52 Days: Not hunting, but gathering

Thinking about packing can kill a man! The thought of throwing my life into luggage (never mind the 80 lbs. limit) took its toll. I'm barely sleeping due to my fascination (and spite) for all things wilderness. The bags under my eyes are ridiculous. What do I buy? What do I take from my Madison life? What kind of fashion will I hold onto in a foreign country?! Ultimately, I refuse to clash. No black and brown for this guy. Taking matters into my own hands, I made the first monumental move. I bought a backpack/daypack. I had to do it online (sports shops are too scary to go it alone), but I knew it was a good fit from my Fontana experience. Needless to say, I bought a backpack that is not a frame pack nor a huge massive back-eating monster. I bought a moderate (never conservative! eww) backpack and I will use my mid-sized suitcase. Yes, I challenged myself to fit my life in less (much less) than the 80 lbs. limit. I will succeed. In other shopping news (this shopping isn't as glorious as my NYC trips, but c'est dommage),  I bought shus (also known as shoes). Chacos sandals remind me of Jesus sandals, and that says a lot as I haven't been to church in years. Also, see Teva shoes for some hint of fashion in the great outdoors. Talk about diamond in the rough. I can't wait to continue my shopping excursions, much less the packing bit. On a more intellectual note, I bought the first book to take with me to Uganda. It is about education, go figure. It is by educational philosophers and teachers from Namibia. They discuss democratic teacher reform and issues of identity reformation after colonialism. It is a book I started reading this fall, but I  never finished it. Alas, I will read it and it will be my bible as I go into Uganda. To all my education peers and professionals, if you have any other suggestions for books on teacher education or anything else having to do with teaching, please drop a line anytime. I value your wisdom and would love to know what books influenced your own classrooms and identities.  This is too exciting, I have to go and research shortwave radios to calm me down. 

My new neighbors

Throughout the many years of my existence, my history of neighbors is worthy of a court date. The couple who forgot to close their drapes, the couple who went to bed at 7 PM, and the couple who thought they owned the entire building. Ah yes, those neighbors deserve my spite. However, I gained news of my soon-to-be neighbor today, from the NYTimes. This new neighbor will definitely be an experience, I'm just not sure whether it will be good or bad. I attached the link. . . 

www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/world/africa/13congo.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin

62 days and packing, or at least trying

Now that I know my future home, it is only natural that I begin to think about what I need to bring with me to survive. As most of you know, I do not describe myself using the term "wilderness" in any sense of the word. To remedy this issue, I went in search of wilderness specialists: Fontana. Fontana is a Madison outdoors shop. I like to try and keep it somewhat local, but I'm sure I'll slip as I accumulate my packing list. A man can try. Anyways, walking into Fontana, I had no idea where to start. It definitely showed on my face, as the saleswoman came to assist me only seconds after I entered the door. Describing my upcoming move, she took me around the store for 45 MINUTES showing me what I "need" to make it. *Enter scene: Anxiety. How was I supposed to fit all these things I needed into my 80 pounds limit? I wanted to pack light. Damn. Don't worry, the saleswoman kept going, "And you'll definitely need a solar lantern." I looked for the nearest exit, which happened to be a window, as I was on the third floor. "And this backpack meets airline regulation and has a daypack that zips off! How crazy is that?!" I fail to respond, due to the hefty price tag. I paid this much for a great pair of jeans once, but not for the wretched hue of sea foam green that promotes osteoporosis.  "Come this way, I need to show you the wide array of water filtering water bottles." Wide array? I finally speak up, "I'm sorry, I need to leave. Right now." I was pretty proud. 45 minutes is the longest I ever made it in an outdoors shop. Usually, I find myself in them because I get lost in the mall and react with sprinting out to find Banana Republic. Perhaps my next trip will be better. I hope to make a purchase, at least. Maybe I'll buy that daypack/backpack thingy. 

One more note: I decided to take my computer, as risky as it is. I figure leaving it at home would only make it outdated. Also, this way I can write creatively and maybe do some grant work. However, the day I decided to take my computer, the thing died. After 2 hours at the Apple Store and 5 hours of home computing, it works better than ever, with Leopard. All is well again. 

12/5/07: T-Minus 68 days

And so it begins. . . . 

A long while ago, in a distant land lived . . . me. Except that there was no distant land. I'm a native Madisonian trapped in the city coined as "30 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality." A life defined by lake-isthmus-lake. The towering Capitol to taunt me every day, reminding me that I am still in Madison. However, all that changed recently. After a long (think marathon) process, I gained my invitation into the Peace Corps, with service directly for Uganda. Yes, I'm trading in "30 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" for "The Pearl of Africa." My excitement is of the greatest intensity, and I can't contain myself any longer; thus, I start my Peace Corps blog. 

The Stats:

• Country: Uganda
  
• Date of Departure: February 10, 2008
  
• Job Description: Primary Teacher Training
  

Whatever the reason you find yourself compelled to read my blog, please do speak up. I appreciate dialogue. Anyways, as I find more out about my future commitment to Uganda and its citizens, I'll update. But, for now, I'll think about the necessities of life abroad. What does one need to survive? What is too much? What is not enough? What the hell will I take with me and what will I leave behind?