My £.02 - I'd say that for me the better modus operandi was definitely to leave absolutely everything that was not strictly necessary behind. Shipping is SOOOOOOO expensive -- I got one wee cardboard box (you know, normal cardboard-box-size) in the post from my mother, and it cost her $200 to ship is via boat, took it 3 months to get here. I arrived in this country with two suitcases and that was my life; I haven't really shopped or anything since I've been over here, but I haven't got the faintest idea of how I'm going to get home. Also, take into consideration that I went back to the states for a week last year, taking home a full suitcase (my duvet, all books not directly related to my course, formalwear (leaving one dress here), a couple of jackets (one will do!), all clothes that I didn't absolutely love and wear all the time) and bringing back an empty one. The one "waste of space" I've continued to allow myself is my photo album -- wouldn't ask anyone to do without that. But seriously, less is more. In airports, in dorms, anywhere where life is not nailed to the floor - and if you're planning to get a job, the exchange rate's really not that bad - you do get used to it.
Sorry! While you're packing up to begin your exciting journey over here, I'm starting to get scared about packing up to end mine and head back for the US (beginning of July ... ahhh!). You seem very much on top of things, though - I wouldn't worry too much! Best of luck :)
I have unfond memories from my student-in-London days of taking a large box (large enough I had to take a taximeter cab) down to the PO that had everything I wanted to send back to the States. And having the Royal Mail people tell me it was too large. And, no, they would not put it in the back while I went to find smaller boxes to repack it in. So it sat in a corner fo a busy PO in west-central London until I could find smaller boxes, come back, and repack it there in the lobby. *sigh*
I haven't really shopped or anything since I've been over here
I seem to recall reading a few entries about trisp to Inverness that involved the acquisition of a fair amount of (very attractive- and tasteful-sounding) clothing... ;-)
*ahem* yes, well ... three skirts and a scarf does not a suitcase fill! And I left more than enough to cover that while I was home for christmas (though that was another plan of "I'm going to take home a full suitcase of things I don't need" -- fair enough -- but in this case the whole "I'm going to bring back an empty suitcase" didn't quite work out as intended. But still. Living on Skye, you can't be much of a big spender -- Bùth Billy Currie in Adrvasar doesn't sell much aside from week-old bread!
Sorry! While you're packing up to begin your exciting journey over here, I'm starting to get scared about packing up to end mine and head back for the US (beginning of July ... ahhh!). You seem very much on top of things, though - I wouldn't worry too much! Best of luck :)
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I seem to recall reading a few entries about trisp to Inverness that involved the acquisition of a fair amount of (very attractive- and tasteful-sounding) clothing... ;-)
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