Since deciding to embark on this international move to Shanghai last October, I have been wavering between utter excitement at the life that is before us and absolute terror that I have made a crazy choice.  Why walk away from my great life in Northern California?  Relaxed schedule, beautiful home, adoring pets, adoring grown-up children, fulfilling work.  What’s not to like? Apparently, I am a risk-taker.  Bob took me out to dinner about 3 months ago and posed the question: “How about another ex-pat gig before I retire?”  To this question, I immediately answered “yes!” before even visiting the damn country.  I’m all in now and it’s way too late to back out.

My mother is going to move into our house just as we leave.  This has been VERY difficult to get her to part with her belongings as she has been crammed into a small studio apartment for years and years but hanging on to her belongings since she left her large New Jersey home 20 years ago.  After a few throw-downs, I had to surrender.  She is bringing her clutter to our house.  We’ll get one of those handy de-clutter specialists during one or more of our visits home and hope for miracles.

In mid-December we traveled over to Beijing and Shanghai for 4 days and 5 nights.  We found an apartment, ate, slept a little, walked around, saw a few sites and projected forward to what our life will be like.  Comfy digs, a car and driver, a vertical city in glass and steel. Very shiny and new.

Our departure date is now set for Monday January 20th!  3 whole days to get everything done and 3 nights to try to get some sleep.  Two dinners and one more party and a couple of football games.  We. Are. Outta. Here.