Suzie vs. Suitcase

So it's Friday. I'm alone in the house. I leave for France on Wednesday morning.
I've said goodbye to Dave, I've amassed the clothes I wish to wear (and bought a few more...), I've made copious lists, photocopied essential documents and saved them to an external memory disk thingy, and now the Everest of the "packing for year abroad" experience looms over me: fitting it all in a suitcase that can be successfully manoeuvred through the French underground metro system. Ohgosh.

I'm also taking a rucksack with me for a couple of English books and a select few DVDs (congratulations 'Gavin & Stacey' and 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel', you have made the cut*), my beloved FiloFax without which I cannot cope, my Year Abroad folder containing every relevant document, email and piece of paper to which I will ever conceivably need to refer, should all computers in Romorantin self-combust / come to harm. Add to that any clothes that don't fit in the suitcase, a batch of Millionaire's Shortbread (essential), teaching materials - yet to be decided upon let alone gathered - and a photo album.
(*The reason BEMH made it is that there's a character in it who doesn't embrace the craziness of India and the experience that she has been thrown into. Whenever I feel frustrated or appalled by anything in France, I hope to take a step back, remember not to be her, and to enjoy and appreciate les Français.)

So yes, once I stop digressing I shall go and do that. Or make more lists. Or perhaps I shall read some Harry Potter en français. After having since the end of May and my last exam to maintain my linguistic abilities (limited as they are), I have neglected to touch any source of frenchiness til this morning when I watched '27 Dresses' in French with English subtitles. It actually went rather well. Probably because 1. I've seen the film so many times as a form of 'French revision' come exam season, that I know the plot back to front and 2. it's a RomCom - how complex does that sort of plot ever get?!

Had better go and pack that damned suitcase / try and filter out some junk....
Til next time, which will probably be written from France!!! Exciting stuff.