I'm in Panic mode here - In a few hours, I leave for Piedras Negras, Honduras! I'm going with the program Sustainable Harvest International to help plant gardens and build ovens, while staying with a host family in the community. I'm absolutely thrilled to be going on this trip with a group from Hancock UCC, and I've been looking forward to it for weeks!
That said, I have not been packing for weeks. I'm not finished packing yet and I leave in less than 5 hours! Everything is in dry bags and ziploc bags, and, for the most part, organized. The dryer should be finished running by now, so I can pack my clothes. Then I'll just photocopy my passport, blow dry my hair, and hop in bed for a few hours, only to hop out and be on my way! (Thanks, mom, for the ride tomorrow morning at 5:15am!) Wish me luck! Hasta leugo!
22 February 2010
03 February 2010
Reality Check
Holy smokes, it’s February! I’m literally 3-4 months away from going to Africa!
I haven’t written in awhile because the real cohesive posts I’ve got in mind have to do with gadgets and cool stuff that will be great for me in Africa, and might be great for you too! But it’s not about “stuff”. I’ve been trying to simplify my life, to boil down my possessions to the absolute essentials... and in doing that I’ve become much greener, and much more organized. That’s what the posts on gadgets are meant to be about.
Anyway, rather than a cohesive post on gadgets, I’d like to give you a taste of the random thoughts passing through my mind.
Every time I reach to turn off the shower, I think of how I won’t be able to have a hot shower for 27 months. Then I usually enjoy the luxurious stream of hot water and steam for another few minutes, or so... I’m so bad, but it’s true! Cold bucket showers definitely on the sacrifice side of my positives and negatives chart for doing the Peace Corps.
There are going to be some things that’ll be hard to miss when I’m gone for 27 months. My sister Jess’s college graduation from RPI this year, my brother Chris’s graduation from High School next year. My mom is finishing up her Doctor of Physical Therapy as well, and I’ll miss that celebration. Since moving back home with Mom, Dad, and Chris, I’ve grown closer to them again which has been really great. I’ve gotten to know Chris as a teenager rather than the 5th grader he was when I set off for college years ago.
I was reading through some random blogs from other peace corps volunteers, about what they packed, and what they should’ve packed / didn’t actually need, etc. And two main things about the posts really struck me. 1.) People in most countries in the world don’t really care what your hair looks like. In the US, we spend hours on our hair, even if we don’t straighten or curl it, or gel it, etc. Even if you simply buy shampoo, wash your hair, and get a haircut once every 3 months, that’s still quite a bit of effort and money. 2.) Some volunteers didn’t use their razors or shaving cream that they brought because of concerns with bacteria and other microorganisms in the water. A lot of times I forget that girls even have hair certain places. Shaving is such a part of my shower routine that I don’t even really think about it. We’ll see. I’m packing my razor and J.R. Liggett’s as shave cream anyway, even if I might not be using it. That said, I can’t help but get the feeling I’m going to be a different person when I get back from Africa than I am right now, in more ways than one... Watch out, boys! =)
I wonder how much it costs to mail a package full of Luna bars and Clif bars to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Should I bring waterproof sneakers or running sneakers? What about a tent? Will my automatic digital camera be alright, or should I try to bring a fancier (SLR?) camera?
I’m aiming for 55 lbs of luggage to bring with me to Africa. How far off am I going to be when I finally pack everything up and try to carry it? I don’t weigh much more than twice that...
I need to get out there and do some hiking to practice carrying a pack. I’ve got one trip lined up so far, with a few more in the works.
I haven’t written in awhile because the real cohesive posts I’ve got in mind have to do with gadgets and cool stuff that will be great for me in Africa, and might be great for you too! But it’s not about “stuff”. I’ve been trying to simplify my life, to boil down my possessions to the absolute essentials... and in doing that I’ve become much greener, and much more organized. That’s what the posts on gadgets are meant to be about.
Anyway, rather than a cohesive post on gadgets, I’d like to give you a taste of the random thoughts passing through my mind.
Every time I reach to turn off the shower, I think of how I won’t be able to have a hot shower for 27 months. Then I usually enjoy the luxurious stream of hot water and steam for another few minutes, or so... I’m so bad, but it’s true! Cold bucket showers definitely on the sacrifice side of my positives and negatives chart for doing the Peace Corps.
There are going to be some things that’ll be hard to miss when I’m gone for 27 months. My sister Jess’s college graduation from RPI this year, my brother Chris’s graduation from High School next year. My mom is finishing up her Doctor of Physical Therapy as well, and I’ll miss that celebration. Since moving back home with Mom, Dad, and Chris, I’ve grown closer to them again which has been really great. I’ve gotten to know Chris as a teenager rather than the 5th grader he was when I set off for college years ago.
I was reading through some random blogs from other peace corps volunteers, about what they packed, and what they should’ve packed / didn’t actually need, etc. And two main things about the posts really struck me. 1.) People in most countries in the world don’t really care what your hair looks like. In the US, we spend hours on our hair, even if we don’t straighten or curl it, or gel it, etc. Even if you simply buy shampoo, wash your hair, and get a haircut once every 3 months, that’s still quite a bit of effort and money. 2.) Some volunteers didn’t use their razors or shaving cream that they brought because of concerns with bacteria and other microorganisms in the water. A lot of times I forget that girls even have hair certain places. Shaving is such a part of my shower routine that I don’t even really think about it. We’ll see. I’m packing my razor and J.R. Liggett’s as shave cream anyway, even if I might not be using it. That said, I can’t help but get the feeling I’m going to be a different person when I get back from Africa than I am right now, in more ways than one... Watch out, boys! =)
I wonder how much it costs to mail a package full of Luna bars and Clif bars to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Should I bring waterproof sneakers or running sneakers? What about a tent? Will my automatic digital camera be alright, or should I try to bring a fancier (SLR?) camera?
I’m aiming for 55 lbs of luggage to bring with me to Africa. How far off am I going to be when I finally pack everything up and try to carry it? I don’t weigh much more than twice that...
I need to get out there and do some hiking to practice carrying a pack. I’ve got one trip lined up so far, with a few more in the works.
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