And so the mayhem as begun! We are headed to Utah on Wednesday, then I'm staying up there for the rest of the summer until I leave for Jerusalem! Which means that I have to take all my Jerusalem gear and summer clothes for the next 3 weeks... thank goodness I travel an inordinate amount and get two free checked bags. Thanks American Airlines. Unfortunately, I only have one checked bag for Jerusalem. I feel like I've been waiting for these "packing days" all summer. For those of you who don't know, I am a crazy packer. I make lists upon lists of events I'll need outfits for, the weather, duration of the trip, lists of the exact clothes items and accessories... you name it and I probably make a list for it. Most people would think that this would ultimately end up in an overpacked, overweight suitcase that has more clothes (and shoes) than anyone person would ever need. And this conclusion is pretty accurate, except for the overweight part. I'm proud to say that the Pelton Family has mastered the art of packing weight. In other words, somehow we magically are able to always pack everything we think we'll need and still be under the weight limit (and if we're slightly over, we might charm our way through the process). I don't know how it happens, but I'm exceeding thankful for this quirk with the scale. Too bad it doesn't carry over to other scales as well... ;)
The problem I'm having with my Jerusalem packing is that there are so many unknown variables! I do have an idea of what the weather will be like, but I'm afraid my internal temperature is a little off since I've been in 100+ degree weather for two months. I've kinda forgotten what 50 degree weather even feels like... how many layers did I wear in Utah again? Who knows. In addition, the provided packing list in my student handbook is so anemic, I could cry. Obviously a man wrote it. Only one pair of pajamas for 4 months? Really? Um no thanks, I'll use the nonexistent space in my suitcase to bring a few more. So already I'm taking about three times the recommended number of shirts, twice the number of pants, twice the number of skirts/church outfits, and (naturally) about three times the number of shoes. In true Pelton girl fashion, I already have WAY too many clothes in my suitcase... and I'm not even halfway done. I'm afraid that I'll just get so tired of my outfits, so as a remedy to this fear, I'm packing a ridiculous amount out clothes. I know- it's a bit vain to worry about my appearance when I'm going on this amazing trip. But I truly value the confidence that a cute outfit can give a girl. I personally don't try dress well to impress other people, it's to make myself feel good. And since I'm gonna be in a brand new place with people I don't know and languages I don't understand, YEAH I'M GONNA TAKE MY CLOTHES AND USE CUTE OUTFITS AS A SAFETY BLANKET. So sue me.
Totally feel ya girl. I only have 2 suitcases for 6 months abroad! Don't know if I'm going to make it until December. Make sure you leave enough room to bring stuff home!
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