I practically played a game of Tetris trying to cram numerous items into my bags that I surely won’t even touch over the next couple of years. Endless amounts of tupperware, a bug zapper racket, a dozen packets of Ranch dressing, and a host of chef knives and kitchen gadgets. I may be as far from a minimalist as you can get.
I am typically the girl who has just about anything and everything you could ever need or want in her purse, backpack, or whatever container I’m toting around. It was unlikely that this was going to suddenly change as I packed for service.
Current volunteers in country (MM4) told us that most of the things we would need could easily be purchased in country, so leaving space for the things we cherished most was a smart move. With this advice in hand I, of course, packed almost an entire bag full of my favorite American snacks, seasonings, and other various consumables I knew I’d miss over the next two years. I think I packed enough Taco Casa sauce packets to last me a decade to be honest.
I carefully packed my favorite cozy Texas Lions Camp tee, my comfiest yoga pants, and photos of family and friends. I tucked a jar of peanut butter into my cowboy boots (someone has to teach the proper way to Texas two-step), and I stashed my favorite bath and beauty products in any empty space I could find. None of these things are necessary, not in the least, but they make me smile. And maybe, just maybe, on a day that is particularly hard, these simple treasures may make it a little bit easier to swallow.
Among the basic essentials, such as plain colored tees, a business casual outfit, a swimsuit and a pair of jeans, a bazillion pairs of sandals, and a nice pack of fresh unopened underwear, I placed a set of soft cotton sheets, solar lanterns, a headlamp, a small non-stick cooking pan, and my laptop. There are also the puzzles, coloring books, markers, crayons, pencils, pens, and countless stickers to share with the children I would see in my community every day. You can’t forget UNO, a staple of Peace Corps service.
To my shock, I was able to fit this surplus of nonsense in my luggage while managing to stay under the weight limit. Of course, this only encouraged me to envision what other goodies I could sneak into my bags before tipping the scale.
I still have 3 weeks until I leave for staging; however, being the overly ambitious planner that I am, I absolutely already have my luggage neatly packed and ready for its next destination. Staging will take place in Washington, DC on January 18th. As each day crawls by, the lump in my throat grows bigger, but so does the excitement. There is a bit of a mantra I keep telling myself, thanks to the words of another MM5 invitee, “no expectations”. So as I prepare for service, I embrace the uncertainty, no concrete expectations in mind. 21 days. I cannot wait.
Atlas Hands by Benjamin Francis Leftwich
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