Packing!

Packing would be a lot easier if I could predict the future.  I would know if it were going to rain in Poland,  I would know if the button on my black sweater is going to pop off therefore rendering it completely worthless to the rest of my trip and  I could see if bringing my hair dryer is useless because I'll decide only to shower at night every other day. 

But because I have not quite honed my third eye, I have instead decided to consult my magic eight ball and to pack for every situation.  This has created a pile of items to be packed in a very small suitcase. (Fortunately I have been collecting items for weeks and have put my love for The Container Store to good use. :) 

In case you're unfamiliar with where I'll be traveling over the next two months here's a rundown...

June 14-16    "in transit" to Poland

June 16-30  Wroclaw, Poland 

June 30-July 9  Prague, Czech Republic

                                 Bavaria, Germany

                            Zurich, Switzerland

                                 Milan, Italy 

July 9-August 11 Sofia, Bulgaria

August 11-12 "in transit" back to the US

My time spent in Poland will be primarily in Wroclaw.  2009 is the  "Grotowski Year" (in honor of Jerzy Grotowski, famous Polish theatre director and innovator) and the two weeks that I'll be in Wroclaw the city is playing host to some of the biggest names in theatre: Peter Brook, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Pina Bausch, and Eugenio Barba.  Each night there are shows across the city as well as some special workshops and film showings during the day.  

After Poland I'll be traveling in Eastern Europe trying to see some areas that are a little less frequented.  (This part of the trip is a little less structured so you'll hear more about it as it happens...) In Bulgaria I'll be taking classes at the Rhodopi International Theatre Laboratory. This company works in conjunction with the Fourth World Theatre Projects, of which one of my professors serves as the artistic director.  Here I'll be taking movement oriented classes and learning to "think outside the box".  

More to come as I attempt to fit all of my clothing in my tiny polka-dotted suitcase.  As we speak both Jessica and Justin are on top of it, literally, trying to zip it closed.  Who knew space saver bags aren't like Mary Poppins' bag...