Falling Into Place

Dear London,

Today it seems that everything in the last couple of weeks has come together. Yes, I am still waiting on my Visa. Allegedly, it arrived at the British Consulate around 3pm today. However, everything seems to be going well - knockonwood.

inhale.

Let us review: The university knows I am coming - check number one - I have all my loans worked out - to a well-enough point - I have my credit card fixed to a higher maximum to use until my loans come - 3,000 scary dollars - my visa is being finalized at this very moment - withluck knockonwood - I have a plane ticket - as we know well - I am nearly convinced graduate school is the right decision - with family and friend assurance / support - I am doing pretty well saving money for those first four to six weeks without loans - except for those boots and necklace from last night - I have a flatmate to search for flats with - yay Stacey! - I already have travel plans - Spain, Ireland and Norway - and I believe that concludes my review.

Now to update that list: Today, Philippa insisted that Stacey and I live with her until we can find a more permanent home. It was absolutely the most wonderful news and I am so excited to be welcomed back into England by her and her family. It will be nice to start out in an environment I am comfortable with. Of course, that situation cannot last forever, and we will continue searching for a home. But, looking for a flat was the last piece on my to-do-list and now, I feel like I can cross that off my "panic-list." This means that list is now empty. Let me repeat...

THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO-DO ON MY PANIC TO-DO LIST.

exhale.

It will be so much more relaxing to finish out the summer. All I have to do is wait for my Visa, plan out my packing, announce the existence of this blog, work on a proposal to my local newspaper of keeping a column about my travels - for publishing experience - calmly search for a place to live - without the feeling of being homeless - and catch up on the reading / twitter list my course tutors have suggested. This sadly does not include my other to-do-lists, but this was the more stressful list.

In conclusion: I AM FEELING SO MUCH BETTER.

Italy: 2009, Photographer: Kristin Bergene

xx, kristin