Back from Hawaii!

So, luck me, my Gram decided that because I am leaving for Africa in July that I should come to Hawaii with her for two weeks, and I just got back on Tuesday. It was a really, really great trip. I got to spend some time with Gram, get to test my high heat/humidity endurance (although I'm pretty sure that Benin will be both much hotter and much more humid than Hawaii), and have some R&R. I also got to test my big duffel bag: it works great- but I think I am going to need to take advantage of Osprey's amazing warranty because bringing back Deruas (Tahitian bamboo instruments)for the class I'm working in at the moment put a couple of little holes in it (and I don't want it to fall apart en-route to Benin!).

I am also going to take this opportunity to steal Camille's amazing blogging skills and upload them on Picassa with a link from this blog- coming soon!

A Packing Dry-Run.

So me being me (hyper, pro-active, slightly OCD, REALLY excited about the Peace Corps and Benin!, too much time on my hands) I decided that it would be a good idea to try and pack the things that I already own before I went out and bought more stuff (good plan? right?) and this is how it went. I have included pictures because I wanted to try and put them on my blog (which I haven't done) before I was in a developing nation with dubious Internet. Enjoy.

 
 
&nbs

Picture #1-The Problem
This is all the stuff that is on "The List" that I already own. So roughly about 3/4 of the stuff that I believe I want to take to Benin. ("Do I want to take it? Do I need it? Can I get it there?" Blog is probably coming soon) Everything is laid out (or in the case of the cloths thrown from the closet into a pile) on my double bed. I was dubious about this plan from the beginning... who's plan was this anyway? Oh, wait. It was mine.

Picture #2-The Solution
These are all of the bags that I am taking with me: my "big bag", the Osprey Porter 90- basically a duffel bag with backpack straps; my smaller bag, the Kelty Redwing 2500W which I took around Europe for 2 months; my trusty "large" Timbuk2 messenger bag; and, my guitar case. As far as I can tell these bags will pass all airline, airport and Peace Corps guidelines for luggage and such (the guitar is the only questionable part, and I have researched it enough to put myself at ease).

Picture #3-The Miracle at Summit Place!
That's it! All packed! And there is nothing but my guitar in my guitar case (I plan to pack some cloths around it for added protection) and "wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles" good ol' Tammy (my Timbuk2 bag) is COMPLETELY EMPTY! Not only that, but I didn't really even have to try to pack my other bags, no sitting on them, no straining the zippers, not even the layering of cloths and less squishy stuff to maximize space efficiency! I think packing for two years like this might be a possibility! Even a pleasure and joy! I can't believe my good fortune! I hope that I still think so when I have to pack for real!

The next challenge: Is it too heavy? But I would have to have a scale for that!

Thus ends my pre-Peace Corps musings! Good night!

Happy Easter!

I'm at home, in Port Townsend for the holiday this weekend and I am glad that once again the weather forecasters were wrong once again. It's beautiful outside! The sky just has the wispy remnants of clouds and the sea is its azure deep blue. The wind is cool, but not so cool as to cool the sun's rays overmuch and my soul aches for the beauty of it. My surroundings are perhaps more heightened by the fact that I know I will be leaving soon and that I will long for this glorious panorama. Even more piqued is the fact that I am cherishing every moment that I can spend here with my family. Cooking and singing along to classic rock with my mom while we cook. Talking about old movies with my gram. Teasing my step-brother about everything. In a way I don't ever want to leave, but as I look for the tell-tale signs of spring around me I also know that it is time for me to leave, and in the leaving, change and become a better, stronger person.

It is with this contemplative air that I am approaching this new period of, you guessed it, waiting. I have submitted all of the paperwork that the Peace Corps needs for now, and now I have to wait for my staging packet- which will arrive sometime in late June. Oh well, at least I'm practicing patience!

My Mail Came!

