First, World Teach stuff: health and other forms, passport photos, read all orientation materials (Living and Teaching in China, Lonely Planet Healthy Travel Asia & India), make plane reservation to Los Angeles, read and respond to numerous email communications etc etc etc.
Second, figuring out which immunizations I need. The office of my PCP said they could do this but they're using the same source to determine what I need as I am: the CDC website. And the nurse seems fairly cavalier about it all while I am overly anxious. Skip to Part Three if you can't handle aggravation!
I got the first two parts of Hepatits A & B (exactly 30 days apart, which was good) but, since the third part is supposed to be given 6 months later, I can't do that until I return from China. Grrr.
I ask about the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine which she tries to get but can't. So by some miracle, I manage to get an appointment with the UConn Travel Clinic (there's much more to this whole story but not worth telling) at the beginning of July, giving me barely enough time. The JE vaccine is also two shots, 30 days apart but I'm hoping that I can get one at beginning of July and one near the end. Who knows? Anyway, it all becomes irrelevant because when I get to the Travel Clinic, I find out that they aren't stocking the JE vaccine because a new one is coming out at the end of the year and they made a decision not to buy more of the old one. So now it's too late for me to try another place. Grrrr.
The nurse at PCP office told me that the typhoid immunization was a pill and she could give that to me right before I leave. So when I go back for Hep A&B (part 2) on July 24th, she gives the prescription to me, I then take it to my pharmacy, which has to order it, so I don't actually get it until July 25th. And then it turns out that there are 4 pills in all and you have to take them every other day. So I take the first one right away in the car. But I don't notice that it has to remain refrigerated, so it stays in the car until the next day. I take the second one on the 27th, leave on the 28th and have to take the other two with me - so the vaccine has spent most of the time unrefrigerated. Grrrr.
I also try to get Polio booster but again, PCP office cannot get because they can't buy just one, you have to buy in bulk and they're not willing to do that. And influenza shots aren't available until later this year. Grrrr.
Fortunately, I don't need MMR as a titer reveals I'm immune to all. My Tetanus/Diptheria is up to date. I decide not to get Rabies shots (as I don't plan to get that close to any strange animals) and not to take malaria pills as side effects can be unpleasant (also, you have to take them the whole time you're in a malaria-exposed area). I can always get them in China if needed for traveling to other places, and they'll be cheaper.
So basically, I'm going to China with an unfinished Hep A/B vaccine, probably an ineffective typhoid vaccine, no JE vaccine, no polio booster, no malaria pills, and no rabies protection. And I just realized I forgot to check on Tuberculosis. Well, at least I won't get measles, mumps, rubella or tetanus!
Third, all the personal stuff and house stuff. Get the garden taken care of (thank you, Al Glazier!). Call Butler (Sav-A-Tree) to have hemlock bushes sprayed. Meet with accountant to figure out withholding for rest of year and discuss filing extension for 2008 returns. Have rugs (peed and pooped on by various small animals) picked up to be cleaned. "Baby-proof" house so various small animals don't accidentally knock over something I care about. Buy free-standing pet gate to close living room off from aforesaid small animals. Cover all living room funiture. Pick up all other rugs, roll up and put in living room. Call plumbers to fix tub faucet in bathroom. Get my hair permed and cut. Have manicure and pedicure (very important!). Spend inordinate amounts of time on the phone with Dell trying to get a new hard drive installed for desktop computer (this was without a doubt the worst of all).
Fourth, medical and dental check-ups: general health exam, eye exam, dental cleaning and exam, follow-up appt for breast biopsy. Have another MRI. Pick out and pick up extra pairs of glasses. (Did you know that "pick out" and "pick up" are Phrasal Verbs? You do now.)
Fifth, other miscellaneous stuff: Jury duty (fortunately only one day as I got excused from serving on jury of trial scheduled at same time as I am testifying in another trial!) Three days of attending and testifying in other trial (this was something I was very happy to do). Attending a TESOL workshop.
Last but not least, the Fun Stuff: Goodspeed twice (Happy Days and Half a Sixpence) with Paul; down to NYC to have lunch with Jed, Nell and Fernanda; lunch at Wattenbergs with Bill, his cousin Janet, Alan and Janet McCV, and Eleanor (8 people at the table and 3 named Janet!); multiple fabulous dinners with Lyn, Tyler and Paul; Tanglewood (a lovely dinner and Midori!) with Barbara and Katherine; seeing everyone in my AHCC women's group at least once (Ellen, JoAnn, Jo, Kitty, Marnie, Beth, Penny, Marie, Diane and, as an added bonus, Tricia); getting together with all the people I want to see before I leave: Joan, Dona and family (Roland, Meghan and Taylor), Mary (former client, 91 years old!) and Briana, friends at S&G (Steve, Bryon, Danielle, Monique, Janice and all), Anna and her parents (great gazpacho, girl!), Deborah and Giovanni, Gail and Susan, Bradley crew (Janet, Florence, Emma and Kathy), Julian, Karen and Jim, and finally, a wonderful, wonderful visit from my brother Claude and my nephew Forest (all the way from South Carolina for about 36 hours!), with Jed rolling in for the last part. and of course trying to squeeze in a few minutes with Eleanor here and there, around her very busy schedule!
Saw some good movies: The Visitor, Raise the Red Lantern (a Chinese classic), among others (that means I can't remember the others!). Missed some movies I wanted to see: Mamma Mia, Young at Heart, The Duchess of Langeais, and others. Saw one movie I wish I hadn't: Contempt (thanks, Kitty, for being willing to leave early!) Heaven knows how many I'll miss while I'm gone but that's what Netflix is for!
Read some good books: River Town and Oracle Bones, both by Peter Hessler and both about China. River Town is about his two years in the Peace Corps, teaching English in Sichuan province, and it is excellent. I don't think Oracle Bones is quite as page-turning, but it is filled with lots of great information about China.
I'm sure I've forgotten some things but it's just as well. . .
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