We’ve been busy since the last post.  We enjoyed some relaxation and visits with family and friends up through the July 4th weekend.  After the 4th, activity picked up.  Judy attended a week-long session of IB (International Baccalaureate) training in Austin.  She has learned enough to be dangerous. I made a same-day roundtrip to Houston (rode the Megabus), and picked up our visas.    Later that week I drove out to Canyon / Clovis to visit friends and mentors.  When we returned home, the tedious task of packing began.

Since our “shipped” items can’t arrive until we have our residential permit in Beijing (sometime around Sept. 15), we have to pack everything we need to live and teach for 6 weeks.  That is a lot of stuff.  Clothes, teaching supplies, shoes, a coat or two, musical instruments, computers, ……….lots of stuff.  We had to make it all fit in 8 checked bags, and 4 carry-ons.  Everything else would have to ship.

On Friday, July 19, movers arrived and packed the items we’re shipping to Beijing.  It’s gone!  We’re going to be a sight when we head to the airport with all our luggage.  We’ve been adjusting our bags, making sure they’re not overweight, and there’s more adjustment to go.  Movers will arrive Tuesday, July 23 to load all furniture, etc., remaining in our apartment.  They’ll pack it and move it to join the rest of the furniture we stored when we moved out of Arlington in April.

The flight goes out at 8:00am, Thursday, July 25.  We’ll need to be at the airport at 5:00 am, 4-hour layover in Seattle, and then 12 hours direct to Beijing.  We’ll arrive in Beijing on Friday evening around 5:00 pm (Beijing is 13 hours ahead of Central time).  We’ll be met by BISS representatives and taken to our apartment.  This is going to be an exciting week.  I’ll try to check in sometime next week, after life settles down (if it ever does).