Checklists in my head

I have one month and 28 days until I move to Vietnam. Each day I feel a little more anxious and overwhelmed with my venture. Actually, I feel more overwhelmed with the things I have to do before I leave. I need to send my documents (i.e. Police background check, TEFL teaching certificate, Rutgers transcript and diploma) to the Office of Authentications in Washington DC to have them certified and then from there to the Vietnamese Embassy to have them translated into Vietnamese. Once all of that is finished I will have completed everything I need in order to get a work permit. I also need to apply for my visa. Hopefully that won’t take too long. I think I’ll get to that in a week or two. Lastly, I still have to purchase my ticket from San Francisco to Hanoi. While searching for plane tickets from New York to Hanoi I noticed that most have layovers in California before leaving for Vietnam. I decided that since the flights stop in California anyway I might as well plan a trip to visit my brother for a few days before heading off, so I’ll be in San Francisco from May 8 – 12^th. I found a sweet deal from Jet Blue for a one-way flight from JFK to San Fran for only $140!! Amazing.

I keep thinking that there are all of these things that I need to purchase before leaving, but I have to realize that I’m on a tight budget already and I really don’t need anything. Although, there are a few things I could really use. I would love to buy an all purpose shoe. One that would look nice enough to wear with skirts and nice pants, but one that is also comfortable and preferably water proof for the many days that I will be running through Hanoi’s downpours. I was considering these Privo’s , but they may be too chunky to wear with skirts? I don’t know.

Besides shoes, I’m looking for a bag that I can use to hold everything I will need for my English classes as well as something I can have for everyday use. Again, something all purpose. I want a bag that is stylish, with one of those cross body straps, large enough for a note book, and again – water proof. Any ideas are welcome.

I’ll need a medium size duffel bag . I already have the rolling one in large, and I think this is all I’ll need to bring with me besides my trusty red North Face backpack. As far as clothes go I basically have everything I’ll be wearing, but I would love to sew a few skirts before I leave and maybe buy some linen pants? Oh! As if I’ve forgotten, I will most likely be purchasing some rain gear unless someone has a nice one I can borrow for a year? =)

I told a few of you about the traffic in Hanoi and how it's almost impossible to cross the street because there are so many motorbikes and bicycles moving every which way. In the aforementioned book by Dana Sachs she wrote about how it took her several weeks to maneuver her bike amidst the traffic without crashing into someone and ultimately pissing them off. I know that's going to happen to me. Well I am providing you with what I'm up against. It's quite frightening!