Packing for the Peace Corps
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EnglishVoice Age
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North American (General) North American (US General American - GenAM)Transcript
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interviews, cross cultural experience, essays, college transcripts, letters of recommendation, background checks, immunizations end intensely personal medical examinations. The Peace Corps application process wound up taking 13 months, but now it was official. I was heading to Kenya in September of 2005 to work as a high school science teacher. Sure, we've all heard stories of how challenging Peace Corps life can be, but how many of those stories detail the challenge of packing? How does one pack for 27 months in an African village? While I endeavoured to figure this out, I had a very specific handicap. Peace Corps had size and weight limitations on how much we were allowed to bring the official Peace Corps. Luggage allowance was two checked bags that could not exceed a total of £80 with a maximum weight of £50 for anyone. Bag further, the combined length, width and height of the two bags could not exceed 107 inches. My mind's eye saw a disgruntled Peace Corps official at a computer screen, laughing wickedly as he made up these arbitrary numbers and twisted his greasy handlebar mustache. Com Pounding my packing woes was the fact that I wouldn't know where in Kenya I would be living until I got there and the Peace Corps staff in the country had time to get to know me personally. They would evaluate things such as my skills, personality, adaptability and then decide where I would most effectively serve within Kenya. I hadn't even the hazy ist notion as to what my living conditions might be like. Safe that it was unlikely I'd be acquainted with either running water or electricity. I had to make sure I was packed for any situation in any climate. For two years, the task seemed comically grandiose. I was sure I'd be told that my £80 packing constraint included the materials with which I'd be required to build my own house. I had several months to speculate as to what I might need. I imagined life in Peace Corps would effectively be a two year camping trip. Thus I decided to go to several outdoor clothing and gear stores, explained my predicament and then ask for packing suggestions. I had a particularly memorable experience at one of them at a popular chain. I was looking at multi purpose tools I thought might be useful. Many of them had pliers, scissors, serrated knives, screwdrivers, saws, can openers, wire cutters, all kinds of stainless steel implements of machismo. All seemed to have add ons. Add ins, upgrades or accessories that I thought I'd have running water. I probably could have found a tool with an espresso machine. As I looked at all of these tools, I told the salesman behind the counter I was joining the Peace Corps and that I'd be somewhere in the African bush for two years. I asked if he had any general advice as to what I might bring with me in terms of gear. Now I assumed his answer might revolve around all purpose tools, waterproof matches, solar power, quick, dry clothing or something of the sort. Well, do you know what they say when you assume the salesman launched into a veritable infomercial that was so all encompassing? I almost got the feeling that he'd rehearsed it for this very occasion, although as soon as he started talking, it was abundantly clear that this man had no idea what the Peace Corps waas based on his protracted pitch. My guess was that he recognized on Lee the word core and extrapolated accordingly. Well, he said matter of factly, you're gonna want a good size knife or a machete for self protection. He held a fist to his hip as he said this, presumably implying I should wear the weapon there. I hesitantly have smiled, trying to get a read as to whether or not this man was actually serious. If it was me, he continued, I'd also want, at least in a K 47 a few 1000 rounds for insurgents. Yes, he actually said insurgents. He put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling, furrowing his brow and pursing his lips, seemingly thinking what else? What else? He continued. You should probably get a hand gun or a shotgun for close encounters. Case you're charged by lions or rhinos. As ludicrous as it all was, I couldn't stop him. Once he got going, he rattled off all kinds of weaponry that would have intimidated Rambo. I let him continue for two reasons. First, it was truly amusing, and I couldn't wait to hear what he'd come up with next second. I saw that he was positively sincere and my informing him about the nature of the Peace Corps would only have made him feel like a fool. He was taking considerable time out to think about what I'd need. He was looking out for me. When he reminded himself out loud that I could bring only £80. He conceded that I might consider not buying the bulletproof Kevlar vest he'd just recommended. Well, in the end, I brought neither machete nor shotgun. I decided even to forgo both the A K 47 bulletproof vest. If I meet any insurgents, I thought, I'll just have to hope they wanna learn some high school science. I've now been home since December of 2007 and I think I wound up packing perfectly. Simply bringing clothes, a good pair of boots and an open mind served me quite well.