Can I still be a modern day nomad with 100 lb. of luggage?

One of the items on my bucket list is to live in a foreign country.  I've moved around from one state to another and often thought of myself as a semi-nomad.  So moving to another country is not really a stretch.  But in recent months, I became cognizant of the fact that I was far from being a nomad.

As I attempt to purge my life from the years of sedentarism, I've come to the realization that I have too much...stuff.  There are categories of stuff: memory, necessity, and comfort.  The things that hold memories go into the keep pile, perhaps for storage.  Necessity can be a little tricky.  Is it necessary to have 10 pairs of jeans, 14 coats, 30 or so pairs of shoes, countless t-shirts, lotions, make-up, scarves, hats, purses...etc?  Well, I am a girl.  But, no.  Since this category will take up the most amount of space, I will have to do a trial pack.  I freely admit to this.  Yes, I will do a trial pack (probably more than one).  Comfort is another issue altogether.  I'm told that if you are living in a foreign country, it is important to bring things to make the stay a little easier.  There is a romantic notion that everything will be rosy, peachy (or whatever) with living abroad.  All the new people you'll meet, food you'll eat, and places you'll visit.  But the reality of living abroad is different.  It can be stressful and lonely, so many expats have recommended that "newbies" pack some comfort items.

But where do I draw the line?

How much stuff do I pack?  Airlines have a limit on the number and weight of baggages.  For some people, 50 lb. per bag seems unreasonable even for a 2 week holiday.  When I've travelled to Europe, my backpack never exceeded the weight limit.  My philosophy was and still is, if I can't carry, I'm not bringing it (and I have trouble carrying more than 30 lb. without falling over).  But I realized that this philosophy should only be applied in cases of holiday travel rather than a year long stay.  But here is the dilemma, where do I draw the line of bringing too much and not enough?  It's not as if I'm moving to some back country with no western amenities.  This is South Korea: the land of super speed internet, public transportation, and is the 15th largest economy.

I don't want to be tied down by stuff when I move.  This is my attempt at a nomadic lifestyle I've always wanted.  But can I still be a modern day nomad with 100 lb. of luggage?

All In

When I first started my EPIK (English Program in Korea) process, I knew it was going to be long and I had to have a lot of patience.  In most cases, waiting is not a big deal.  Waiting without certainty is a problem for me.  I'm a planner.  I make plans for my plans.  I also make back-up plans to my back-up plans. Must be my OCD tendencies.

So what's my point?  I have no "Plan B" this time (because this was my "Plan B").  I went "All In" with my EPIK application.  I've already sold my car and I'm in the process of selling all my worldly possessions (except for 4 boxes of my beloved books).  With 39 days left before the "departure" date, I still don't have a confirmation for the job, visa, or plane ticket.  I'm still waiting and waiting and waiting.

It never occurred to me until now, but I am making a huge bet with my life and I've been doing this for a long time.  I know this isn't some life or death situation and it probably sounds more dramatic than necessary.  What I meant is that I've always went "All In" when making huge life altering decisions.  I moved to San Francisco, San Diego, and Boulder without a job.  I had a vague idea of what I wanted, hoped, and planned to do once I got there.  But I never had a plan if things didn't work out.  I was always convinced that things would magically work itself out...no matter what.  Thinking back on these decisions, it was absolutely insane.  Sometimes things worked out well and other times I struggled.  But in each and every case, I've never regretted my decision.

So right now, I'm still waiting to hear back about a possible job in Korea.  There is no certainty that I will get the job.  As the clock ticks another minute then hour, my patience wanes and I grow more weary.  I wait helplessly, but I'm hopeful that I made the right decision to go "All In"...for a once in a lifetime adventure.