Packing

I generally consider myself a frugal packer. However, I have never had to plan for the next year of my life in a non-Western country. This makes packing considerably more difficult. I am sick of folding and re-folding, so will write-up the highlights:

Although my city is located at the same latitude as Orlando, FL, heating and A/C are pretty non-existent in Chongqing. This includes my school (though luckily not my apartment), so I had to pack work clothes for Caribbean summers and Alaskan winters. Layers, layers, layers.

Apparently suntan lotion and make-up in China contain whitening agents. While I am not a fan of sitting in the sun until I get cancer, I think I am already pale enough. I will need the little sun I can get, as Chongqing gets on average 7 completely sunny days per year.

I have lots of books titled things like "Oxford Beginner's Mandarin" and "Teaching Large Multilevel Language Classes" to help me with the two things I'm mainly going to be doing in China and have no experience in.

Finally, for anyone who has ever lived with me, you won't be surprised to know that I have plenty of my grandma's cookies stuffed in the free space I have left...

Last day in America tomorrow!