| So I am doing an early inventory of my worldly belongings, deciding what to take with me, what to give away, what to keep, what to sell...
I'm having a hard time purging my books.
But as I look through everything else, I wonder, what do you (who are already in UK) wish you'd brought along from the US? Alternatively, what do you wish you'd left behind?
AND, just to make it a post full of questions, did any of you ship items ahead? Was it expensive? (Again, I'm thinking of the books.)
Thanks. |
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Sold everything except 3 suitcases full of stuff (made the extra an overweight bag as well, kept other two within weight limits). No shipping ahead, no storage in the States.
Details of the types of items on blog (which you now have access to!). It's definitely a tough decision, but I liked the task -- deciding what really matters in life, what doesn't. Good feeling. Out with the old, in with the new! If it was worth a bundle, or I was extremely attached to it, or would have to replace it the next day (after arrival), then I kept it. Otherwise, out it went.
I scanned file after file after file (my file drawer was 2' thick AFTER I'd pared it down as much as I could, so obviously I needed a better method than shipping a whole suitcase full of files alone), which meant I saved mountains of stuff onto my laptop that way. Had a few files I had to carry, but minimal.
It's fun. |
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Hi again Mimi,
I too started to scan a bunch of school resources, but gave up as time ran out and other parts of the plan began to become more important. At first, I brought only a DVD player that plays both NTSE and PAL format and connects to both versions of TV (bought from internet), some school-related DVDs and some of my favorite relaxation DVDs (good move really), clothes, shoes, a few school books, art supplies (for relaxation), my current journal, a few pictures, my laptop with all my favorite music and teaching songs stored in the memory,...etc.
I sold most of the other stuff, but I did leave the following things in storage with my parents: Extra school resources including lab supplies, favorite non-school related books, my artwork, my favorite dishes, and the absolute favorites of my extensive doll collection. I've slowly been bringing some of this over either in my suit case at Christmas time or by having them mailed to me in dribbles and drabs.
What I really wish I'd brought right from the start are those creative lesson starters, school resource books with good diagrams (helps in making powerpoints, and lab manuals. These kind of things are so hard to find over here. Also, I ended up buying a copy of GradeQuick from off the internet because I found the excel spread sheets a bit user unfriendly...and I'd used that particular gradebook program with great success at my previous school (its made a big impact in my department over here).
Basically, you have to evaluate what YOU need based on YOUR own personality. Remember that comfort items are a must when you make a move like this.
Good luck.
Meli |
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| Meli & English Teacher, thanks SO much for your input! I am getting a better idea every day about this fantastic, exciting, positively THRILLING change I'm about to make. The school items list was particularly helpful. I'm going to start browsing through all my materials when I go back to school tomorrow and start storing them online. |
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