We’re currently 20,000 feet above Montana. I can smell the deer and antelope from here, despite the altitude difference. Coffee has just been served….which we hope does a better job of keeping us up than the last cups consumed with this morning’s rush through one of the Seatac airport’s popular breakfast spots. We’ve both been dozing throughout the flight after running on last night’s 3 hours of sleep.
Packing finally peaked last night after a rough month. Early on, the accumulation of potential “must takes” piled up fast. It was hard to find a clear floor space to step on in the office that Tom graciously let us use for Peace Corps ‘pre-stage staging’. (we’ve been at Liz and Tom’s over the last few weeks). Backpacks and duffle bags lay in heaps in one corner (changing their contents on a regular basis). Boxes from Amazon, REI, and other stores that might contain reusable packing material cascaded across another. In every square inch of the rest of the room were piles of items, each pile, if stared at closely, could be discerned as belonging in a particular room of a house. This was a weird hybrid….move….pack experience. Packing for twenty-seven months is not packing for a vacation.
To make things a little more difficult, the Nord office is a no-cat zone, and Desmond was not a happy cat…. meow-ing incessantly in his broken, smoky voice while staring through the French door window panes separating him from his human servants (us)…… as we struggled with sorting and deciding on whether to keep or get rid of our dwindling possessions.
This morning, we finally finished packing two 50lb military duffels, two larger hiking backpacks, two smaller carry-on sized backpacks, and one laptop case….all to the breaking point. This is not a good place to be, really. Packed is good, finished is good, but when you are looking at your wrist and it says, “2:30AM”, but you need to be out the door at 5:50, things might have been planned a wee bit better.
Added to this is we can barely carry everything. Here’s some advice for those Peace Corps volunteers coming in March 2015…. Get things done early. Pack. Practice loading. See if it’s what you want to carry. See if it is something you *can* carry.
After the airport shuttle dropped us off at Seattle airport, we rented a cart to get the stuff to the airport ticket counter, where we had a really odd interaction. The counter lady charged us an extra hundred dollars, and almost rerouted our stuff to New Orleans. It’s going to take some time to get our money back, which sucks because they almost overdrew our checking, but at least everyone was nice about the situation and we were too exhausted to kick butt.
One hour, 40 minutes till landing in the Windy City. We’re going to find our hotel and check out the beds. You know, to make sure they work. Looking forward to meeting our new Nepal Peace Corps family tomorrow, people who will experience heaven and hell with us, support us, and keep us sane (relatively speaking) over the next two plus years. We hope they will kinda realize that this out of shape, stressed, exhausted shape we are in…..is not all we’ve got to offer.
And while we are thinking of future family/friends, let us send a thank you to all of our ultra amazing family/friends in our lives right now, who have taken care of us over the last couple months, reminding us of things we should have already done, clearing our cloudy brains when necessary, making sure we eat when we’ve forgotten, sewing things for us, sending things to us, providing support and distraction when needed. You are appreciated. Love all of you.
Tag: packing
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We’ve Loaded 16 Tons
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Carrington Migration Begins
(C) James Hammond, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameshammond/ Last night we packed up Desi, his bed, brush, treats, catnip, etc…and moved him to his new temporary home here in Seattle. I spent last night with Des in his new digs and will spend one more night here while he is adapting. Meanwhile, Stewart has been successfully ensuring Gus and HarLee have parental supervision to keep them from making prank calls and TPing the neighbors.
Gus ‘n HarLee Monday afternoon, Stew and I will cat-herd Gus and Harlee to the car and head south to Oregon, where they will vacation and spa for two years with some lovely ladies. We’ll spend one night with the kids there to help them become accustomed to their new world, before we come back to Seattle for the final push.
By August 1st, this branch of the Carringtons will find themselves depending on the ‘kindness of strangers’……..well….actually the kindness of friends and family. We will essentially be homeless until we arrive in Nepal on September 7th. Wagons Ho!!!!!
