The packing experience for the Peace Corps introduces a whole new level of frugality for Michelle and I. Keep in mind that we generally don’t have a lot of “stuff.” We live well beneath our means and because we live in a 490 square foot condo we have no choice but to limit what we accumulate. Fortunately, we own everything outright and will be renting our condo fully furnished when we leave, allowing for minimal storage of toys and winter clothes in our garage. However, packing away our household is a story all to itself, so in this entry I will just focus on the stuff we actually plan on taking to Fiji.

For good reason, the Peace Corps deliberately restricts the amount of stuff you can bring with you. We each have 80 pounds total that we may bring with us and of that 80 pounds only one bag may be 50 pounds. The idea is that you bring enough clothing and absolute necessities to last you for 2 years. If you think that’s easy, well, think again. Imagine if you had to pick 80 pounds worth of things that would constitute all your worldly possessions for the next 2 years. Most of us would have a hard time just narrowing that down to the most important ton, much less the most important pounds.

Luckily, thanks to that wonderful series of tubes called the interweb, we were able to get some advice from current and former Fiji Peace Corps volunteers. Of course, there are things that some think important that others consider frivolous. For some, a surfboard is a critical item, for others a coffee press is an absolute necessity. For me, those who know me know I wouldn’t go anywhere without some fishing gear. I can openly admit that sorting through my “important” fishing gear required some serious triage on my part (I stand by my conviction that it is still a hobby and not an addiction!), but I managed to get it down to about 5 pounds of tackle and 5 pounds of rods and reels. This was no easy task, but I’d as soon leave behind all my underwear before I’d leave behind my fishing gear. Furthermore, as divers, we were told by several folks in Fiji that they regretted not bringing their own dive gear. That means for us that one bag and 50 pounds instantly became fully allocated.

Even clothing decisions become complicated. You would think that oppressive heat akin to being permanently trapped in a sauna and humidity that suggests you might chew the air before inhaling would easily dictate your clothing choice…like going buck naked. Unfortunately, letting it all hang out is simply not an option and, besides, for guys as white as me there are certain parts you just don’t want getting sunburned. Lucky for us (and for the people of Fiji) it turns out that there are moral standards in Fiji just like anywhere else and they require covering your goods. And there is even a certain standard of dress for both men and women to ensure that the appropriate modicum of professionalism is maintained. This means skirts for women…and for men, too… Nobody has given me a straight answer yet on what you actually wear (or don’t wear) under your skirt, known as a “sulu,” but it brings to mind the image of Mel Gibson with blue paint on his face screaming “Freeeeedommmm!” in his role as William Wallace in Braveheart. In any event, this has clearly influenced my thought process regarding clothing to bring…or not to bring.




Before I go any further I have to exclaim that I love my wife dearly. She is the most compassionate, considerate, and loving woman that I have ever known. I can’t imagine embarking on this adventure in the Peace Corps with anyone but her. However, in travelling over the last 4 years to different places around the globe, I’ve learned a lot about Michelle and her packing habits. Now, I have to admit, there have been times where I have appreciated things that she has brought along against my recommendation, such as pillows, hammocks, etc. However, we’ve also given complete tours of foreign countries to other items that we’re never even removed from our bags.

Two weeks ago, we started to pack. So dive gear was set aside, at exactly 50 pounds, and we each went about sorting through our clothing and other sundries to set things aside for our trip. It took me about 2 hours to sort and set aside all my clothing, which came to about 20 pounds. This would’ve been less except that Michelle kept adding to the pile faster than I could remove insisting that I had to bring certain shirts that she likes on me. As I suggested earlier, men are much less discerning of what they wear and naked is a viable option if allowed. All of this (with the exception of my 3 rod tubes and a collapsible Hawaiian sling) fit well within the same sea bag I used during my 6 years in the Navy. This left me the 10 pounds I needed for all the fishing gear I intended to bring. Done and done, right? Then I looked into the corner where Michelle had been accumulating things…

Now, it’s hard for me to describe the size of the pile without the appropriate image, but she has strictly forbidden me from taking a picture and posting it here. And to be fair, most of what she has set aside might actually be used at some point during our time in Fiji. But less than 80 pounds? Not even close…

Thus, since she’s forbidden me from posting the picture and I’d really like to tell the story, I’ll let Mel Brooks describe it for me in the accompanying video…



OK, ok, it’s actually not that bad. She’s not bringing a hair dryer or a suitcase of Mary Kay cosmetics. But there is a pile of travel books, about 4 pounds of empty ziplock bags, 17 pounds of toiletries, a bowling ball, and a rubber chicken…ok, so there’s not a rubber chicken…or a bowling ball…but there is 17 pounds of contact solution, shampoo, conditioner, and facial cleanser. To say the least, we have less than 3 weeks to defy the laws of physics and figure out how to pack 200 pounds down to a manageable 80. It’s gonna be painful, but I know she can do it… ;-)