Expiration Dates

I remember in Undergrad putting off studying and postponing the reality of final exams and the inevitable ending of the semester.  Then it would hit me.  I would be grocery shopping at Kroger on College Station Road and the expiration date on the milk would be that same date as one of my finals.  Suddenly and sharply the end would feel real, near.

What was once on the horizon was now staring me directly in the face.

A recent Peace Corps Volunteer who was at his Close of Service (COS) eloquently said “I can’t say it will get easier, but I can promise that it will eventually end.” 

Those words have stayed with me.  They have encouraged me.   

It happened after leading a library workshop with a fellow Volunteer.  The celebratory juice packet had an expiration date of September 2015.  All of a sudden it seemed real to me. 

One day my service will end.

I won’t have to eat rice everyday.  I won’t have to endure 115F+ temperatures.  I won’t have to go weeks without talking to my family.  I won’t have to feel inadequate.  I won’t have to hear little children or old people refer rudely to me as an outsider.  I won’t have to take a whole day just to travel 100 miles.  

Today marks eleven months in The Gambia.  Only one month until our one-year in country anniversary.

Today I am thankful for expiration dates.    

Better start packing!!

Moving across the world to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer for twenty-sevenish months? 

  Choose wisely what stays & what goes!

Here is what has helped me during my service in The Gambia, West Africa.

MQD’s Essential Ten:

FOOD {Gatorade mix, Clif Bars, granola bars, Tootsie Rolls/M&M’s (all other chocolate melts), Skittles, Star Burst, gum, dried fruit, Cheezits/Goldfish, dehydrated soup mixes, beef jerky, packets of tuna/chicken, nuts/seeds…If you pack nothing else, pack food. Seriously.}  

Lap Top* {YES! Bring it…Those who did are thankful and those who didn’t wish that they did. You’ll have lots of typing and reporting to do plus watching a movie every now and then is such a treat. Bringing an extra battery and speakers is also a good idea.}

External Hardrive {“Hello! What’s your name? Where are you from? Can I have all of your data?” is a typical first conversation when new & old Peace Corps Volunteers meet. Please bring us up to the times and download all the latest music, movies, and tv shows that you can fit!}

Solar Charger {My Solio didn’t last long but my Solar Monkey works miracles.}

School Supplies {rubber cement, flash drives, binder clips, Sharpies, page protectors, crayons, accordion folders, tape (packing, duct, scotch, etc.), push pins/thumb tacks, scissors, various sizes of Ziploc bags and bubble mailers}

Umbrella/Rain Jacket {You’ll be arriving with the rains!! Don’t worry about rain boots as flip flops work way better. The umbrella also provides shade during the dry season. The wind gets fierce so buy a strong one!}

Nalgene Water Bottles {Gotta stay hydrated! I brought three with me.}

Fabric {Your Alma Mater, favorite sports team, cartoon character, animal...get creative! It’s a fun way to blend cultures as many Gambians have clothes handmade by tailors. Two meters/yards work well for pants, a wrap skirt, or a shirt.}

Plastic Containers {Various sizes, useful when packing and protecting your things}

Something that feels like home {Maybe it’s a special coffee mug you use every morning, a poster that’s been hung everywhere you’ve lived, pictures of family/friends, magnets, board games, a musical instrument, or a stuffed animal even! If it makes you think of home bring it.  You’ll be turning your hut into your home and these little items help a whole lot.}  

Don’t waste your packing space with clothes {you’ll outgrow them one way or the other}, extra toiletries {yes~ toilet paper, swabs, American brands of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc. are available for purchase here}, or extra medical supplies {the Peace Corps Medical Kit is quite extensive}.

Happy Packing! See y’all soonsoon :-]  

And don't worry, somehow it will all magically fit into two suitcases...

 

*I primarily use my iPhone for browsing the Internet while in village, taking pictures, and making international phone calls {I make local phone calls with my Peace Corps issued cell phone}.

Happy Mother's Day!!

 Happy Mother’s Day, Momma! 
Thank you for training me up in the way in which to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and a blessing to others.

Enjoy your “bouquet”~ I love you!

Finding little notes of Scripture, prayers, and encouragement in the most peculiar places

Listening to the chorus of “this must be your daughter” “y’all are twins” “you have the same smile” whenever I visit you at work 

Observing how you love others well, unconditionally, joyfully, and eagerly

Wasting nothing~bread bags crotched into beach bags to taking the time at traffic lights to reach over and pat my leg while telling me how much you love me

Eating together at our favorite special places Zaxby’s, The Grit, and R. Thomas

Reading to me all my life and opening the world to me through literature

Servants heart~ always ready and willing to lend a helping hand even if it means being the first one to arrive and the last one to leave

It's been fun introducing Mother's Day to my Gambian family & friends as well~