A Few of My Favorite Things

When the movers came to my apartment in Bangkok- WAAAAAAY back in early February- I had the opportunity to separate my belongings into two groups, the HHE (Household Effects) which would automatically go into storage and my UAB (Unaccompanied Air Baggage) which would be shipped via air cargo to my apartment in DC.

I sorted carefully and put what I wanted to go in my UAB in a separate room to make things easier for the movers. However, the UAB has some weight and size limitations, so I did not get to have everything I wanted packed. Basically, the movers brought in some really big boxes and I had to quickly decide what would go in the boxes and what would be shifted over to HHE.

My UAB arrived today (over a month after I packed it) and I eagerly unpacked it to discover all the treasures that I so desperately need while training in DC.

There were some non-negotiables: the clothing and shoes that wouldn't fit in my suitcases, my guitar, computer printer, digital photo frame, and video camera to name a few (Does the rabbit corkscrew fit into this list also?). Then there were some comfort items that I thought would just make life easier here: the t-shirt quilt that I love to lie under while watching TV, my newly acquired pillow that I love so much, my teddy bear (yes, I sleep with a bear!), various clothing hangers and shoe organizers (why buy new when I have perfectly good ones already?), my "Pride and Prejudice" DVD set, and...ahem....personal care items (including 7 tubes of toothpaste, 5 sticks of deodorant, and 15 razor cartridges- not to mention to "super size" boxes of playtex).

And then there's the rest of the shipment. These items clearly show that, while I was functioning at a fairly high level in my last few weeks in Bangkok, I was most certainly affected by the stress that naturally comes when quitting one's job and moving halfway around the world to start a new life and new career. These items include: two beach towels, a new set of twelve cloth napkins I purchased in December, one calculator, one flashlight, pens and pencils in their ceramic holder, my AMCHAM coffee mug (my former boss would be so proud!), my giant yellow SU plastic cup, an insulated wine carrier, and three bamboo coasters.

Now, for those of you who don't already know, my apartment is a studio. It's basically a hotel room with a kitchen, and not a terribly large hotel room at that. It was starting to feel small before my UAB arrived. I have no idea where I am going to put all of these "essential items" now.

The good news is that I get to start over when leaving DC and moving to wherever the government sends me. I'll have the opportunity to pack another UAB then, and hopefully will have learned from this one. I am confident that I will be able to foresee my needs at post and pack my UAB accordingly. By that I mean I'll be sure to pack plenty of chocolate, Diet Coke and, of course, my beloved teddy bear.