Sunday 26 June 2011

Nail Polish

When packing, when editing one's life down into 32kg to be carried in two large suitcases some things fall into an odd category. Clearly clothes, hairbrushes, toothbrushes and the like are the necessaries. But then what else? Your laptop, your diary, a few photos perhaps. But then there are all those other odds and ends that you accumulate, don't merit want to store for two years but seem unnecessary to take. Notepads? Pore unblocking strips for your nose? Handcream? Nail polish? Nail polish seems a particularly difficult one to me.

I have quite a large collection of nail polishes in a delightful range of colours which I occasionally go back to and rather like. It seems silly to store them and foolish to take. I can't think of anything I would like less to spill  in my luggage. And anything liquidy and glassy is both heavy to carry.

All that said I think I'll take it. Not all of it. But I've been buying up copies of Glamour to increase my Nails Inc collection for ages now and they retail at about £10 each. Leave me to my torment!

The nerves of course continue. But if there weren't a bit of fear and 'oh shit what on earth am I doing' before I went I think I would be less well prepared for the culture shock when I get there.

I was asking the advice of someone who had lived in Singapore for several years and loved it. I was expecting things in the line of 'remember to pack this' and 'that's a great place to live'. Instead, he said, "read up on culture shock. It  helps at least if you know what the stages are so you can recognise them as you go through them."

Wikkipedia tells me that I will start out with a 'honeymoon phase' where it's all new and exciting. Then " Like most honeymoon periods, this stage eventually ends".  This is followed by the negotiation stage about three months in which apparently I may feel anxious, frustrated and angry and make embarrassing social faux pas! (Well that  happens already in the city I was born).

At 6-12 months I will reach the adjustment phase complete with problem solving skills and less negative feelings towards this new culture. Finally comes the mastery phase where you have completely adjusted though apparently I will keep traits from my previous culture including my accent and no doubt for me a love of tea and radio 4.



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