Preparing to Pack

OK...so I am trying to figure out what to pack. The action that is going on inside my head feels very similar to the way a steel ball bounces around inside a pinball machine! Shorts? Long pants? Tee shirts? Long sleeves? What’s the weather going to be like? Where are we actually going to go? Jacket? Rain jacket? Big suitcase? Small backpack? Did I get more SD cards? Do I have a small can of shaving cream? Will I need antacids? What if the food is terrible? Should I take some granola bars? How much weight is this electricity convertor going to add to my luggage? Will I have room to bring back souvenirs? What if I find a drum? Can I ship things home? WAIT! Do I have enough socks? Will this bottle freeze in the cargo bay? Is this bag small enough to be a carry-on? (and then that little steel ball gets hit by the flippers and it starts bouncing around again, even crazier than before!) Finally, I realize that I haven’t really done anything productive, and I give up once again. This is about the fourth time I’ve been through this routine over the past week.

In about ten days, I leave for Ethiopia with a group of 11 or so others from Shenandoah University. We are one of five teams the university is sending out this year as part of the Global Citizenship Project.  (See the entry explaining the GCP) There are two faculty members, three staff members, one board member, and seven students who make up the Ethiopia team. The GCP program incorporates quite a few pre-travel meetings and gatherings to help prepare each team for the kinds of experiences they may expect, as well as helping each individual understand how the cultures with whom they may interact may perceive them with regard to behaviors, dress, etc. We have also had a chance to get to know each other just a little better, and will hopefully find traveling together just a bit easier as a result. In my experience, traveling with a group can be a lesson in tolerance, even among the best of friends!

So.....back to the whole packing thing. Maybe I should start a list! That’s it....I’ll make a list! Let’s see.....I’ll take those two pairs of convertible pants with the legs that zip off to make shorts. Oh, and that lightweight waterproof red jacket. Wait, is that going to warm enough? What if it’s colder in the higher elevations? Is this bag with the wheels going to hold everything? How will I know until I figure out what I’m taking? Will they have toilet paper over there? Do I have a first aid kit? Will I be able to..........??????????????