One Week and Counting

I fly out a week from tonight! Between now and then I will have a going away party here in Oregon, then drive to the Bay Area the next day, and down to LA the following day. There I will make the necessary calls to reduce my car insurance, AAA membership, and phone to the minimum coverage possible to save on costs while I'm gone (I didn't want to do it early in case they make the change on the date I call rather than the day I specify during the call--I've heard it happen too many times to risk it when I'd be road-tripping this next week).

I'll make a few final amendments to my packing (I've been keeping a list of what is already packed and what more I need to add, and I've bought new, cheap luggage as suggested by the security speaker at orientation, so there will be some moving around of clothes to be done), and make my final farewells for the year. I will probably visit the beach at least once more before heading out, and if I can find a swing dancing venue with cheap overhead, would love another night of dancing before going. I've decided to avoid surfing out of the concern of hurting myself seriously or getting water in my ear just before getting on a plane for two days of travel, etc.

This summer has been a good one to send me off--I have been able to visit with almost all of the people I'd hoped to see, had some great fun, some good stressful moments to make it feel a bit more real ;-), and logistics have been falling into place smoother than I could have imagined. I am not really nervous yet at the idea of living in Israel for a year. All my nerves so far have been more focused on getting everything done before I go. (I've finally got all my ASL data, so even though it is not prepped for analysis yet, I have it and can continue to work on it even on the plane ride, etc. Phew!).

Seven days. Surreal.