Preparing for Take Off

Preparing to leave your home country is more difficult than I realized.  Not only do you have to bring an extra toothbrush or ten but also an extended battery life computer, a solar charger, and a hand crank flashlight.  I have saved all the receipts from the items I have purchased for this adventure and I am considering whether or not I really want to learn the total.  Anytime a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) is eligible to receive a discount on merchandise, it is clearly an indispensable piece of equipment, clothing, or shoes for traversing the African wilderness.  Next there is the endless meandering up and down aisles of stores like Dicks or Target thinking, "maybe I should take a double burner gas camp stove, I will be there for 2 years and that would be awfully convenient to boil rice while sauteing eggplant... and a snake bite kit, wow, it comes with two suction thingies to place over the bites, even multiple bites.  I've heard stories about those green mamba snakes, this might be a good gadget to have on hand..."  I am to the point that I am buying things just to check and see if it will fit in my luggage, might as well.  I have a feeling Darlene will be making some returns next Monday after I depart for my first stop in Philadelphia early Sunday morning.

My mother, expert seamstress, sewed for me some African dresses.  Now I definitely will not be singled out or made fun of on my first day of work.  Most people have assumed that I will wear shorts and a tank top most of the time (100 degree weather is the norm) but that just will not do.  My knees are never allowed to show unless I am competing in some sort of sporting event (unlikely) or in the privacy of my hut, sweet hut.  Also, I am a professional and as such my shoulders and cleavage must also be covered.  As many of you know, my 16 year old brother has been in the hospital with a football injury.  He suffered two lacerations to his kidney which are severe enough to require a laparoscopic surgery and an extended hospital stay.  In order to finish my second dress she is actually going to bring her sewing machine to the hospital and sew right in Aaron's room.  Hopefully he will be home be Thursday and will be able to participate in Saturday night's Last Supper.