The original countdown on my calendar said 4 days to go. But instead, we're at 23 days. I'm not complaining, it's just a big difference for such a big trip. When you're psyched up for leaving so soon you definitely loose a lot of steam by adding 3 weeks. But that's not really a problem either. It just makes me feel even more that this is not very real. It'll sink in when we get there, I hope. Now we have more time to meet up with friends, put little pieces in place that we may have not seen, and actually be the ones who sign the papers for the closing of our house. 

Waiting around this long also makes me feel like I have to find a lot of filler for this blog. "Sooooo, it was pretty hot today in Maine. And what'd you know, it's gonna be pretty hot in Rome! What a coincidence! He hehe." (sweat)  So you'll have to forgive me if I wander to random topics and don't deliver with exciting foreign news. There really isn't any here yet. 

The last news that I should wrap up for any of you who were still wondering, yes we did find a connection for moving up our consulate appointment. Instead of meeting on the 7th of Aug, we now have it the 31st of July. Someone congressman from DC called us and said someone from his office would try to get us an earlier appointment. And they did. But because our visas were tied to the date of the 20th we couldn't get an earlier flight. Considering August is the hottest month in Rome, I'm really not too disappointed. Maine is the best summer spot, so we're gonna milk the next 3 weeks while we got it!

Until next time! Ciao!

Party on!

This is "Goodbye" week. From this past Sunday until Saturday we have a somewhere to be every single night of the week. A few weeks ago they all seemed a little more urgent because we were to fly out the following week. But now, it almost feels silly. "Goodbye! Goodbye! We're never going to see you again! Unless of course you happen to stop by in the next 3 weeks. We'll definitely be around."

Actually it's pretty nice. Packing is pretty much done except for the clothing. Everything we're keeping is packed away in tubs in the basement. Larger items that we're keeping are going to be taken care of by somebody else if we don't actually move it ourselves. And then all the other large furniture items that we're not keeping have been given away to those lucky sweepstakes winning friends.

Things left to do include scheduling a few more goodbye get-togethers, go to Leon's last gig (Monday July 29th at 7:30pm at the Maine State Music Theater...please come! It's selling out!) and then do whatever I want! Mwhahahahahah! Sorry. Don't know what came over me. It just seems a little crazy to say somthing like that. :)

Someone is hooking us up with a little Pimsleur language learning program, we have two phrase books and one verb book. Although Google Translate is really a lot of fun too. Then I know instantly how to say things like "Would it be ok if I kissed you?" I'll just have to make sure I don't accidentally mix that into the wrong setting, like say, when I'm talking with any of the 300 seminarians at that NAC. That  would be awkward.

Joining the Mob

We picked up our passports for all four of us yesterday. At least I think that was yesterday. We had gone to New Hampshire's passport office on Friday, got all of them expedited in hopes of picking them up later that day. But alas, we had come back on the next business day. This seemed fine to me. But I also haven't been the one haggling with Visas and travel plans and the Italian mafia.

We bought our tickets for August 1st, some time last week because we needed proof of traveling within 2 weeks if we wanted our passports quickly. (quickly means "Yes! I'd love to give you an extra $240 passport people!") Then we learned the next day that we shouldn't have bought our tickets before we made a meeting with the Italian Embassy in Boston. Once we have our meeting with them, then we have an extra 7-10 days before we get our Visas. By our calculations, if we were able to get a meeting with the Embassy by Friday of this week at the latest, then day 10 of said waiting period would be Aug. 1st. Perfect? Or already too late to catch our plane? Hmmmmm... We call the embassy, who only make appointments via their phone system and only accept phone calls between 2-4pm weekdays and accept the earliest appointment date of Aug. 7th. By these calculations....not gonnna work.

I've been learning a little about Italians from people with experience for the past few days. I've learned that I shouldn't use the term "customer service" unless I want to be laughed at. And then mugged for good measure. And that if you want any sort of support, service, or help, you can enlist the Pope (who may be wandering your local Italian neighborhood) or you find an in. I pray that we have an in.

Last Leon checked, he made friends with someone who was going out to eat with friends and they would brainstorm who they knew who could pull some strings to get us a meeting with the Embassy (or was it consulate?) a lot sooner. Otherwise, we reschedule our flights, and Leon has 2 days to prepare for a major mass with a major Cardinal at his new job in a new country. I thought they could just put us in a holding cell or something. Who knows? Maybe we'll make it there sooner. I'm finding myself changing my opinion about the M and other "support groups".

So the journey begins...

Moving to Rome: t-19 days

Rome

Ok, we aren't Romans. Yet. But technically I'm not even a Mainer. See, in Maine there's a rule you must be born in the state to be called a Mainer. A very elite title indeed. (pompously raise nose into air as if detecting a slight scent of manure) I learned that very soon after arriving here in 2001. My husband was born and raised here and both of our little girls were born here. I call us Mainers. But I'm the impostor.  For those of you not living in Maine, you probably don't care and that's ok. I don't really either.

The important part of this is that our Maine grown family will be moving to Rome, Italy. I've never even been to Europe before. I don't speak Italian. In fact, I don't even like Italian food that much. Except gelato. I love gelato. Fortunately, I hear that Italians make the best Italian food. So hopefully I'm in for a treat. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do in a world without Target and Hannafords. (I knew I should have gone to the farmer's market around here!) There are so many unknowns. I have no idea what to expect. Except awesomeness. I'm pretty sure it's going to be awesome. I do worry that gypsies will steal my beautiful children. And all my money. And that if we have an accident, I'll say something to the Italian doctors that means "I need an amputation" instead of "I need a band-aid." Who knows? I might get lost and end up in a foreign country. But our new home is pretty foreign to me too so bring it on!

We'll be moving in 19 days on August 1st. That may not seem like a lot of time, but don't worry. We've been planning this for a very long time. At leeeeeeast (counting in head) the past 6 days. That's 25 days or 2 and half weeks for packing, visas, passports, plane tickets, goodbye parties, and re-planning every long term plan we thought we had. 

I admit, it hasn't been a long 6 days. It's kind of blur. A few days ago I tried learning some Italian. I think I can haggle with waiters now and count to one. I'm pretty sure I already forgot most other numbers, except 20 (Thank you Starbucks!). We've been packing like crazy. Most of the stuff of our house is packed in about 12 large plastic tubs. We've given so much to Goodwill, we'll be receiving an honorary award from them soon. Or a restraining order. Not sure which. We should have had a yard sale but that takes a effort and time, both things we are running out of. 

By the way, happy Moxie Days! We saw the parade of locals marching down Main St. this morning and I couldn't help but think that if the Roman locals wanted a parade, they'd probably need a really big street.    

Maine. Pretty similar, right?