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Collective Vees Have a 100 lb. Luggage Limit
(C) https://www.flickr.com/photos/ilker/ I feel so self-absorbed right now. Even more than my last year spent seeing, hearing, talking, living graduate school every second of every day(and that was major self-absorption). Now this sorting, packing, and preparing has me focused on the past me…the current me….the future me…and all of her needs/wants…..me me me. What should I take that I won’t be able to get in Nepal? Is there anything I should buy here that will make my adjustment to a different climate, culture, comfort level….easier? Where will I sleep? How will I sleep? Will I sleep? Etc…etc…etc…The advice I get is very very helpful….sometimes too much so. I still remain confused.
How much clothing should I take? The current volunteers say not to bring too much in the area of clothing….enough to keep you going between wash days. (and laundry is done by hand, so you don’t want too big of a pile of dirty laundry….less clothes…better) But, on the other hand, Nepalis are of smaller stature than an average sized American, so you might not be able to find clothing sizes that fit you….should probably have enough quality clothes that will last the two years. OR…..you could have family and friends send clothes to you…course…it costs an arm and a leg to ship to Nepal. Ah….and make sure your clothing choices are quick dry (as well as towels) The humidity here makes it really hard to dry anything. (At this moment, I’m looking at my plush cozy American towels and shaking my head)
Electronic advice from ‘those who have gone before’: You’ll need your electronics for book reading, picture taking, music listening, and internet access or you’ll go insane. But….don’t bring so much electronic equipment that you look like the typical rich American or you’ll be pestered never endingly about giving things to the natives….wait….you’re going to receive a never ending amount of pestering because you are a rich American anyway….just try to keep your shit hidden. Oh….and all of your electronic stuff will die over here due to climate and unpredictable power surges, so don’t bring expensive stuff…but, do bring quality stuff that will be durable.
And about food: Some of the Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal experience malnutrition issues while in country. Makes sense when you consider “Food Security” is the umbrella we are all working under over there. Lack of technology puts our American ‘eat local’ campaigns in a whole new ballpark, eh? Not much in the way of refrigeration in Nepal. And food is cooked over a fire. (Wood stoves were a recent project worked on by the current Nepal Peace Corps volunteers. Meals are cooked on open camp fires in the houses without cook stoves ….smoky smores, anyone?) So, should I use half of my luggage weight for dried food? Wait….can I dry food over there? Ummm…humidity is really really high, I don’t know what resources they have to dry food….I’m not confident of that. But, seriously, maybe I should be researching food preservation, right?? Or should I take a two year supply of nutritional supplements with me….will two years of nutritional supplements make it through customs? Even the crops that are growing have some major pest issues. A friend of ours serving in Nepal just this morning mentioned that over 200,000 monkeys have moved into his area and are decimating the corn crop. 200,000 monkeys? *shudder*
I think my biggest current concern revolves around how I’m going to deal with the change in hygiene opportunities and what I can take to help me out in that area. I’m a little on the quirky side compared with most Americans in the area of hygiene. To the point of worrying that someone will notice the number of times I wash my hands and shower….and I dunno…turn me into the water conservation police? But, in Nepal, hygiene is not always easily accessible. Water can be limited and bucket showers are a strong possibility. I’m sure bucket showers get people clean, I’ll just have to learn how to do it correctly and….learn to shower with cold water and less often. (bucket showers involve wetting your body down, soaping it up, and pouring water over your body to rinse…. but, what happens if you use all your water for rinsing…and still have soap on you?) In Nepal, I’ve heard, bathing is done while clothed. While clothed? Huh?…..how is that even…? Never mind, I’ll figure it out when I get there. I’ve also been told I should consider leaving the toilet paper at home, cause it would have to be burned in Nepal after use…..and it really isn’t needed. Not needed? Huh?….how is that even…? Never mind, I’ll figure it out when I get there. Should I pack tons of baby wipes and containers of hand sanitizer? Soooo…..yeah….a different world ahead in the hygiene department.
Different world altogether ahead. And to be totally honest, I don’t know which of my numerous “Vee personalities” will show up in Nepal…..trust me….they would all pack differently. And the collective Vees have a 100 lb. luggage limit. All about me me me….
