The three P’s Part One
-The art of Prepping-
It’s happening... it’s real, in just a day I would be leaving for a small tour In Europe and an indefinite amount of time in Southeast Asia for the next year of my life. Whaaat?
I have had the privelage of traveling from a very young age throughout my lifetime to many different cities through mission trips and on vacations. My father happened to be a ‘Brit’ so I was lucky enough to call the beautiful country of England a home away from home. The difficult trips were the ones I took alone, specifically moving to Rome for my junior year semester abroad not having known anyone I was living with until I actually landed and frantically found my apartment after three hours of getting lost in the winding streets of a small suburb known as Trastevere, a place I soon understood as home. This is the moment I felt as though I could conquer the world, throwing random jumbled Italian questions at people which translated to “apartment where, you find” or “to be lost and need help”, Italian being a language I quickly forced myself to polish up. People were very friendly and one woman even helped me carry my luggage to my new home, subsequently meeting three strangers (roommates) who I can gladly call now some of the best friends I have ever had. (Shout out Danielle, Sophie and Hannah- #Darpoeta4lyfe) - inside joke about the BEST pizza place that EVER EXISTED in which we practically lived.
Not to stray tooo far from the subject at hand, my point was I have never been more terrified, but exhilarated, excited, exhausted, and afraid in my life. After I realized I’m capable of finding myself after being widly lost on my very first day in a new country, I felt as though I could conquer the world (after a 5 hour jet lag nap). Needless to say, this trip I am about to take on is just about 6 months longer, and expands across the entire world, not just the entire city of Rome. So you can imagine my anticipation at this time was a tiny bit exasperated. I didn’t feel pure panic until I had been told “you’re not getting your Thai visa until you have already left for Europe”... to my American address, which would mean I have to be in two places at once. This news was just one of the numerous things I had been juggling throughout the first of three P’s, prepping.
If ever you decide to live abroad for an extended amount of time, I am so happy for you and would never lead you in another direction, seriously go you! (Here’s the but), Buttttt make sure you make an extensive checklist and timeline of when these things need to get done and do them, ON TIME. Being a seasoned traveler, I had overestimated my knowledge of travel and packing prowess this time around.
Let me detour slightly by explaining the fact that I had accepted my job and deposited my money two weeks befor eduring a complete ACL and partial. PCL tear while playing in a women’s league very early on a Sunday morning, on st. Patrick’s day, Boston’s most cherished holiday (yes I went to the parade on crutches). For those of you who are familiar with this injury, they understand the amount of time it takes to rehab from this surgery including severe amounts of rehab not to mention prehab. I knew I would be enduring pain and icing and in my case crying like a little I baby for what was to be the next 6 months of my life. Not to mention, prepping for a 9 month trip around the world. So you can only imagine my dismay at this moment in my life.
Alright drama and hysterics aside, this would mean I would undergo surgery, and be out of work for atleast 2 if not 3 months.
Because I feel as though I am making an award speech I will now mention the names of my managers for keeping me alive and working to stay flexible for me through this ridiculously emotional journey. For those of you who don’t want to read the extensive list of names, feel free to skip to the next paragraph! Caroline and Ali at McLean Hospital, Alissa, Nick, Little Nick aka Blade, and Meghan at Cambridge common, and lastly Jeffrey, Lynn, Big Jeff, Kayla Brandy, and Regina at Chatham Wine Bar. Without you all, I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip possible. Your care/concern/worry for my knee and General well-being made me feel cared for and for that I will be forever grateful.
To my friends and family who donated to my Fundly- Help Send Sam on Her Way and or work or deal with me on a daily basis, thank you for looking past my emotional upheavals and laughing at my rusted roots music video on my fundraiser page which I inserted for good humor to support me in this difficult transition! I am so grateful for the wonderful humans who support me, know I’ve got you’re back too. Okay, now Is when I take a bow in humble and gratitude at the end of my award speech in my beautiful sequin dress lipstick and nails to match with an Emmy in one hand and return to reality.
Flash forward to one day away from departure, after MONTHS of lengthy phone calls/debates/arguments/pity parties with the consulate, embassy, insurance companies. I have finally been granted all medications, vaccinations, unlocked phone, and giant metal Ossur knee brace necessary for departure. And for all of you on the edge of your seat, my FedExed Thai visa dropped on my front step (yes one day before leaving) but I’ll take it! Tears are necessary sometimes to make people understand you. So, all was good in the world until I realized I had to pack my life which you will subsequently hear about in the 3 P’s part 2, and if so bless you for reading my banter!
Okay let’s get to the good part.
-tips for the big P- Prepping-
Dear Mom and Dad, thank you for dealing with ALL my crap, always and forever. Thank you for choosing me and not forgetting me or giving up on me. I love you so much even though I sometimes yell at you because I am stressed out and feel like the whole world is collapsing (when it’s most definitely not).
It’s happening... it’s real, in just a day I would be leaving for a small tour In Europe and an indefinite amount of time in Southeast Asia for the next year of my life. Whaaat?
I have had the privelage of traveling from a very young age throughout my lifetime to many different cities through mission trips and on vacations. My father happened to be a ‘Brit’ so I was lucky enough to call the beautiful country of England a home away from home. The difficult trips were the ones I took alone, specifically moving to Rome for my junior year semester abroad not having known anyone I was living with until I actually landed and frantically found my apartment after three hours of getting lost in the winding streets of a small suburb known as Trastevere, a place I soon understood as home. This is the moment I felt as though I could conquer the world, throwing random jumbled Italian questions at people which translated to “apartment where, you find” or “to be lost and need help”, Italian being a language I quickly forced myself to polish up. People were very friendly and one woman even helped me carry my luggage to my new home, subsequently meeting three strangers (roommates) who I can gladly call now some of the best friends I have ever had. (Shout out Danielle, Sophie and Hannah- #Darpoeta4lyfe) - inside joke about the BEST pizza place that EVER EXISTED in which we practically lived.
