Where's Edgar?

Well I figured that it was time for another update.
I went for my second set of shots on Thursday and my arms were yet again heavy and sore. I received rabies, polio, yellow fever, and mmr (measles, mumps, rubella). Next week I go for malaria and my second rabies. Then finally on August 9 I receive my last dose of rabies and am ready to go!
As for the leaving process, I have been emailing my contact in Dubai and we have been talking about a moving date. I am getting annoyed because he said that I would be leaving Regina between the 25 and 28 of August. I was told in my interview that school starts for the teachers on August 28. Marika also told me that we would arrive almost 3 days after we leave so if we left on the 28th we would arrive on the 31st. So if we left on the 28th we would not be a the school until the 31st, which is a Friday (their weekend). Even if we arrived on the weekend it is hard to know if we will even be able to see the school until Sunday....the first day of school for students! I am getting nervous because we are really pushing the leaving date and currently we may not be able to even see our classroom/curriculum until we meet the kids Sunday morning. I complained about the late departure dates and my contact says that it all depends on how soon he can get the visas. My "new life" is in the hands of this visa. Well that is all for now on my travel plans and I will continue to keep everyone posted.
On a side note...Edgar and I, as well as Jackie and Jenn, are going to Manitoba to see where Jackie is going to be teaching this upcoming school year. We are having one last road trip before we go off in separate directions. Have a great weekend!

Moving half-way across the world is an annoying process. First there is the paperwork. I run around the city and fill out forms, have record checks done, and documents certified. Then I send off the paperwork its destination. After I finish the process, another e-mail is waiting for me which says that I need to do the whole thing all over again for another place. BAH! Just tell me what I need to do all at once so that I don't have to go to the same places over and over again. Finally, I decided to get a few copies all at once but I can see this being the last part in the process ( I will have paperwork left over).

Next, I had to go to the dentist and doctor for check-ups to make sure that I am healthy and ready to go. Both went very well. I had to get my bottom wisdom teeth surgically removed last Tuesday. My mouth was pretty sore and it was hard to eat but it was better to get them out now instead of waiting for toothaches and hassle over there.

Today, I went to inquire about what shots I needed for going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I ended up leaving with two sore and heavy arms. It turns out that there are not any neccessary shots needed to go to the UAE but because I am going to teach and probably travel I have to get some cautionary shots. Teachers become sick easily because of all the kids passing illnesses around the classroom. Young teachers haven't developed their immune systems as much as we would have liked to so we go down faster than older teachers. Also, we apparently run ourselves down in our first years on the job--I don't know where they get that idea. ;) So, depending on what I want to do I can go in for more shots or I can leave go as I am with the basic shots. On that note, I never realized how expensive immunizations were! Crazy high prices! I'm glad that I received my free shots back in elementary school haha.

Now all I have to figure out is how to pack up my stuff so that it fits into two, 50 lb suitcases. That is going to be the tough part I think. It is so hard to pack up and leave for two years. I am still in shock that I am actually going through with this and moving across the world. This is going to be an experience that I will never forget or regret! I'll keep you posted.

I suppose that everyone is wondering... "Who is this Edgar fellow?" So here I am to clarify. He is not my boyfriend, husband, brother, cousin, or any person of that kind. He is my long lost friend and my travel companion. Here is our story.
In the hot summer of 2006 my best buddy, Becky, was in a knitting frenzy. She was knitting scarves, mitts, toques and anything else she could think of. This was how Edgar was born. She has a huge stuffed animal of "My Pet Monster" from the cartoon back in the day--he is so ugly he's cute. So she decided that I needed a so ugly-it's-cute stuffed animal as well. Becky decided that a little black rabbit would do and set to work. He has mismatched eyes, sweater, and socks. Edgar is as cute as can be. My only instructions upon getting the gift were-"Take him wherever you go" and I have. This is why I am taking him all over the world.
So far Edgar and I have travelled to the four main cities in Saskatchewan--Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and Swift Current. We have seen as much as we want of Saskatchewan so we are flying the coup and jumping across the pond to Dubai. We are going to ride camels, surf sand dunes, and teach some kids.
Keep your eye out for Edgar in all of my pictures and we will see you soon.