A not so exciting title to a VERY exciting post! You also might have noticed my new blog title! That's right! I'm heading to Benin! (Google it if you need to, I promise I won't judge you, although the map I can make of Africa with my hands is pretty kick-ass) I'll be leaving for Staging (the pre-departure training) on the 21st of July. After 2 days of that (I think in Philadelphia-but I'm not sure) I (and the rest of my group) will leave for Benin together. Once I get to Benin, then I will live with a host family for 2-3 months, practicing my French and probably also learning a new, African, language- awesome! Then from there I will get my actual, two-year assignment, and I will move to my own house (or potentially, mud hut) and start working as a TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teacher at the 7th-9th grade level, to a class of up to 60 kids (scary!). I'm pretty stoked! Yay! I know something! Yay! I have something to do! (even if it is in the form of a ton of paperwork...) Yay! I'm going to Benin... now I just have to call and tell the Peace Corps that!

I'M INVITED!!!!

Yay! I am officially Invited today! I got an e-mail telling me that my Peace Corps profile had been updated and that excellent news was awaiting me. Unfortunately, my profile doesn't tell me WHERE or WHEN I'm going- I now have to wait anxiously for the mail to come- which will be made more difficult by the fact that school is out for Spring Break so I am not working this week. I will probably just end up re-arraigning and power-cleaning my apartment (sometimes the jitters work for good!)

Some Good(ish) News

So today I had a phone interview with the my Peace Corps Africa Placement Officer. I think that the interview went well, and that's the good news. The "ish" news is that I still don't get to find out where (and when) exactly I am going. Because of some Medical Issues (nothing serious), they have to make sure that I can be close enough to get checked regularly and also get my medication; I'm not really sure what this entails, but apparently it takes 2-3 weeks. At this point I hope it ONLY takes 3-4 weeks. In the meantime, I thought I would give everyone an idea of the time line that this has taken (and it will also remind me that 2-3 weeks is NOT a long period of time).

February 2008: Begin On-line Application
April 2008: Submit On-line Application
April 2008: Submit On-line Medical Application
May-August 2008: Compile and Submit Medical Application
(June 2008: Graduation)
October 2008: Peace Corps In-Office Interview
October 2008: Nominated with Medical Hold
January 2009: Submitted Final Transcripts
March 5, 2009: Phone Interview

So that is my complete (up to now) Peace Corps Experience, paper work can be fun...right?

OK, I need some help. I have here a detailed packing list (complied by reading the Official Peace Corps packing list, plus several blogs of Peace Corps Volunteers, plus what I think will be good for me to have). "The List" is split into two sections, the "HAVE NOT" and the "HAVE". Being rather broke (and cheap) and knowing that I have a ton of friends and family out there with full garages and keen eyes, I have decided to post my list and ask for the things that I "HAVE NOT", and all of you would search your homes and your heads and your hearts and give me some of what I need (I say give because I cannot promise to bring it back safely and in one piece), or tell me where I might get a good deal on it, etc. So, here goes:

HAVE NOT

Solar Panel (Sunlique? or Brunton?)

Solar battery charger

Rechargeable batteries

Small (pocket size) shortwave/fm/am radio

Red Cross emergency shortwave radio

Ipod armband

Extra Memory Cards

Skype Phone

Handheld tape recorder (+tapes) or Ipod recorder?

Extra Camera Battery

Gorilla tri-pod

Lantern/Flashlight

Travel vacuum bag for pillow

Sea Pearl Tampons or Diva Cup, reusable pads

Hand Sanitizer

Dr.Bronner’s Magic Soap (Tea Tree and Peppermint)

Prescription Sunglasses

Glasses Repair Kit

Glasses Cleaner

Razor that takes replacement blades, razor blades

Pepto-Bismol Tablets

Sunscreen

XS Timbuk 2 ($60ish-more durable) or le SportSac Deluxe Everyday Bag($40ish-less durable)

Guitar Case (Gig Bag?-can probably carry-on or Hard Case?-would be OK to check)

Seal Line Case/Pouch

Sleeping Bag Liner (silk or cotton)

Bug Hut ($39, REI.com)

Hammock (travel/backpacking- lighter)

Thermarest Pad/Chair thing

Carabineers (2?3?)

