I'm in Nouakchott, having arrived safe and sound.  It's hot here, but not as hot as it will be later when we get to our training site in the south.  More later, much love.

packing list

People keep asking, so rather than saying, "I don't know, a bunch of stuff," here it is. This was not fun to gather.

Clothes:

5 long skirts

1 pair of jeans

1 pair of gauchos

5 t-shirts (inc. 2 polos)

1 long-sleeved shirt

1 button-down shirt

Flower skirt so I can feel like a girl sometimes

Leggings

Pink exercise pants

Fleece jacket

Warm socks (for sleeping)

2 bandanas

1 safari-looking hat so I look sufficiently dorky

3 sports bras

4 regular bras

Bunches of underwear

Long johns, sized for a large man, because that’s what I am

7 pair socks

Small purse

Jewelry

Shoes

Chacos

Tennis shoes

Flip-flops

Nice-ish closed-toed shoes

Toiletries:

Shampoo

Conditioner

Toothpaste

Face wash

Body pouf

2 bars soap

2 sticks deodorant

Razor refills

Soap holder

1 large bottle hand sanitizer, 3 small refillable bottles

Sunscreen

Bug repellent

Ponytail holders

Headwraps

Birth control pills

Tampons

Tylenol

Tylenol PM

Lotion

All-purpose soap

Pepto-bismol

Lip/face balm

Dental floss

Books:

GRE review book

Knitting for Dummies

Les Miserables

Volunteer Handbook

A Problem From Hell: American and the Age of Genocide

You Can’t Go Home Again

The Bible

War and Peace (when else am I going to read it?)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Amusements:

2 packs playing cards

Karaoke CD

Inflatable globe ball

Knitting needles and yarn

Harmonica & book so I can learn about it and play amazing music

Kitchen:

Small jar peanut butter

Old Bay

Cumin

Powdered drink mix

Spatula

Lifesaver mints

Pepper

Salt

Italian seasoning

Plastic container

Small nonstick pot

Gifts:

Old Bay

Candy (for family and current PCVs)

Doily made by my momma

Stickers

Water bottle holder

Crayons

Jump ropes

Electronics

Jump drive

Ipod

Ipod charger

Camera charger

Voltage adapter

Digital camera

Camera battery charger

Camera USB connecter cable thing

Misc.

Sheets (top and bottom)

Traveler’s towel

Small pillow

Binoculars

Battery-powered fan

Flashlight

40 gallon-sized Ziploc bags

50 quart-sized Ziploc bags

2 Swiss Army knives

Sharpies

AA batteries

Nalgene bottle with backpack attachment thing

Duct tape

Leatherman

Gallon-sized foldable water jug

+40 sleeping bag

Mosquito net tent

Pens

Envelopes

World map

West Africa map

5-subject notebook

Headlamp

3 disposable cameras

Stationary

Passport/money pouch

Cheap sunglasses

VODKA

Tape measure

Folders

Jump rope for me

Various seeds, inc. daisies

2 Masterlocks

Clothes:

5 long skirts

1 pair of jeans

1 pair of gauchos

5 t-shirts (inc. 2 polos)

1 long-sleeved shirt

1 button-down shirt

Flower skirt so I can feel like a girl sometimes

Leggings

Pink exercise pants

Fleece jacket

Warm socks (for sleeping)

2 bandanas

1 safari-looking hat so I look sufficiently dorky

3 sports bras

4 regular bras

Bunches of underwear

Long johns, sized for a large man, because that’s what I am

7 pair socks

Small purse

Jewelry

Shoes

Chacos

Tennis shoes

Flip-flops

Nice-ish closed-toed shoes

Toiletries:

Shampoo

Conditioner

Toothpaste

Face wash

Body pouf

2 bars soap

2 sticks deodorant

Razor refills

Soap holder

1 large bottle hand sanitizer, 3 small refillable bottles

Sunscreen

Bug repellent

Ponytail holders

Headwraps

Birth control pills

Tampons

Tylenol

Tylenol PM

Lotion

All-purpose soap

Pepto-bismol

Lip/face balm

Dental floss

Books:

GRE review book

Knitting for Dummies

Les Miserables

Volunteer Handbook

A Problem From Hell: American and the Age of Genocide

You Can’t Go Home Again

The Bible

War and Peace (when else am I going to read it?)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Amusements:

2 packs playing cards

Karaoke CD

Inflatable globe ball

Knitting needles and yarn

Harmonica & book so I can learn about it and play amazing music

Kitchen:

Small jar peanut butter

Old Bay

Cumin

Powdered drink mix

Spatula

Lifesaver mints

Pepper

Salt

Italian seasoning

Plastic container

Small nonstick pot

Gifts:

Old Bay

Candy (for family and current PCVs)

Doily made by my momma

Stickers

Water bottle holder

Crayons

Jump ropes

Electronics

Jump drive

Ipod

Ipod charger

Camera charger

Voltage adapter

Digital camera

Camera battery charger

Camera USB connecter cable thing

Misc.

Sheets (top and bottom)

Traveler’s towel

Small pillow

Binoculars

Battery-powered fan

Flashlight

40 gallon-sized Ziploc bags

50 quart-sized Ziploc bags

2 Swiss Army knives

Sharpies

AA batteries

Nalgene bottle with backpack attachment thing

Duct tape

Leatherman

Gallon-sized foldable water jug

+40 sleeping bag

Mosquito net tent

Pens

Envelopes

World map

West Africa map

5-subject notebook

Headlamp

3 disposable cameras

Stationary

Passport/money pouch

Cheap sunglasses

VODKA

Tape measure

Folders

Jump rope for me

Various seeds, inc. daisies

2 Masterlocks