Wednesday, September 23, 2009

10 Necessities to Survive Outreach (Panama/Costa Rica/South Africa)

1. iPod or MP3 player – it passes the time and provides a little space when people are driving you crazy
2. Mosquito Net and Spray – need I say more?
3. Anti-Itch Cream when the net and spray don’t work. It also helps for the bugs that you don’t feel biting, like fleas!
4. Inflatable Bed, unless you like getting extra close and personal with all those bugs!
5. Travel Blanket & Pillow – it’s COLD on those air-conditioned 18-hour bus rides to Costa Rica after dealing with Panama’s humidity.
6. Toilet Paper and if you decide to leave that behind, bring Change because you’ll be paying to pee.
7. Hand Sanitizer and/or Baby Wipes are also an important addition, especially combined with #5.
8. Quick-Dry Towel is very helpful when on the move as many times as we were.
9. Flashlight for many reasons: roommates go to bed early & you don’t want to trip over them; the sun sets pretty early & it’s hard to find your way back to your hut; outhouses usually don’t have light sources. . .
10. Fleece jacket – when you arrive during South Africa’s winter after coming from Central America’s summer and they tell you that it’s cold – IT’S COLD and your body needs to adjust to NOT sweating profusely 24-7!

Pack everything in Ziploc bags (forget the cheap knock-offs) and if possible, leave your sense of smell behind (or just don’t have one, like me!).

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ESSE QUAM VIDERI - to be, rather than to appear
"Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God."
~Robert W. Pierce