I've been asked this question a couple of times. And they're right...I can stay here and volunteer. I've done so in the past. And I will do so in the future...just as soon as I get done using your taxpayer money to pay for my 2 year vacation...just kidding :)
But seriously though, I get a bit irritated at this question/comment because, first, it's usually asked by someone who has no volunteer experience at all, domestic or foreign, and therefore has no room to question what I do. And the second reason why this irritates me is because I feel that it's a symptom of that mental disease that's way to common, that desire to isolate ourselves and refusal to view the rest of the world as fellow human beings who desire to be healthy and happy just like us. Even those who actually care about people suffering in other countries sometimes fail to realize that simply sending money is not gonna solve the problem. The problems are deeper than that and way too complicated for the hands-off approach to work. I could go on and on about issues with the "aid" that's given to developing countries, but one of the main reasons I chose to do Peace Corps is because I really wasn't ready to fall into a routine...that daily grind of making bills, going to work to pay off those bills, and trying to enjoy life in between. I wanted to be removed from my comfort zones and everything I've always known and push myself to adjust to, live in, learn from, and love a completely different group of people with a completely different culture. And I also feel like I may be interested in a career in international development, so let's hope that my 2 years in Jamaica go well! If not, I'll come back and figure out how can best serve people here. Either way, any decision I make will be guided by God and in the end, His blessing is the only approval that I need :)
In other news...
I'm ready to share my packing/shopping/wish list! As in I WISH that I could pay for half the stuff I need to buy before I leave. I've been internet shopping for the past couple of days...I don't do the Black Friday thing...didn't feel like being trampled and crushed under a crowd of people running to get the last Nintendo Wii. I managed to find a lot of deals online including a PCV discount with Teva. This list will undoubtedly be modified/reduced before I leave but here is what I'm hoping to bring:
- 3 dresses - netbook and speakers
- 3 skirts - high capacity jump drive
- 5 blouses - digital camera
- 5 casual shirts - surge protector
- 5 pairs of dress pants - ipod & docking station
- 4 pairs of jeans - shortwave radio
- 4 pairs of shorts/capris - batteries
- (?) t-shirts - games (dominoes, cards, etc.)
- 2 bathing suits - many books
- 1 light sweater/jacket - coloring books and crayons
- 1 pair of closed toed dress shoes - pens and pencils
- 1 pair of Teva water sandals - world map
- 2 pairs of flip flops - gifts for host family
- 2 pairs of Teva dressy sandals - pictures from home
- 2 pairs of tennis shoes - sunglasses
- multiple underwears - water-resistant watch
- 4 bras/2 sports bras - umbrella
- 2 slips - plastic water bottle
- socks - 3-M wall hanging products
- pjs/sleeping clothes - roll of duct tape
- combs - swiss army knife
- hair ties and clips - full size sheets
- flat iron - envelopes and stamps
- shampoo and conditioner - flashlight
- hair moisturizer - large rolling duffel bag
- small mirror - smaller duffel
- nail clippers/nail file - backpack
- pack of razors - small messenger bag
- eyeglasses
- contact lenses
- contact lens solution
- feminine hygiene products
- 2 towels/2 washcloths
- soap
- lotion
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- deodorant
Now I realize that this list looks very long, but a lot of the items are small, so I should be able to pack everything, right? If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to chime in.
Thanks for reading! See ya next time!
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hey benita
ReplyDeletesounds like youre pretty excited about coming to jamaica. look forward to meeting you. guess you'll be group 81?
few tips on packing. don't go too crazy with the dress clothes. they make it sound like you need to dress nice everywhere and that simply isnt the case for all but a few volunteers (who work in offices). i'm no where near needing half the dress clothes i brought. plus hand washing distorts the fit of all clothes. also, don't worry about dominoes. you can buy those ANYwhere in jamaica (it's the national past time).
also, not sure how many pro deals you've come across but i think we listed as many as we could on our blog: http://joshnjesse.wordpress.com/to-pack/ hope that helps.
good luck! give us a shout if you have any questions.
Thanks so much for your help Josh. Especially with the clothing, I was a bit confused about what clothes to bring. I'm so glad I still have a few months before I leave so I can make the best packing/purchasing decisions. Yall's blog was really helpful too.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, and I'll let you know if I have any more questions.
P.S. Your photos are so beautiful! I can't take a good picture to save my life, so I'm a little envious. Maybe I can pick photography up as a hobby while I'm in Jamaica...
hey thanks. this 27mo is a great time to learn a LOT of things so definitely give it some thought. you're going to have some serious time on your hands.
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