There are a lot of things I obsessed with but about two years ago when I'd just won my Fulbright and realized I was moving to Eastern Europe and more specifically to Bulgaria. One of these things was what to pack. I could take two suitcases and a carry on.  The big question was what did I did I need and what did I want?

This obsession and questions are still with me today. Maybe they always will given the fact that I am living abroad and trying to be mindful when it comes to consumerism but two years ago this all came to a head in the fact that I was moving to a country I'd never been too and I'd never lived abroad.

In preparation, I made an extensive list. Obsessing of over even the act of making the list. I checked my list. I made friends who had lived abroad look over my list. I gathered all of things I thought I'd need and realized quickly that it was too much. So I made piles. I cut my things in half. Then I worried some more.

The three questions haunted me: What did I need? What could I live without? And, what could I get in Bulgaria?<!--more-->

I worried that I wouldn't be able to find sizes that fit or styles that I liked for reasonable prices. What if I needed a pair of jeans? I've always bought jeans with a long inseam in the States because my legs are so long. The "what if's" piled up so I emailed friends to see what they wished they'd had when they'd lived abroad. This was helpful but overwhelming.

It's sort of the last thing you need when you're also concerned with securing a visa, moving, leaving friends and your a job and all in all trying not to succumb to the anxieties that are linked to moving abroad. But, it's also fairly important--what <em>will</em> I need?

Ultimately, I think it boils down to a series of short term and long term considerations. Because, as luck would have it, you can get almost everything you could ever need or want in Bulgaria.  For example, I brought my winter coat but easily could have bought one here. Everything that is except Girl Scouts and their delicious Girl Scout Cookies. I haven't seen a thin mint in years.

So what's this post about? Girl Scout Cookies? Nope.Though that would make a great post. It's a little advice for anyone packing up their lives, trying to make sense of what they've just decided to do and how they'll get their lives into two suitcases.

Realistically what are you into? Do you like to hike and do outdoorsy things? or do you like to bake? Do you have a cat you're going to bring? or do you have small children? Are high quality sheets and towels important to you? or are you more concerned with high quality underwear? This is not to say that these questions are oppositions. I don't think that if you like to camp you wont like to bake or if you have a cat you won't have small children. Basically this is to say you do have to figure out what you're going to give priority to.

Me? Well, I don't need a lot of fancy outdoor gear. While I like nature and enjoy a nice hike I am probably not going to be doing any serious hiking, skiing or mountaineering any time soon. I did however toss in my bag a set of measuring cups as I didn't want to be converting every recipe I ever made from cups and teaspoons or trying to eye-ball amounts.  That's a recipe for disaster.  I ended up trying to identify what was most important to me and stocking up on my creature comforts and trying to make sure that I had a good foundation for a year.

I brought two pairs of jeans, three pairs of dress pants, a couple of dresses, two skirts, two blazers, my winter coat, three sweaters, two cardigans,  maybe two dozen tank tops and t-shirts, yoga thing, my robe and pjs, four to five pairs of shoes and plenty of socks and underwear.  I packed a few books, a purse, a quick drying towel, some make-up, a little pharmacy of American medicine, a box of tampons, a selection of accessories, a four pack of rubbermaid/tupperwear food storage containers and some power adapters/converters.

For the most part this was enough to get me started in Bulgaria. I've bought some other things since arriving like a hair drier, winter boots, clothes as need and the like.  All of this stuff is pretty standard fare. I don't think there's a big surprise in any of this.

After my first year in Bulgaria, hare a few things that I am glad I brought as well as things I've missed, purchased or will buy when I am back in the States this summer.
<ul>
	<li>At Christmas I bought a<strong> Kindle</strong>. It makes books so easy get your hands on and even easier to read them. It's almost like living in the States. The down side is that not all titles are available. But really, I can't imagine living without it now.</li>
	<li>In winter, buildings are generally are colder than the States so last summer I also brought back to Sofia more <strong>cold weather gear</strong>--from sweaters and sweatshirts to a great hat.  So that I'd stay warm.</li>
	<li>I am going to be purchasing<strong> a pair of  rubber rain boots </strong>this summer. I am tired of being muddy and dirty when it rains and I walk to school in Mladost. These may not be the most useful thing if you're trying to whittle down your belongings but they will really help me with the quality of my life on grey rainy muddy days.</li>
	<li><strong>Salasa</strong> and <strong>dried black beans</strong>. I love good Mexican food.</li>
	<li>If you're going to teach, buy a <strong>dry erase board eraser</strong> (and hope that your school uses dry erase boards and not chalk boards). I didn't have one at the beginning of the year and I forever had marker on my hands, my arms and my clothes. I bought one at Christmas and it might be the best thing I did for the second semester.</li>
	<li>I am also going to bring back my <strong>fleece jacket</strong> and a <strong>rain-coat in a pouch</strong>. Yeah it turns out both of these things would be nice to have.</li>
</ul>
Somehow it seems to me that the list of "to buys and to packs" was longer than this when I imagined this post. Maybe I am forgetting something, maybe I don't need as much as I thought. Anyway, here's a little insight to packing, moving and obsessing. Hopefully, you got something from this. Other than the fact that, I seem to be a crazy girl who spends way too much time planning, making lists and obsessing rather than living her life and seeing what's going to come her way.

As always, please add to list list as you see fit!