Not to stray tooo far from the subject at hand, my point was I have never been more terrified, but exhilarated, excited, exhausted, and afraid in my life. After I realized I’m capable of finding myself after being widly lost on my very first day in a new country, I felt as though I could conquer the world (after a 5 hour jet lag nap). Needless to say, this trip I am about to take on is just about 6 months longer, and expands across the entire world, not just the entire city of Rome. So you can imagine my anticipation at this time was a tiny bit exasperated. I didn’t feel pure panic until I had been told “you’re not getting your Thai visa until you have already left for Europe”... to my American address, which would mean I have to be in two places at once. This news was just one of the numerous things I had been juggling throughout the first of three P’s, prepping.
If ever you decide to live abroad for an extended amount of time, I am so happy for you and would never lead you in another direction, seriously go you! (Here’s the but), Buttttt make sure you make an extensive checklist and timeline of when these things need to get done and do them, ON TIME. Being a seasoned traveler, I had overestimated my knowledge of travel and packing prowess this time around.
Let me detour slightly by explaining the fact that I had accepted my job and deposited my money two weeks befor eduring a complete ACL and partial. PCL tear while playing in a women’s league very early on a Sunday morning, on st. Patrick’s day, Boston’s most cherished holiday (yes I went to the parade on crutches). For those of you who are familiar with this injury, they understand the amount of time it takes to rehab from this surgery including severe amounts of rehab not to mention prehab. I knew I would be enduring pain and icing and in my case crying like a little I baby for what was to be the next 6 months of my life. Not to mention, prepping for a 9 month trip around the world. So you can only imagine my dismay at this moment in my life.
Alright drama and hysterics aside, this would mean I would undergo surgery, and be out of work for atleast 2 if not 3 months.
Because I feel as though I am making an award speech I will now mention the names of my managers for keeping me alive and working to stay flexible for me through this ridiculously emotional journey. For those of you who don’t want to read the extensive list of names, feel free to skip to the next paragraph! Caroline and Ali at McLean Hospital, Alissa, Nick, Little Nick aka Blade, and Meghan at Cambridge common, and lastly Jeffrey, Lynn, Big Jeff, Kayla Brandy, and Regina at Chatham Wine Bar. Without you all, I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip possible. Your care/concern/worry for my knee and General well-being made me feel cared for and for that I will be forever grateful.
To my friends and family who donated to my Fundly- Help Send Sam on Her Way and or work or deal with me on a daily basis, thank you for looking past my emotional upheavals and laughing at my rusted roots music video on my fundraiser page which I inserted for good humor to support me in this difficult transition! I am so grateful for the wonderful humans who support me, know I’ve got you’re back too. Okay, now Is when I take a bow in humble and gratitude at the end of my award speech in my beautiful sequin dress lipstick and nails to match with an Emmy in one hand and return to reality.
Flash forward to one day away from departure, after MONTHS of lengthy phone calls/debates/arguments/pity parties with the consulate, embassy, insurance companies. I have finally been granted all medications, vaccinations, unlocked phone, and giant metal Ossur knee brace necessary for departure. And for all of you on the edge of your seat, my FedExed Thai visa dropped on my front step (yes one day before leaving) but I’ll take it! Tears are necessary sometimes to make people understand you. So, all was good in the world until I realized I had to pack my life which you will subsequently hear about in the 3 P’s part 2, and if so bless you for reading my banter!
Okay let’s get to the good part.
-tips for the big P- Prepping-
- Set financial goals, break them down in steps, and budget budget budget your time until the trip, whatever sweater you thought was necessary to buy was not as important as the meal you could pay for in a foreign country.
- If you are required a visa, make a list of ALL requirements and deadlines. I want you to print this list, make copies of this list, and post this list wherever necessary until you are having dreams about it.
- Stay on top of the companies with whom you’ll develop a great phone relationship with. Try to be polite and say please and thank you whenever possible (very hard to do when you want to break the phone).
- Make friends with the people who decide to be on your side after your long breathless rants, learn their children’s names, ask how they are, essentially just SCHMOOZE, until you get your way. Been a Master of Expressive Arts and taking one drama course finally paid of if only for a couple blubbery tear-filled conversations.
- Use tears when NECESSARY I really must accentuate the word necessary here. Or you’ll exhaust yourself. Am I sorry? No, but I definitely could have gone without a lot tears and stay maintain hydration
- Prepping can be exhausting, so set reasonable goals, and treat yourself when you’ve accomplished them! Self care is the most important lesson I’ve ever learned in my life. Throw in some yoga, you won’t regret it.
- Spend whatever free time you get with the people you are most grateful for. Before you know it, you will be saying goodbye. Squeeze them hard whenever you can, but not so hard as to induce injury.
- Try not to tear your ACL and undergo a big surgery within four months of take off or you’ll be adding a whole mess of complications before you leave (Though I have proved it can be done).
- Finally, use creative outlets to vent and organize this process, please refer to my preferred creative outlet for the big P, bullet journaling. It provided both an inspired and creative perspective on organization and preparation! Plus, it’s fun, if you can find the time. I suggest making time.
Dear Mom and Dad, thank you for dealing with ALL my crap, always and forever. Thank you for choosing me and not forgetting me or giving up on me. I love you so much even though I sometimes yell at you because I am stressed out and feel like the whole world is collapsing (when it’s most definitely not).
xx Samantha Jane
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