I've moved to Iraq.

I know. Not exactly where I or anyone probably thought I'd be. 

I left Prague Saturday night in full tears. (I'll be writing a post with a proper goodbye to Prague later.) Unfortunately, my flight left an hour late so I missed my connection in Istanbul. Fortunately for me, that means I got to spend a day in Istanbul courtesy of Turkish Airlines. More on that in another post.

I finally arrived in Erbil (also known as Arbil or Hawler) at about 3 a.m. on Monday morning. My boss met me at the airport and helped me get my 40 kilos of luggage (for which I did not pay an extra cent because of a really amazing friend) up to my room in the female teachers villa. I was already exhausted but I was too wired to sleep. So I was up until 6 a.m. and then proceeded to sleep on and off the rest of the day until about 1 p.m. when I decided to get up, get dressed and go across the street to the office.

Problem: I had no water. I couldn't flush the toilet or use my shower upstairs. Downstairs there was the tiniest bit of water so I was able to wash my hands and face and brush my teeth. Great first morning, eh?

I (Still) Hate Moving

I started out rather ambitious this week, but of course that ambition has dwindled as the days go by.

Here's the thing, I haven't got any work this week. I've got absolutely no where I have to be. At all. This leads to a lot of sheer laziness.

I have been getting out of the house a bit and running errands. Buying this or that for my upcoming trip. Deciding not to buy stuff because it's more trouble than it's worth.

On Monday, I was totally ready to make this a productive week. I started out by going through every piece of clothing I own. I managed to fill up to small trash bag with clothing I'll donate (or let my friends rummage through) and then another bag with clothes I will just trash. No one needs a pair of jeans with holes in them.

But here I am with a huge box still full of clothing, my carry-on bag full of clothes which I think I might want to take on holiday but realize I'll have to minimize before I actually finish packing plus a bunch of other clothes.

Coming Up: Sept. 1, 2012 - A New Location

I was re-reading some of my very first blog posts last night.

The ones in May 2009 when I was merely anticipating my move to Taiwan and talking about all the mixed feelings I had.

The one in early June when I actually got on a plane to leave Austin and bawled my eyes out.

The one recapping my very first day in Taiwan on June 11, 2009, when I was a) exhausted from 12.5 hours of flight and b) completely and totally overwhelmed and in shock at how different everything was and c) completely in awe and ready to persevere.

It's amazing how, three years later, things have changed so much and yet so little.

Prague Landing Day

A year ago today I was really excited for some reason. 

Under Consideration

I love Prague. I really really do. But my bank account does not love Prague.

Really, what's not to love?

I'm currently considering moving to the UAE (either Dubai or Abu Dhabi) in January. I would make significantly more than I do now (or ever have actually) for about the same amount of work. I'd still be teaching. I'd still be teaching adults.

Champagne is the Devil and I'm Back in Prague

So New Years Ever was amazing and I'm so happy I got to have one last amazing night in Austin before leaving. I got to see people I haven't seen in three or four years. It was like a big Daily Texan reunion. 

Unfortunately, champagne is the devil and so when my dad woke me up at 9 a.m. on Jan. 1, well... I wasn't really feelin' it. 

But it was moving day so I was still super excited and it didn't take too much to drag myself out of bed. 

Do you need a receipt?

I keep forgetting if I've been back in Taiwan for one week or two since Thailand. That's how blurry everything is. (It's been two by the way.)

There is just so much going on.

I told all my classes this week that I'm leaving. I've been reading my Southeast Asia on a Shoestring book like crazy. I actually read the entire Cambodia chapter and most of the Laos chapter. 

My first cooking camp is over. I loved it and hated it all at the same time. And I get to do it all over again next week. Yay!

I finally broke down and went to buy new luggage today. 

So what's your travel plan again?

I'm moving this week... out of my apartment that is.

Our lease agreement ends while I'm in Thailand on vacation next week so I have to move out now. I'm having trouble getting up the motivation to actually get my stuff together, though, so I'm blogging as procrastination.

My plan is to go ahead and pack everything as if I'm actually leaving the country. Since I will come back from Thailand and only be here for another three weeks, I figured I may as well not waste time moving things that I'm not keeping and since many of the things I am keeping won't be coming with me on my big vacation, I might as well shove them into a space bag and suck the life out of them now. Temporarily of course.

Countdown 'til Taiwan: 17 days

So I am utterly impressed with the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Houston.

I sent out my visa application 

Tuesday afternoon. According to the delivery confirmation, the office didn't receive my application materials until mid-afternoon on Friday, which sucks considering I sent it Priority Mail. 

Apparently things come back from Houston a lot faster than they get there (and I can't say that I blame them).

I checked the mail last night and there was my passport with my visa on page 9 right next to the stamp from when I went to Mexico two years ago. 

Not really sure how they processed my entire application and sent it back in enough time for that sucker to end up in my mailbox Saturday, but what a relief!

I am slowly realizing this means there is literally nothing keeping me from going to Taiwan now. I just need to go pick up my degree from UT June 1. I have a passport, a visa, a plane ticket and a (little) bit of cash. 

My mom's taking my car (and the payments!) and my roommate's cousin is taking over my lease.

Hell, I even got someone to pay me $250 so he could take my bedroom furniture and my kitchen stuff. He and his girl friend (girlfriend, maybe?) are moving it out as I type — and listen to '80s music. 

Not looking forward to the strategic packing I have to do.