Mindful Eating

I have a hunch that most readers will be interested in reading about life in New Zealand.  For those of you who are interested in the research side of things...

Recently, The New York Times posted an article titled Mindful Eating As Food For Thought.  I thought I'd share the article since it was passed on to me by a friend who found it interesting.  I definitely agree that once in a while we should take a moment to enjoy our meal. What do you think?

Got baggage?

I'm packed!  Well, about 90% of my packing is done.  What a daunting task!

I started with my shoes... I lined up 15 pairs of shoes and selected eight to begin with.  Crud, they took up 3/4 of my suitcase!  I knew at that moment that I was not going to be that "half fashionista half graduate student sitting in a coffee shop typing out her dissertation" that I thought I was going to be.

Some interesting items to note... I took the black suitcase on the left side on my first trip to Australia and New Zealand over 12 years ago.  The purple backpack is my dad's.  He passed away in 2007 and so it's a nice memento.  I actually brought it with me when I studied abroad in England in 2002 and lived out of it for two weeks on a trip all over Europe.  The bike is my gift from Jon when he finished PA school as a "thank you" for supporting him through the program.  I also rode 112 miles on it during Ironman Lake Placid 2010.

I have some room to spare in the purple backpack (my carry on), so over the next week I'll add things as space allows.  Unfortunately, I thought United allowed passengers to check three pieces of luggage and it turns out they only allow two pieces of checked luggage.  Looks like I'm going to have to ship my bike instead of bring it with me. *dislike!*

Comments... confidence boosting or busting?

Ever since I began spreading the word that I am moving to New Zealand, I noticed there are two kinds of responses.  Both reactions involve the other person clutching their chest, eyes wide open, and mouth agape.  Once the person recovers from shock, they will either say, "But, what is your husband going to do?!" or "Ohmygod, that's awwwwwesome!!"

In my opinion, I would rather hear the positive response.  I know it's unusual for a married woman to pack her bags, quit her job, and tell her husband and furbaby that she'll be back in three years.  But, I've done this before...

After high school, I moved to Salem, Massachusetts for my undergraduate degree.  Salem State College is 5 1/2 hours from my hometown and was about that far away from Jon (who was going to college in New York).  I arrived on campus and I didn't know a soul.  In my sophomore year, I studied abroad at Oxford Brookes University for three months.  Again, I didn't know a soul.  But, everything worked out fine.  And guess what?  I didn't have Facebook or a blog or Skype.  I communicated with my family and friends through weekly emails and a weekly phone call to Mom.  Sounds a little archaic, huh?

Yes, it's a 30-hour commitment to get from point A to point B, but between Facebook, my blog, and Skype, I can reach out and get in touch with anyone I want at a moments notice to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of this adventure! How cool is that?!  

Honestly, I don't disappear once I board my flight and I'm not "stuck" in New Zealand. What's missing is the physical presence of others.  I imagine that, once again, that will be the hardest part about being being so far away from family and friends.  How do I avoid getting consumed by feelings of doom and gloom?  I plan for the BIG things I have in store for anyone who comes and visits me, of course.  

So, I encourage readers to consider a visit!  I booked my flight through www.hotwire.com and it was much less expensive to fly to New Zealand in February-April than it was in November-January.  There is plenty to do on the south island and I'll start posting links to whet your appetite after I arrive.

On the surface, I may appear calm, cool, and collected when I talk about my plans, but I am a worry wart in disguise.  I do worry about how to hold a marriage together, how to pay bills, and how to be a student again.  What keeps me from a full on freak out is the fact that three years is nothing in comparison to the 40+ years I'll have left to work until I retire.  That PhD will open so many doors for me and make those 40+ years better.