay. It should be quite the experience.

Well wish me luck, and write me often. My flight leaves at 2.55pm tomorrow. Your prayers would be appreciated.

The Announcement (no not that one)

So I guess I'm going to New Zealand. At least that's what the load of money I just spent on plane tickets says. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while now. I started off thinking I'd like to work somewhere warm over the winter since, lacking animals, we don't have a great deal of work here at the farm. I originally started looking on the west coast, but I couldn't find anyone real desperate for a mid-west farm boy who needed a winter job. As it just so happens NZ has a pretty good system set up for seasonal workers. (At least I hope they do, it's gonna stink if I get there and it all blows up on me) So anyway, I'm going to give this thing a shot, and if you're interested I'll try and keep you updated.

I'm leaving on January 1st, and planning on coming back home March 30th. I'll be working somewhere in the agricultural field and living somewhere near Ashburton, which is just southwest of Christchuch. The specifics are yet to be decided.

So yeah, I'll keep you posted and you check in every now and then, and we'll just be on little happy blog posting and checking family.