Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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… ;-)

Friday, April 16, 2010

How far will you go?


Most of you have already heard that we will soon be leaving Alaska to embark on a grand new adventure. On May 18, 2010, we will take volunteer positions with the U.S. Peace Corps, where we intend to commit ourselves to the service of others just as we have in our current and previous occupations.


In the service of others, we enrich ourselves with understanding, compassion, and experience that lasts a lifetime and lives on indefinitely through the lives of those we touch. Countless others throughout history have committed themselves to the greater good, including Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Jane Goodall, Jacques Yves Cousteau, and Martin Luther King Jr. One thing common among all of these figures is that they led not by words, but by actions. And through their actions, they changed the world. We can never hope to even slightly compare to these great men and women of history, nor do we expect to change the world. However, we do hope to give at least a little of ourselves to the greater good of humanity in the hopes of leaving the world, even if infinitesimally, a little better than when we came into it.

The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the U.S. federal government devoted to world peace and friendship. Later, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. The Peace Corps' mission has three simple goals:

· Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
· Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
· Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

In recognition of these goals, with a renewed call to service, and in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, we are proud to accept an invitation to serve in the Peace Corps in Fiji. We feel very fortunate that we have been selected for the South Pacific not only because only 5% of all Peace Corps volunteers are ultimately selected for service in that region, but also because it is difficult to place married couples together in service. The Peace Corps has asked Bubba to continue work in Fiji that is not much different from what he has done in recent years, promoting sustainable fisheries and marine resource protection in a biologically rich environment on which many communities depend. They have asked Michelle, to utilize her own skills in public health, very much an extension of her own work with the American Lung Association. Given this unique opportunity to use our skills to give back to the community in a meaningful way in a region that needs the help, we are very excited about our upcoming Peace Corps service.

We are sure to miss Alaska, but are also looking forward to Fiji and all that it has to offer. Moreover, we hope that our friends and family will visit this blog from time to time to see what we are up to.

Lastly, while our accommodations will likely be very modest, you all have a place to stay should you find yourself with a desire and means to visit Fiji!

Life is calling, how far will you go? - Peace Corps Motto