We’re off!

And we’re off! It still hasn’t sunk in completely. With visas to Iran and India, a Eurorail pass for 2, and of course our multiple passports in hand, we have finally left the US and are sitting on our third airplane of the day…first from the Bay Area (Oakland) to LAX, then LAX to Dallas/Fort Worth, and finally from Dallas/Fort Worth to Mexico City.

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Our life under a tarp

After three grueling days of selling, packing, and moving … we have finally gotten rid of almost everything … and have put over 80% of our belongings under a tarp. It’s funny to think that all we own, our “life” fits in a 20′ by 16′ tarp.

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Sexism

After talking with the Iranian consulate, I realize how frustrating sexism can be and the differences between men and women. If I were an Iranian man marrying a foreign woman, then she could be placed in my passport or receive her own Iranian passport. However, because I’m an Iranian woman marrying a foreign man, he still needs a visa to enter Iran.

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Itinerary finalized!

After much deliberation and hours on the phone with American Airlines, the basic flight itinerary is final! We leave to LA on Aug 30, 2011. A little over a month to sell all our furniture, pack the belongings we want to keep, and turn in our apartment keys on July 17th. The final itinerary is:::::

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Terminated

Terminated. That word doesn’t settle well with me. Why did the lady in the Graduate Medical Education Office tell me I was terminated and needed to turn in my badge and pager? I thought it’s just a one-year leave of absence. The department chair Dr. Galli and residency director Dr. Connolly gave me permission. In fact, I approached them nearly a year earlier to ask about the possibility of taking a year off.

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How are we doing the RTWT

Many friends have asked how we’re going to be able to travel around, why we’re doing it, how much it will cost, etc. I recently found a Q&A at BootsNAll and thought it was perfect to start the conversation.

When do you leave?
July/August 2011

How long do you plan to be away?
10 months

How much have you saved?
$25k – $30k (a budget for $2,500/month)

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Buying a Round the World Ticket

This past weekend I was sick and took advantage of a lazy Saturday to spend some energy in figuring out our itinerary for our Round the World Trip (RTWT). To make a long story short … we were unsuccessful.

First of, for those of you that do not know, happy gal and I will be traveling using our AA miles. American Airlines is part of One World – an alliance between airlines around the world including Iberia, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, British Airways, etc. As an AAdvantage member, we can use our miles to book something similar to the One World Explorer ticket. It’s basically a ticket for a round the world trip with various rules and regulations:

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