Packing for China

When I was packing for China, I was still in the mindset of living in Burkina Faso where there was no electricity or running water. I packed two headlamps for goodness sake and packed too many African clothes. In retrospect, if I had to pack again, what top 10 things would I bring? Well, knowing that after training before boarding a crowded train, PC could possibly weigh me down with a ton of teaching books, a water distiller, an air filter, a mood light, a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector, I would try to pack all of my USA stuff into one or two carry-on sized pieces of luggage.

Top 10 Items I would Pack

1. Music player of some sort and a digital camera
2. Knitting book to teach myself how to knit, set of crochet hooks (hard to find crochet hooks in China), set of large sized DPNs and in the round knitting needles. Chinese women like to knit with DPNs size 0.
3. Favorite sheet music for the piano
4. 1-2 favorite books that I can read over and over again, plus a journal and a few good pens
   
5. Money belt
6. Clothes I don't mind leaving behind and clothes or patterns that I would love to have copied by inexpensive tailors
7. A warm jacket and long underwear
8. 1 pair of comfortable dress shoes that can be used for all occasions, hot weather and cold weather
9. 1 pair of comfortable sandals that can be used for all occasions
10. 1 pair of good running shoes

Advice: What do you enjoy doing in life? Pack that.

I do not enjoy shopping but do know that I can buy almost anything I need in China. Good batteries are expensive and hard to find. I don't like shopping for clothes, so I would pack clothes. If you are bigger than the average Chinese person, then clothes and shoes are probably quite important.

School starts Monday, but not really

On Monday I will teach my first class of the semester. It is an 8 am listening and speaking class of sophomore non-majors. After that, I will be back to knitting for a week plus lesson planning for the next week. I have four Freshmen listening classes that start one week late and then in October they will have two weeks of military training. I might not see them at all in October since there are rumors of a week long holiday.

I have started knitting knee high socks, a pattern out of the book stitch'n Bitch The Knitter's Handbook.

Some of the most important items to pack for a Peace Corps tour are things to do. Even if they are heavy and if you really believe you will use it, pack it. I packed a heavy knitting book. It has been my first knitting teacher and has provided months of entertainment as I slowly knit up the many projects.

In Africa, I brought boxes of oil pastels and large coarse paper. My walls in Africa become covered with abstract blobs of smeared color.


Peace Corps packing tip: Pack items that will give you something to do for the many hours of free time.

Packing for West Africa: Guinea

Things I should have brought

1. Fast drying, non-wrinkly blouses.
Cotton is cool; however it takes forever to dry.
2. Volleyball
3. My red sandals
4. My messenger bag
5. More conservative workout clothes and
tank tops that don't stretch when you hand wash them.

Things I should have left at home

1. Closed toe shoes
2. Pajamas, Sarongs work great.

Packing for Guinea

I am numb about the Peace Corps invitation to Guinea, Africa. I am neither excited nor depressed about it. I am indifferent. The application process is a long one kind of like earning a PhD where your final defense is a bit anti-climatic.

I have led a simplistic, anti-materialistic life or so I believe. I do not feel stressed about the thought of how the hell am I going to fit all of my stuff into two bags. That is actually pretty simple. Clothes as they should be will take up the least space. The bigger questions are what comforts of home do I need to pack and what hobbies do I need to bring to occupy my free time?

For the past 7 months, I have been an unemployed nomad so I pretty much know what things are important to me: a pillow, writing and art materials, rubber bands and hair clips, craft materials like hooks, needles, and yarn, books and music. Yet these simple things exist in a place where I can buy anything else I want. I wonder what things will I miss in my new new home. What things do I take for granted? What do I need to pack?