features: spring 2013
It’ s that magical time of year: when you smell fresh cut grass for the first time, the flowers begin peeking out of their beds with timid hopes of sunshine, and buds on the trees slowly, cautiously, begin to sprout and blossom in the warmth of winter’ s end. It’ s spring, and with all its joys comes the annual season of cleaning. For some volunteers, this spring cleaning will be especially sobering.
“ You can get most everything you’ ll need when you get here. Bring with you the things that they don’ t have here – quality winter clothing, good boots, your favorite shampoo. If you like to cook, bring things like peanut butter, chocolate chips, taco seasoning.”
This was the advice given to me by a MAK14 almost two years ago. I was home, trying to figure out how to arrange everything I would need for two years into two suitcases. At the time it seemed unfathomable – I was heading into the unknown for what felt like a huge portion of my life, and I wanted to be prepared for anything that might happen. I knew I would be a TEFL in a primary school, but didn’ t know which grades I’ d be teaching. Should I bring books? Markers? Crayons? Materials for arts and crafts? It was the unknown that made me question every single item I packed.
Indeed, we were able to get everything we needed here, and a lot of us did. Many of us
even got things that were not needed( MC Hammer pants, anyone?). Now it seems equally unfathomable to box it all up after two years and get back on a plane for the return trip home.
Our service here has been an eternity in the blink of an eye, and again we’ re faced with the daunting task of squeezing a large portion of our lives into two suitcases. The first time we did this, we knew that we’ d be coming back home in 27 months. But this time there is no return date stamped on our future. Some will extend, go to another part of the world, begin a career or start a family. Why does packing to go back home feel so foreign?
There are many ways to get rid of all the excessive stuff we have accumulated during our service. TEFLs can donate any materials they brought for work to their local school, American Corner and / or library. This goes for books and magazines as well.
Incoming PCVs are a great way to increase suitcase
I have learned and gained so m the material things I fretted mean nothing
By Rebecca Reeves, MAK 16
38 – Pauza Magazine