Almost Ready to Move to South Korea: How to Prepare

Hey, Nikki here.  So the fridge countdown says 3 days to move (out of our current home) and 15 days until we board the plane to Korea. Our home is filled with stacks of boxes, open and overflowing suitcases, garbage bags, and random piles of clutter. It doesn't feel like home anymore.


The fridge and cupboards are empty and we have resorted to takeout and daily trips to Bilo for small shopping orders. This may sound bad to you, but I couldn't be happier. Each box packed, each bag filled, each takeout box, and each passing day gets me closer to South Korea and the start of what will surely be the greatest adventure of my life thus far! All of the packing, travel to New York, and current affairs are part of the journey too, as I must keep reminding myself.
Today i found out that it is very difficult to pack for 13 months. Stupidly, i thought that it wouldn't be all that difficult. I started with my large suitcase and lined the bottom with about 7 pair of shoes to begin. As I began to layer in my clothing, I realized that several pair of shoes would have to go. My shoes had a showdown and flat, comfy, practical shoes won over dressy sandals and high heeled shoes. After trial and error, I found that folding is definitely more space efficient than rolling (personal opinion). I may have to ditch a sweater or pair of shorts as I begin to add in the heaps of toiletries in coming days, but overall I feel pretty good about my job thus far!
We had another "goodbye" today with a good friend and her precious baby girl. Goodbyes are getting easier with each one that passes. This is not to say that any one friend is more meaningful than another. I think it is to say that I am beginning to be okay with the idea of thinking of goodbye as "I will go and come" instead (thanks to my mother in law : ). I do however fear the exchange that will take place as I begin to see our families for the last time before we depart. This will not, I predict, be easy. This is why, in fact, we have chosen good friends, rather than family to take us to the airport for our departure on the 19th....in 15 days!