If you’ve been following along with my Facebook posts, you may have noticed that our family was travelling with 16 suitcases this summer. Actually, most are plastic rubbermaid bins because they hold more. A few people have messaged me over the summer asking if we were crazy and why on earth we had so much luggage.

Yes, we are crazy, but allow me to explain my logic.

This is actually a picture from last year, with a bit less luggage, but you get the idea!

It didn’t start this way.

When I left Indonesia with the girls in June, we had 3 suitcases between us…or maybe 4, but definitely not 16. Our suitcases were full of clothes and shoes for all weather types and occasions that we may encounter between June and November in all the places we’d be: Canada, France and Congo. Since our moving shipment from Indonesia likely won’t arrive in Congo until sometime in the fall, we needed to be prepared for everything from birthday parties, to camping, to the first day of school.  So how did we end at 16?

I stocked up.

Have you ever lived in a place where tampons didn’t exist? I have. And let me tell you…once you live that, the next time you see them, you will spend an obscene amount of money buying a years supply, and then some, just to be sure! For our next posting I was told by a friend living in Congo that it’s best to bring a years supply of clothes for the kids- so that was good for a bin. And of course I took that to mean a years supply of clothes for myself, again, just in case. While I was at it, I also stocked up on medicine for the kids, sunscreeen, bug spray, deodorant, face cream and makeup. I’m moving to Congo after all, I’m pretty sure I won’t be seeing a Sephora or Shopper’s Drug Mart. Another bin.

I like to cook.

It can be difficult to cook in a country that has a different cuisine than yours. Indonesia and Africa(in advance) have taught me that it isn’t necessary to bring things from home for the kitchen, however, it is nice to have! People cook all over the world, and it’s great to get to know the local flavours. But it’s also so nice to have the tastes of home; or at lease the ones you can fit in your suitcase. Half a plastic bin is full Costco-sized taco powder, Montreal steak spice, hemp hearts, chia seeds, onion soup mix(for chip dip), and other things that I can easily live without, but would prefer not too.  😉

My husband has big feet.

Have you ever tried to fit men’s size 12 shoes in a suitcase. You can fit about 4 pairs before half the suitcase if full. Think: work shoes, gym shoes, everyday shoes, camping shoes, then multiply that by 5 months, and add in the fact that my husband is the male version of me when it comes to buying/owning shoes. There’s probably another bin right there.

Guilt.

My daughter’s birthday is shortly after we arrive in our new country. My birthday is the last day of September and I remember that sometimes it was(and still is) hard to know what to do, or who to celebrate with because my group of friends hadn’t been established yet since school/work/new move only just started that month. My daughter’s birthday is the day after mine, which means that she’s in the same boat. I want her to have a great birthday even if her friends are new and her mom doesn’t yet know where to find the party favours, or if they even exist where we live. So, at the cost of a good portion of a suitcase, I’ve solved the problem by already buying my daughter’s birthday present, decorations and loot-bags for her friends. Again, not necessary, but it helps with my moving guilt and eases anxiety about hosting a birthday party right out of the gates in our new country. Plus, I like to shop(this is becoming evident) so I was happy to do it.

Hockey.

Canadian Expat Dad is quite the hockey-guy and that damn stinky bag follows us everywhere we go. You never know where in the world a hockey tournament might pop up-he needs to be ready with stick in hand. He has also outfitted the girls with mini roller blades and street hockey gear(with net and all) to bring a little Canadiana to the French-African compound. There’s 2 more bins plus hockey sticks for ages 3-38+.

I am a teacher at heart.

The Dollarama is my happy place. I may not be in the classroom anymore, but I can’t go into that store without filling my cart with craft supplies, stickers, beads, glowsticks, colouring books, and holiday-themed-everything! That place should be called the Hundred-Dollarama!!! Bin.

Christmas

We’re planning on spending Christmas in Europe which means we need winter clothes. We gave most of ours away when we moved from France to Indonesia, but there were a few jackets and boots that we spent too much money on and couldn’t part with so we left them in Canada last year. Back across the ocean they go! Plus we might want to snowboard while we’re there, so we might as well pack our snowboarding boots(See:My husband has big feet). And my Mom snuck in the girls Christmas presents early on while the bins were still empty. Bin. Bin.

Kids

They need car seats. That counts for 2.

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I haven’t actually counted to see if that adds up to how many we actually have, but you can see how next thing I knew we were travelling across Canada and making our way to Africa with a shit-load of stuff that we can live without but decide not too. There are sacrifices made when living away. You miss family, events and comforts from home. I can’t put family or events in my suitcases but if a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot sitting in the pantry will help me from being homesick…I say pack five! 🙂