As I settle in…

After eight months of planning for a six-month trip, I have been here in Kerala, India for ten days now and I am excited to be here.   I am not as plugged in as I would like to be since our Wi-Fi does not work consistently and my cell phone service is sparse at best. The real issue is that I am going through a withdrawal of sorts from instant access to my social media or to the internet.  For the old me, this would have been a huge problem but I have plenty to do while I am here.

For those of you who are wondering if I have unpacked, all three of my large suitcases were completely unpacked within twenty-four hours.   This was important for me since I would be here for six months.  Setting a new routine and getting comfortable in my, albeit temporary, space made my forty-something heart feel good. For the first time, in over twenty years, I unpacked and put away everything right away. Yes, you read it correctly.   With all my 10+ past moves, I never unpacked completely and had full boxes or as I like to call them, “Deal with it later” boxes left over.   It fit my nomadic lifestyle but I don’t want that anymore.  In my year of doing, I have set new expectations for myself and will work to achieve them.

Let’s talk about my expectations for a moment.  This trip is more than a sight-seeing jaunt.  With all my planning, I included goals and milestones to ensure I made the most of this opportunity and I so glad I did. I considered the coordination in advance for most of what I wanted to do and made lists organized by forward planning, post arrival, and prepping for my return in June.   I approached this trip as if it were my job.   Since my life is more important than any job, why wouldn’t I give myself the dedication and coordination that I give to a job. There were people who teased me for my copious planning, but I am glad I did it my way.  In my year of doing, I promise to listen to myself more.  I have heard it said that luck is when preparedness and opportunity meet.  Well, with all the preparedness I put into this trip, I should be very lucky.

This is my work space overlooking our inside grotto with very tiny sharks and other little fish.