GUYS! We're halfway through the year! Isn't that awesome? How's your year been going? I can't believe we're in June. I've said this over and over again, but I love what 2015 is shaping up to be. 2014 might have been "my year" (I was born in the Year of the Horse), but 2015 is definitely going down in the books.
This upcoming month is going to be my busiest yet. Before I dive in, let's recap May 2015.MAY RECAP
Last month, I had to tie the final loose ends to my son's entrance into kindergarten and my upcoming trip to Beijing. Kaien went in for his kindergarten physical, and he's right on target for height and weight. He also got his immunizations, and he was a trooper! For my part, I submitted all of my documents to the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco via the Confucius Institute. It felt so good just to check that off my list. Now, it feels even more real that I'll be in China in about a month. It's crazy!
Another part of my goals was to figure out what it is I need to bring to Beijing with me. I narrowed it down, and you might think I'm crazy for this. I am only going to bring a carry-on and a backpack. I've always been a light packer, this is by far my most ambitious effort yet -- a month long trip without checked baggage.
Honestly, after having traveled alone for so long, I realized that the necessities I thought I couldn't live without are easily replaced wherever I go. You don't need to bring your entire life with you, because your entire life (i.e. your vanity) is on a store shelf waiting for you (and sometimes for cheap).
That said, I'm bringing just travel sized toiletries, clothes + 3 pairs of shoes (sneakers, loafers, flats), laptop, camera and my phone. My trick to packing light is to pack items that can be repurposed and clothes that you can mix and match.
Related: Carry-On Packing Challenge (*Note: I pack even less than this now.)
JUNE GOALS
Oh what a surprise, another month of tying loose ends for China! Hahaha, thank goodness this process ends in the next few weeks. I only have a few things to take care of, quite minimal if you ask me. Before I leave I need to:
- Purchase a new carry-on suitcase (my old one broke *sad eyes)
- Purchase the International Student ID Card (ISIC) that comes with benefits + discounts
- Shop around for travel insurance with coverage that might not come with the ISIC.
Above everything, I'm going to use this month to spend time with family and friends who I won't see in July. July is usually the busiest month as far as my social life goes (lol z0mg I have one, still?). A number of my friends and family have birthdays, my grandmother's birthday and death anniversary are within two weeks of each other, and it's also BBQ/camping season. Sadly, I'll miss out on all of that so I plan to spend time with everyone as much as possible. Come August, I won't have time at all with school starting up again (for me and Kai!!!).
That's what June's looking like for me. What's going on with you?