Things I've Learned On My Last Night in the USA...

1) It's hard trying to fit your life into one suitcase and a carry-on

2) Everything that can go wrong at the last minute, will go wrong

3) The new airline restrictions suck

4) Singing Dead Or Alive set on medium on Rock Band is not as easy as one would think. Especially if your a girl. However, it is easier than Weezer...

5) Instead of panicking about normal stuff, like making my connection, I am worried about my book supply. I have one book in my purse which must last me until I can find a bookstore in Newcastle. I have never had only one book on me at a time. What if my flights delayed for a day and I'm stuck having to choose between the Steele and Patterson sold at airports? Can my brain take it?

Two days and book to go...

So, I have two days left before I embark on my adventure to the land down under. I stopped working at the bookstore yesterday at 10:30 am and lazed about my room for the rest of the day. Today, I slept in and was planning on staying home and finishing the third book in the Twilight series (please don't judge me, I am planning on reading a classic next as penance). Instead, I went to my friends house (she has no phone or email) to ask if she was going with me to my other friends house for my going away party. She got me sucked into a couple of rounds of the band game (like Guitar Hero, but with more instruments) and then to Village Inn for lunch with her roommate. So much for enjoying my day of freedom before a big day of packing. I'm just not meant for social activity--at least not when I have a book I want to read.

Money and dodo birds

Apparently the traveler's check has gone the way of the dodo bird. Now, instead of not worrying about conversion rates and how much the bank is ripping you off, you have to worry about them. If you go to a bank and convert your money to a foreign currency you are charged a fee. If you leave your money the bank and use your ATM card they charge you a fee. Wells Fargo, by the way, charges 3 to 4 percent every time you use your card and 15 percent to convert the currency, which they call a conversion charge.

However, if you are traveling for a long period of time to Australia, you can open a bank account there, which is what I plan on doing. Still, I would be a much happier person if people quit nickle and dimeing me.

On the up-side, if you are a member of AAA, exchange your currency with them. They don't charge you a fee, but it's still less than what it should be.

Stuff

Well, I signed up for classes but I still have to register in July. I only have three classes, which is a bit weird, but I'm just gonna go with it!

It is so bazzar to have everything but the packing done. I even got my hair cut!