Aluminum Water Bottle (have one, want another-with wide Nalgine top, for water filter)

Camel Pouch

Headlamp

Small Wallet (that will fit weird bills)

Letherman (Surge?$53.49, futurepowerpc.com or Wave)

Thermometers (outdoor and medical)

Macabi Skirt (one black, one stone)

Cotton Pants

SPF shirts

Running Shorts

1 piece swimsuit

Chacos? (PCV 50% discount)

Cotton Pants (3 pairs)

SPF sun hat

Cotton Slips

Long and Short Sleeve SPF tops

Buzz Off bandanas

West African Bird Guide

Appropriate Star Charts

National Audubon Society African Wildlife

Compellation of Favorite Songs for Guitar (Make)

US map (one pocket, one wall)

World map (one pocket, one wall)

Parmesan cheese

Koolaide

Uncle Dan’s

Powdered Cheese (like in Mac&Cheese)

Popping Corn (also figure out how to do this)

Taco Seasoning

Instant Oatmeal

Scissors (2-3 for paper/sewing, 1 for haircutting)

US Stamps

3 Moleskin Journals

2 Moleskin Pocket Notebooks

Photo Albums (one personal, one to share)

Plastic Document/File Folders

Solar Calculator

20 Passport Photos

Stickers

Pens

HAVE

Guitar

Playing Guitar for Dummies

Diver’s Towel

Water Purifier

Sleeping Bag

External hard-drive

Ipod (and 3 sets headphones)

Otterbox

Ipod speakers(Sonic Impact iF3)

Analog watch (Solar)

Pack – Osprey Porter 90

SPF hoddies (green and orange)

SPF skirt

North Face Windwall

North Face Shell

SU Sweater

Timbuk2 Large Messenger

US to French Power Adaptors

Bible

6 Tank Tops

PJ pants/shorts

Hiking Boots

Running Shoes

Bandanas

Laundry Bag

Umbrella

Spatula (both kinds)

Non-stick frying pan

Can opener

Sharp Knives (2)

Ziploc Bags

Duct Tape

Pocket Knife

Frisbee

Uno (National Park Edition)

Cards (one red, one blue)

5 Crowns

Glasses (2 pairs) (+cases)

Glasses Cloths

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss

Hairbrushes, Long Tooth Comb

Accordion Folder

Moleskin Planner

Moleskin Address Book

Moleskin French Notebook

Moleskin Pocket Notebook

French Dictionary (Le Petit Robert)

French Grammar Book

Pens, Pencils, Paper Clips, Stapler (+staples), Scotch Tape (the tare kind)

Camera (get it cleaned!!!)

Aluminum Water Bottle

Kelty Redwing Daypack

Spices(comboIndian, Mexican, or Chinese spices and things like lemon pepper, seasoned salts

[e.g., garlic salt], cilantro, dill, and rosemary)

Jane Eyre

The Feminine Mystique

Blank CDs (CD envelopes)

Hand Crank Flashlight

Battery Flashlight

Combination Locks (2)

Sewing Kit (Make)

Index Cards

Postcards, Posters (to decorate)

Deodorant

Ear Plugs

Echinacea

Hand Towel

Washcloth

Lotion

Nail Clippers

Passport Holder

Wire Train Lock

Gram’s “Family” Calendar (it wouldn’t feel like home without it!)

Jeans (2 pairs)

Capri Pants (2 pairs)

Belt

Socks

Underwear

Stationary and Envelopes

Full Size Sheet Set

Potato Peeler

Nesting Tupperware

Sharpies

Pillow (vacuum bag for transport)

Chapstick!

Collapsible Steamer Basket

English Dictionary

Thanks for reading, and if there are any Future PCVs or RPCVs out there tell me what you think!