'A fine balance...'
on Wonderous Wanderland (Burkina Faso), 20/Jan/2011 00:27, 34 days ago
It all started with - what seemed to be - a fairly simple and straightforward'what-to-do' list. Nothing special in itself. Even more, although I have a natural aversion towards any type of list, it is the logical next step when you have only a few weeks left to prepare the start of your new job, new love, new life, new everything... in a new home, new country, even new continent.So there you go.First things first:1.   Call or send text toeverynumber in contact list of mobile phone to tell the newscheck+ write email toallcontacts in Outlookcheck+ obviously don’t forget facebook/blogs/...check+ keep talking about itad nauseamtoeveryoneyou meetcheck+ find ways to let the rest of the world know too anyone?Once that’s out of your system:2.   Notify employer (=  a good one to start with)check3.   Start arranging departure: ticket, visum,...check+ medical examination, vaccinations, dentist appointment,...check4.    Sell carcheck5.   Notify landlordcheck+ find new tenantno+ start packingnoo+ check out potential storage spacenooo+ plan moving datenoooo+ ...Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera So far so goodThen you realize there are still so many practical things you need to get, so without hesitation and with ample enthusiasm you start a‘what-to-buy’list. Again not very difficult - and very similar to making a traditional shopping list anyway (plenty of experience there:)).However, not everything you buy at this stage is necessarily going to Africa. Reversely, there are things you don’t need to buy but they still have to be taken with you. So it seems almost natural that a‘what-to-pack’list comes in handy too.And then it happens...Next thing you know, it gets really complicated when you are realizing some things need to be put on more than one list, while others do not seem to fit on either of them; a 'check'on list 2 does not necessarily mean it is nicely tucked away in your backpack– or maybe it shouldn’t (?); other lists come and go: scribbled on the back of old conference papers or work reports, typed hurriedly in the notes of your phone, and then lost or forgotten again. What was written where? And where does it belong? Seriously...a ‘list of lists’ imposes itself =next item on my to do-list:)...