I made it!

The last 2 months have been some of the absolute craziest of my life. I feel like I basically went to sleep after I accepted my new job, and woke up in London a month later. So much stress has happened in the last few weeks and I think I’ve essentially blocked it out. Which is just as well, no good will come from dwelling on it! Just wanted to say how grateful I am for family – I certainly couldn’t have done it without them. They helped me in ways I didn’t even know I needed help in. They took my stuff to storage, or to their houses for storage. It’s all been so much, almost too much. I put a ton of pressure on myself and my family, they handled it with ease and I am so blessed.

ADVICE: When moving to another country by yourself with only luggage:

• Work out. I’m not even kidding, I wish I was. You’re going to be carrying your life on your back and in your hands from the airport(s) to your new home.
• Prepare to sweat. Even if you are moving to a cold climate, jaunts up and down stairs with two luggage pieces and a 40 lb backpack take their toll.
• Realize it is temporary pain. My shoulders are just now recovering from my flight 3 days ago. I carried a 40 lb backpack that held my essentials and I didn’t want to check it (let alone let it out of my sight.) My traps are sore, but I got through knowing it would only be for one day of lugging.
• Bring a rich friend or family member: I like to do things on my own, almost to a fault probably. If you are not like me and are open to help, if a friend or family member can afford to fly with you (and take minimal luggage of their own) that would be a huge help to you when trying to get your things from the airport to your flat.