80 Pounds?

Here I stand on the metaphorical precipice about to jump off into my new life as a Peace Corps Trainee (the whole “Peace Corps Volunteer” part doesn’t come for 3 more months). Coming along for the ride is a total of 85 pounds of luggage, mostly consisting of toiletries and fun things to make bad days better. Though the Peace Corps says we’re only allowed to bring 80 pounds in total (100 pounds for our friends going to cold climates) but I’m bringing 85 (rebellious, I know). I’m bringing a backpack (15 pounds, that I don’t think they’ll measure), a duffle with only shoulder and hand straps (25 pounds), and a rolling duffle (45 pounds). Together with my (peaceful) army, I’m boarding a plane to DC then off to Senegal 1 day later.

I’m really nothing but excited for what’s to come. I’m sure I’ll start to get nervous as I get closer to the hotel about to meet everyone but I know that the next two years has plenty for me to be nervous about so I’m choosing to take in the pure excitement of it all. When Kennedy was establishing the Peace Corps he stated its purpose as: “to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower” and I can’t wait to do what I can to fulfill that mission. I haven’t done much blogging about the organization itself, but I’ll say quickly, to me, the name implies everything. Tomorrow, I will be joining a large group of people whose job is to go into the world and peacefully exchange ideas. Well, that’s enough philosophizing; I’ll get on with the real meat and bones of this post.

So what do you pack in 85 pounds to hold yourself over for the next 2 years, you ask? I really couldn’t tell you exactly but I’ll try to remember everything:

Clothes:

5 skirts

3 pairs of pants

2 dresses

4 t-shirts

3 tank tops

3 dressier tops

2 long sleeve shirts

1 northface fleece

1 pair of bike shorts, 1 pair of bike gloves

2 pairs of socks (it’s really hot there… I’ll probably never use these)

3 pairs of shoes (1 nice pair of sandals, 1 pair of Teva casual sandals, 1 pair of Teva covered sandals)

2 pairs of pj pants

About a million pairs of underwear and bras

1 rain jacket

Electronics:

1 Netbook (8 hours of battery life thanks Dad for setting it all up)

1 HUGE external harddrive full of movies and tv shows (thanks to everyone who helped)

1 Computer case

1 Computer lock

2 USB Flashdrives

1 Digital Camera

2 Camera Batteries

3 Camera Cards (total slightly over 4 gb’s)

1 Camera Charger

1 IPod

3 sets of earbuds

1 microphone headset (not for computer games… for calling home!)

1 Ipod charger

A Barbie lunchbox that holds all of my electronics

Toiletries (This isn’t as exact because there are a LOT):

52 razors

11 toothbrushes

2 tubes of tooth paste

About 8 sticks of chapstick

5 sticks of deodorant

2 bottles of shampoo

1 bottle of conditioner

Some lotion

Some soap

Some anti-bug bite itch stuff

Some anti-stress spray

Floss

Flintstones Vitamins

Face Wash

3 pairs of glasses

Contacts and Solution (for when I travel)

Probably other things I forgot to mention

Other:

3 albums of pictures of friends and family

3 Notebooks

2 Journals (1 I’m using now and an empty one)

PENS (about 36 of them)

Envelopes

Earplugs

2 alarm clocks

2 head lamps

1 watch

1 pack of sharpies

Some pencils

Scissors

A power converter (everything I have has a transformer)

2 camping towels

1 wash cloth

1 small stuffed sheep from Ireland (thanks parents)

1 small stuffed pug (be on the look-out of photos!)

2 sets of Uno Cards

1 set of regular cards

1 set of Old Maid cards

Batteries!!!! (lots!)

1 nice pillow

2 pillow cases

1 blanket (I hear 70 starts to feel cold after your first year... no joke!)

1 queen sized sheet (I’m small so I figure I’ll wrap myself up like a burrito)

1 spatula

1 can opener

1 knife

Tabasco Sauce

Greek Seasoning

4 Clif Bars

Pilates Cards (lots of time to kill from what I hear)

English to French Dictionary

A ton of Crystal Light and Starbucks Coffee Drink

2 nalgene bottles

Host Family Gifts (key chains of Chicago, photos of Chicago, earings, stickers, ribbon)

Volunteer Gifts (for the volunteer who’s site I visit and for the volunteer who answered all of my questions) Oreos (regular and double stuffed)

I think this is, for the most part, everything I brought. I don’t think I’m forgetting anything major from this list and I hope I didn’t forget anything major from my packing! Everything listed above should make for 2 years of my life… or at least should last me long enough for people to visit or ship me things (probably toiletries if you’re thinking ahead…). With the things on this list as well as a good attitude and (hopefully) a (surprising) knowledge of French, I’m off to join the Peace Corps and do what I can to “help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.”

Best of luck to everyone over the next two years! I’ll update as regularly as I can and please update me whenever you get a chance through email or letter. Talk to you sooner than later! A Bientôt!

KO

T-Minus One Week

With one week to go before I head to DC then off to Senegal, I’m getting my final preparations together. The “farewell tour” ended yesterday when my dad and I got back from L.A. It was really great to see family and, overall, it’s been a great month.

This last week is full lists, packing, reading, and some final mental preparation. I have a master packing list that I’ve been working off of to make sure that I get everything I need before I head out(I’ll post it online once I’ve gotten to the final copy). My mom read a PCV’s blog where she said that she had brought more to her country than her entire host family had. After hearing that, I’ve sort of used that to influence my packing philosophy. I figure I can get things like clothes in Senegal (and I’ve heard I’ll want to get clothes there) and I should fill my bags with things that will make my bad days a little better, things like Flintstone’s Vitamins. The main office sent me a ton of reading material and I have to re-read my invitation packet to make sure I have everything I need to bring with me.

Finally, this entire process inspires a lot of unplanned reflection. So far, it’s pretty much all along the same train of thought: wow. I’m moving to Africa in a week. It really isn’t much of a breakthrough but I’m going! Each time I read more about the training process I’m getting a little more excited and nervous. I learned that there are 51 of us going together in a week!

I have to go so I can get back to sorting my purchases (and watching Shark Week).

A bientôt!