It is said that moving house is one of the most stressful things a couple can do. I suppose that's true, but Kristen and I are sort of ol' pros at this now. We're practically nomads. To be sure, it's not stress-free and moving out of a country entirely adds an extra level of complication, of course. However, the practical elements of this move aren't really that complicated. For example, since this is a furnished apartment, there isn't really any furniture we have to deal with (just a table and some shelves). The only things we're taking with us are clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, a few souvenirs, and some kitchen-ware. Oh, and my beer glasses! We have selected an overseas shipping company that does all the packing. No packing stress, then. We've taken care of a lot of the other little loose ends like selling the car, notifying our utilities, and the landlord. The airline we're flying with is still in business. We've got our exit and entry strategies in place. On the relocation front, things are generally quite "sorted". BUT...
We're stressed, alright! Though not for the most obvious reasons.
*Kristen still has not gotten 100% confirmation on completing her PhD. She finished the changes that the external examiners required and sent the updated draft to them on Oct. 4th. They had "promised" that they would turn it around within 2 weeks so that she can get it printed and bound before leaving the UK. Nearly a month has gone by now and she just found out that at least one of them hasn't even looked at it yet. Very frustrating, particularly because she has been on tenterhooks since she sent it to them. Though I'm feeling pretty positive about it, she is afraid that they will want more changes.
*The US Election has us climbing the walls. There has been a steady nervous energy about it for the past couple of months. Personally, I am freaking out about it a bit. I'm slightly terrified about the events of Nov. 4th. We are going to stay up all night to watch the results and will hopefully crash in the wee hours of the morning after waking all the neighbors with howls of glee when Obama is announced victorious. If he doesn't win, I am going into a deep depression because I predict that it will be the end for the US. A McCain/Palin win will be the straw that breaks the camels back and the US will crumble irreparably within 20 years. I know, that's cynical as hell but I am as sure of this as I am sure of my need to breathe air. So, yeah... little bit of stress there!
*I made the mistake of "opening a can of worms" at work that I have been having trouble handling now because it turned out to be a bigger project than I realized: reorganizing and cataloging the archive of student films going back to the mid-Sixties. This has been keeping me from having a sound night's sleep on many occasions. So much so, that Kristen has been coming in two to three times per week for a few hours to help me with it. It's starting to get under control now, but partially due to changing tactics and lowering my expectations of achievement. My colleagues think I'm crazy because I'm spending many extra hours at work without being paid for it. Well, that's obsession for you!
*We are getting intruded upon in our apartment repeatedly. Not only do we have frequent visits by estate agents (Realtors) trying to sell the flat, but we have had to have plumbers come in to repair the boiler and now we have been forced to allow a decorator to work in our bedroom to fix the giant crack in the wall. Apparently, there were two buyers that were really interested in the flat until they saw that crack, so the landlord wants it fixed ASAP. Kristen tried her best to get the landlord to wait until after we leave but he wouldn't have it. The decorator has to come here over the course of three to four days and probably work for up to 5 hours each time. This means Kristen will have to let him in and either sit around waiting for him to finish or we just have to let him work here unattended. Neither option is one we are really thrilled with and it is really quite irritating that we have no control over who comes into our flat and when. And then there's the ever-present threat of one of the self-important old farts deciding they need to come in here for some reason.
*We have been REALLY busy over the past several weeks. There's the extended hours at work. Our exercise routines. Various social engagements. Chores and errands to do. Listing things for sale on Gumtree (and then dealing with buyers coming to pick the things up). And so on. There have been plenty of things to write blogs about, but we haven't really felt like it when we finally do have some time to spare!
*Then there are the little niggling worries about moving back to the US. What will it feel like? How heavy will the culture shock be? Will we be able to deal with the "American" way of life after getting used to the European way? What if we feel completely alienated? What if McCain is president? Is this the worst possible time to move back?
Having said that, we are SO looking forward to moving. There are 17 more days (and only 10 working days) before we go and sometimes even that is an unbearably long period of time!
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PS - The weather is utter SHIT today. It is not only cold (that damp, bone-creaking, spirit-crushing cold that permeates the very core of your existence), but it is raining and foggy. This wouldn't be such an "insult" if we actually had a summer this year, but the weather was abysmal then, too. Our mantra is "...in Florida." For example, we'll rest in Florida. We'll be warm in Florida. We'll have time off in Florida.
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