Visas, Packing, Financial Planning

I leave the country in just over a week, and I think the reality of this still hasn't quite set in.  I also think that this is in large part because my visa has, unfortunately, still not arrived.  I was told by the father of the kids I babysit that my Congressman's local office can help in situations like this, and have contacted them.  And they are helping, getting in touch with the Embassy and, apparently London, as my application was sent there from the embassy.  It's a slightly disconcerting thought that my passport is in London while I am still in California, but if that's what's needed, then that's what's needed.  I recieved a call from my caseworker there this morning for extra information.  Unfortunately, I was really tired and don't recall much of what was said, except that she was going to try to get in touch with the Embassy in Los Angeles, so I'm not sure how this is going.  I only hope it's going well. 

I've been getting the compulsion to start packing over the last few days.  I guess it's understandable; I will be trying to fit my life into three suitcases, two full-sized and one travel-sized.  But as it's still over a week until I go, I'm trying to delay myself.  Most of the things I will need to pack, such as clothing and toiletries, I will need to keep out until the day or day before I leave.  Instead, I've started listing what I will need to pack and trying to organize it by which suitcase it will belong in.  It slows the compulsion for a while; unfortunately, it can later also make me want to just start already.

Financial planning is also starting to get sorted.  Bank of America has an agreement with Barclay's in which BofA customers can use their debit card at Barclay's ATM's with no fees, so I have set that up.  Also working on getting the last of the student loans done, so that housing will be completely paid for. 

It's amazing how many little things start popping up in the final week before a long-term trip.  My to-do list for each day is long enough to be almost frightening, but yet nothing should take extremely long on its own.  And then my mood seems to follow the list, in which I am partly overwhelmed, yet still somehow not quite as motivated as I should be to get it done.  I'm not quite sure what to think of my mood the last two days.