So, now what?

B and I have more or less decided to start the moving process once we get back from our trip to California (first two weeks of September). Since we have to give 3 months notice on our apartment, we figure we'll be able to concentrate on it once we're back and I have a residency card and all that. There just really aren't enough options for me here, especially since I don't have a car. Commuting to Toulouse is a temporary solution, but at 12€40 for a round trip train ticket (plus bus fare), that will quickly cut into a low salary for part time work. And there's not much work to be had anyway.

So, now what?

We always knew we wouldn't stay long, that we only moved here because of my teaching assignment. All the same, moving days seem to come quicker than I expect. I haven't been in one place for long and I'm beginning to get tired of having to re-establish myself in a new place.

I say that and then I go back to looking for jobs in the States, with a focus on the Eastern seaboard. Working in the states next year might be the best option for me. I need more work experience for grad school applications, and I've discovered how hard it is in France to get a job with a nice well-rounded liberal arts degree with no specific job skills. I make mental plans to work in the US for a while, do grad school somewhere, and then move back to Europe, putting all the packing and re-establishing myself aspects of moving out of my mind. Who wants to move when they are really conscious of all the stuff they've accumulated?

So back to where I am now, I still need to work but it's hard to know what I should be searching for knowing that we'll be moving. I feel like I should go and do those two hikes that start near the train station and end at the top of two of the mountains/hills that surround the town. I wonder if we'll ever eat at the restaurant we've passed so many times, or if it even matters to do things at least once before we leave. I know I should "live to the fullest" and "take every opportunity", "take advantage" of what is here, but did the people who made up those sayings ever realize some people are on a budget or don't have a car?

How do I find the balance between visiting every nook and cranny and going broke, and sitting at home saving my money and never visiting the amazing site over the next hill?

So, now what?