{"id":3361,"date":"2012-06-24T03:15:58","date_gmt":"2012-06-24T11:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.ups.edu\/studyingabroad\/?p=3361"},"modified":"2012-06-24T03:15:58","modified_gmt":"2012-06-24T11:15:58","slug":"poppins-packing-unreal-expectations-for-baggage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/2012\/06\/24\/poppins-packing-unreal-expectations-for-baggage\/","title":{"rendered":"Poppins’ Packing: Unreal Expectations for Baggage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let’s begin this story by talking about the Walt Disney movie, Mary Poppins.\u00a0 It’s that kind of blog.\u00a0 When I was five-years-old, I would watch Mary Poppins at least once a week in our basement.\u00a0 It was a wondrous time.\u00a0 I would sing along with Julie Andrews, kick my legs up for the dance numbers and -because my parents couldn’t be around all <\/em>of the time- jump off the couch with an umbrella and try to fly.\u00a0 (Thinking happy thoughts had been getting me absolutely nowhere and it was time for action.\u00a0 Even then, I was sensible child.)\u00a0 What I remember most from the movie is Mary Poppin’s fantastic bag.\u00a0 The first time she pulled out a floor lamp out of that tiny carpetbag, my expectations for all current and future sets of luggage were molded. \u00a0For a younger me, packing for family vacation was a disappointing time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Pictured Above: Umbrella. Magic Bag. Potential Child-like Wonder<\/p><\/div>\n

Twenty year later, I have managed to cope with this desire to pack everything under the sun into a tiny bag.\u00a0 Anymore, I rarely pack my rabbit ears and white gloves “just in case” there is an impromptu costume party.\u00a0 (It could happen.)\u00a0 Progress has been made.\u00a0 I am comfortable traveling carry-on and breeze through TSA lines like I’ve been sponsored by DuPont.\u00a0 I am now Brendan: Travel Warrior of Efficiency.<\/p>\n

However, my looming study abroad trip has brought up old fears.\u00a0 Since I am going to China directly after Taiwan, I will need to pack for both countries and I am currently wrestling with indecision.\u00a0 It is more difficult than I thought to pack for two big unknowns.\u00a0 Some things overlap, but many items, like winter coats and sandals do not. \u00a0I find myself wondering What if I get to Taiwan and I need those khakis I’ve decided to leave behind?\u00a0 Will they have my size?! \u00a0 I’ll have to weave a new ones out of gum wrappers and hope.\u00a0 Nobody wants that.\u00a0 I’m not crafty.\u00a0 There will be wardrobe malfunctions. \u00a0But wait…that’s just silly.\u00a0 I won’t need those khakis\u2026 Will I?<\/em> And on it goes.<\/p>\n

It all boils down to the choice between being underprepared and over-prepared.\u00a0 This time around, I have decided to go with the first option. \u00a0So, I’m leaving my favorite motorcycle boots behind.\u00a0 Extra t-shirts and jeans?\u00a0 Ditto.\u00a0 I might find something even better and cheaper overseas.\u00a0 I am going to another country, not another dimension. \u00a0Why worry?\u00a0 I am open to the prospects and I have decided to stick to “packing light.”<\/p>\n

I will be honest though.\u00a0 Ms. Poppins has had a lasting effect on me.\u00a0 Even though I am only taking a medium duffel, a carry-on and a back pack, I’ve probably still overpacked. \u00a0I talk a big game, but my Batgirl converse will probably sneak their way in. \u00a0Old habits die hard.<\/p>\n

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Viva la Poppins<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let’s begin this story by talking about the Walt Disney movie, Mary Poppins. It’s that kind of blog. When I was five-years-old, I would watch Mary Poppins at least once a week in our basement. It was a wondrous time. I would sing along with Julie Andrews, kick my legs up for the dance numbers and-because my parents couldn’t be around all of the time- jump off the couch with an umbrella and try to fly. (Thinking happy thoughts had been getting me absolutely nowhere and it was time for action. Even then, I was sensible child.) What I really remember from the movie though is Mary Poppin’s fantastic bag. <\/p>\n

Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[170,188,197,231,245],"class_list":["post-3361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-brendan-trosper-14-taiwan-china","tag-mary-poppins","tag-packing","tag-pre-departure","tag-taiwan","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3361\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/studyingabroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}