#Washington DC

Today I sold my car to a lovely young woman who saw the ad I posted on craigslist. It was a relatively painless, even pleasant, transaction. Unloading the car was the biggest hurdle I had left and I’m relieved to have crossed it.

Three weeks from now I’ll be on a plane to South Africa. Barring unforeseen circumstances, of course.

I’ve reached that point in the departure countdown when I obsess about all the bad things that could prevent me from leaving. Possibilities include: terrorist attack; death in the family; severe weather or other act of god (e.g., ash cloud); lost passport.

In honor of my imminent departure, I’ve compiled a list of the five things I will miss the most about DC, as well as five things I will not miss at all.

Deciding to move to South Africa is one thing. Actually doing it is another.

When I made this decision in January, my first order of business was to uproot myself from a marriage, and a house, and an entire life that I realized I didn’t belong in. There are no words to describe this process, and it’s not what this blog is about anyway, so I’ll spare you the details. Let’s just say it was, umm, hard, and required most of my energy for several months. I think the worst is over now.

Six weeks from today I’m switching hemispheres. I’m moving from Washington, D.C, to Johannesburg, South Africa. I’ll leave D.C. on August 5, at the height of summer, and arrive in Joburg on August 6, in winter. So I’ll be living an extra summer this year – hence the name of the blog.