"waaaiiitttiiinnggg is the hardest part..."

    So, many LTs have begun getting their e-tickets and I have not. Some of the other New England teachers I have met are flying out August 3rd (about one week from today!!). My TA rep told me that I will most likely be flying out with the second group which would probably be the first or second week of August. Though I want my ticket NOW I would prefer to fly out with the second group. First, I have going away parties with both sides of my family that I would miss if I were to go in the first group, second it is SUPER hot there in August, and third it will be Ramadan during August and during that time all Muslims are fasting from sunrise to sunset. Though I would not have to fast, I hear it is still a challenging time if you are not use to the culture because it is illegal to eat infront of those who are fasting and many stores/restaurants are not open.
   Rumor has it that the people in the second group will be staying in one of these two hotels on AD Island while they are in orientation and waiting to get their apartment assigned:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/abudhabi

http://www.fairmont.com/babalbahr

Not too bad! Haha
   My list is pretty short now! With the exception of some last minute packing all I have to do is refill my prescriptions, get a back up box of contacts, then finish straightening out my cell bill and bank account. A LOT shorter than my previous lists!
    I only have a few days left on the cape :-( I'm going to the beach ALL day tomorrow, probably saying some goodbyes on Thursday, Friday I am working then going to lunch with a fellow LT who lives in my town, then Saturday I am working and heading off to Spencer and staying there until I leave for AD. Not much time! Right now I've pretty much just been a crazy lady checking my e-mail for my e-ticket. Trying to be patient! Hopefully the next time I post I will have received my e-ticket!

“You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.” –Eat, Pray, Love

Tonight was great! I met in Boston with five other teachers and two husbands who will also be moving to Abu Dhabi. We all enjoyed a great dinner at Panza in the North End. Everyone was amazing and it was so comforting knowing there are going to be such great people over there with me. It was great sharing tips, worries, hopes, stories etc...I was lucky enough to carpool with a fellow LT (licensed teacher, which is what they refer to us as in AD) and as we were noticing the full moon she pointed out to me that the next time we see a full moon we will be on the other side of the world. So strange to think about! Made me feel a little sad for the first time since I've decided to make this leap across the world.
  I also got the last of all my packages in today, school clothes and luggage. The more that happens the more real this is seeing! I tried on some of my school outfits today (floor length skirts and long sleeved shirts) and it was so exciting!  I feel like every time I cross something off my list five more things get added. The next three big things I have to do, which really aren't big things at all, is get my international drivers license, got to CVS to get passport photos and stock up on my prescriptions. Everything else is just simple stuff like photocopying some documents and getting luggage tags.
  Also, just found out my wisdom teeth are coming out August 1st. As much as I want to leave asap I PRAY that I do not get called the first week of August! Part of me feels there is a good chance I will be but for the most part I really don't think I'll get called that early. There is no way I can get my wisdom teeth out then two days later fly 14 hours. Yikes!! Just have to keep my fingers crossed that I'll have a week to recuperate before I get called I guess. Keep your fingers crossed for me too!

Woot! Woot!

   So happy! The last big thing I had to do was wait to get some documents back that I had to send to the Secretary of State and UAE embassey in Washington D.C. to get authenticated and I got them all back today!! That means I am officially good to go and the only thing I have to do now in terms of all that technical paperwork stuff is...just wait for my plane ticket! Pretty exciting!
    My personal list of things to do had quit a few items crossed off today so that's good too. I went through SO much of the house and got rid of SO much stuff! I'm not quit done yet, but definitely getting there and even though I hate the process of it, it feels good to be decluttering and getting rid of so much useless stuff. It was also kind of fun stumbling across some things that I forgot I had (like a tons of notes that my friends and I passed back and forth in high school! haha).
   All in all I am feeling a lot more better now that I got my paperwork in and some organzing done. Not finished with my list yet though!

And the list gets shorter

Just did A LOT of online shopping...long skirts and shirts, sandals, sentence strips, and luggage. Phew! Glad it's all done! My packages have also made it to AD and only took about 2 1/2 weeks. My list is getting shorter and shorter! Yet I still have to:

• Get my cell phone contract situated
• Contact my bank to tell them I'm moving
• Buy the VPN thing for my computer
• Get passport style photos
• Stock up on contacts/prescritptions
• Go to the eye doctor to renew my contact prescription
• Get my international license
• Buy/make some CDs for the classroom
• Finish organzing/packing/condensing/getting rid of stuff still left here at my Dad's house

The weather is suppose to be kind of crappy the next fews days so I am hoping to have more than half of this list crossed off by Saturday. Wish me luck!

• And probably about 10 other things that I am forgetting about