A little more advice needed..

[everythingsxen]

Soon.. (not long after the start of the new year), I will be moving. Moving really far away. It will in fact be the farthest I have ever been in my life from where I was born. I am going to be moving to a city I know almost nothing about, away from every person I've ever known.

I am pretty scared.

All of my friends tell me I am insane. They say moving that far.. I will never make it. That I will fail, that I might even die.

My Mother and Grandmother have a much more positive attitude though. Saying I can make it, that it will just be tough.

So for the advice -

Has anyone else just totally packed up their entire life and moved to the opposite corner of the country?

I have a rough idea of what I should take with me, however since I will be staying in a hostel, I think I should travel pretty light. Like a single backpack. So.. what do I take?

I'm looking for, hopefully, someone who has done something like this before and what they learned from their experience.

[Cleita]

1. I don't know if you are driving, but take no more than

you can fit in the trunk of a car. Everything else can be bought or shipped to you after you have settled in. Prepare for culture shock. Keep an open mind until you make a few friends and they can introduce you to the pluses and minuses of your new environment. Make sure you have health insurance and that you have taken steps to be safe.

Good luck!

[everythingsxen]

3. I'll be going via bus

and I have nothing left to ship really. All I have at this point are my clothes and everything else I am selling to make the trip.

Health Insurance? Isn't that ridiculously expensive?

[Cleita]

9. At your age, health insurance shouldn't be.

You can get catastrophic insurance, which has a large deductible, but if you should have a bad accident and end up in the hospital for awhile, it's worth it. There is a site called E-Insurance that lists just about every type of policy available from most companies and what it costs for the coverage available..

[everythingsxen]

12. Hell thats not bad at all..

My main worry would be getting the paperwork done in time before I move.

[LuLu550]

2. I lived in England for a year

it was fabulous! Be open to the experience and enjoy the ride!

[bif]

4. Went to Europe for 6 months when I was 20.

Hitchiked all around. Best experience of my life. Only regret is that I didn't stay longer and travelled overland to India.

[NicoleM]

5. I've done it a bunch of times.

It's scary, but I think it's worth it. You get a different perspective on things. You also learn a lot about yourself when you don't have anybody else to fall back on. I think it's a good thing.

[radwriter0555]

6. It's a GAS! What a GREAT adventure! I moved from NY to Florida

all by myself when I was 18.

Then moved from FL to Chicago when I was 21.

From Chicago to San Francisco when I was 22.

From San Fran to Los Angeles when I was 23.

ALL on my own, no money, no real belongings! Just knew one or two people where I was going... I planned it, and saved, researched the places best I could and got on planes and went. And I'm a chick!

I arrived in FL with $30 in my pocket.

[librechik]

7. I left everything and moved to Bolivia

with my baby back in the seventies. I thought I had trimmed down the things I took to nothing, but I wound up throwing a bunch more away cuz it was just too heavy. Found a place to live and a job, even in a foreign country! Take three changes of clothing, an extra pair of shows, and something to read when you're stuck waiting in line somewhere. A big towel and a poncho are useful.

It's no big deal. You'll do fine and have fun!

I got really homesick though after about 7 months and came back home. Everything I thought I wanted was right in my own back yard, just like Dorothy says.

You can't run away from problems, but you can run to find yourself.
Good Luck!

[pmbryant]

8. I've done this 3 times

Enough to realize I don't want to do it any more. ;-)

But it is quite feasable, really. It's a big country, but we all still speak the same language and live in (essentially) the same culture, so it is not really a much bigger deal than moving to the next town.

Travelling light always sounds like a good idea to me.

If you have a tight-knit group of friends, family, and confidants that you are leaving, it will be rough for a while in the new place. It takes quite a while to build up a similar support group in a new place. This is probably the most difficult part, at least for me.

It doesn't appear that I have any generic advice to give other than to try to keep an open mind and be flexible, and to relax and enjoy the adventure.

Good luck and godspeed.

:hi:

--Peter

[commander bunnypants]

10. Being scrared is normal

But you live and learn from the experience. I went from the East Coast to The Wst Coast for 3 years

DDQM

[Bertha Venation]

11. CULTURE SHOCK: I moved from Los Angeles to Washington DC.

You can do it. The only advice I can give you (for our reasons for going, etc., seem pretty different) is just be ready for culture shock! Even if you're staying in the same country, there is culture shock. I can't prepare you for what you'll experience, but some things will just make you feel like a tropical fish dropped into the Pacific Ocean.

PM or email me if you want to know more. I'm happy to share. Good luck!

[everythingsxen]

13. Thanks for the confidence building.

It helps take the edge off the cold terror. :o

This is the most chaotic thing I have ever done and even it is taking a lot of planning.

[Westegg]

14. Moving is a good, bold adventure

I once packed up and moved from Pittsburgh to L.A. Some years later, I moved from L.A. to New York City. It's okay to be scared (I was), but be scared in a good way. The moves I made changed my life (both times) for the better. It's intimidating to be in a new place, at first. But I feel that pretty quickly, you come to realize that people are basically the same everywhere you go. Have faith in that. Be wary, in a healthy but not paranoid way, of the people you meet at first. Trust your instincts---that's probably the most important thing. Explore, and learn about your new home as much as you can.

A move signifies a new beginning. This is a good thing. Live for the future and not the past. I hope this ain't too Pollyannish of me. I just mean to say that I wish you the best.

And don't say yes to any "nude modeling" jobs. It can only lead to despair.

[geniph]

15. What to bring with you:

Your own towel (hostels often don't provide them), a pillow and sleeping bag if you can carry them easily, extra socks and undies, a couple clean shirts, an extra pair of pants, good shoes that you can walk in plus a spare pair for when those get wet (since I know you're heading here to the Pacific NorthWET), a water-resistant jacket with a hood (or a hat), a pair of warm gloves, a water bottle, a comb, a toothbrush, and a small flashlight. Everything else is optional. We have good libraries here, and good public transportation. There are warehouse jobs and such available if you're not fussy. You'll be fine.