A Leatherman, Goal Zero solar charger, Gorilla Tape, and a Black Diamond headlamp. I never thought those would be the important items in my suitcase, but apparently so. Peace Corps packing is quite different from  vacation packing.

I have no idea what I truly need in Lesotho for the Peace Corps, but I’m following the advice of other (PCVs) Peace Corps Volunteers.

I packed my solar panel, “Goal Zero” for charging my cell phone, as we shall not have electricity. I’m not sure how to use it, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. What about my “LuminAid” solar light, to read in my hut at night.

I also purchased a “Leatherman, Wingman” as I shall need pliers, a screwdriver, bottle opener (crucial) a wire stripper (maybe) and more.

The “Black Diamond” Spot Storm headlamp will help me find the outdoor toilet in the middle of the night, and gorilla tape, to block the icy cold air from gaps in the windows when it snows in the winter, and I’m tucked inside my sleeping bag with layers of clothing.

Half my suitcase is filled with exercise equipment, like the TRX, and exercise ball and bands that I’ve been training with at my gym; my school supplies, my hair coloring products (yes, I’m bringing that with me,) and my face creams and sunblock.

We have to dress professionally, which means no jeans,  T-shirts, shorts, or dresses above the knee. I have no idea how to wash my “professional” clothes in very little water, especially cold water, but that is part of our training, and adapting to a new lifestyle.

My suitcases (yes, we’re allowed two,up to 50 lbs each) are already full,and I still have all the other stuff like my sleeping bag, winter clothes, layering, hiking boots etc.

One solution is to have my winter clothes shipped later on, as it will be spring when we arrive in October, and summer in December.

Here is my address in Lesotho, if you’d like to send me a letter, or a surprise. I like surprises!

I leave on Sunday, October 4th for Philadelphia, for “staging,” and our group (30 PCVs- Peace Corps Volunteers) leave on Tuesday for Johannesburg, and then a 6-hour bus ride to Lesotho. I hope to have Internet after the first week, as I’m getting a SIM card in Lesotho, so please e-mail me and keep in touch.

I shall need your support.

Thank you to all my friends.

Sonia.

I’m having a lifetime experience crammed into two weeks, on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand, working as a volunteer teacher in a local public elementary school.

From now on, I’ve decided to take volunteer vacations rather than regular vacations, as a way to immerse myself in a new culture, meet interesting people from different continents, and remain “young” in spirit.

I share a house with six volunteers. There are 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms and fortunately, I’ve managed to tag the downstairs shower as my own. There is only cold water, and a handle that keeps falling off, but who cares; I’m used to both now.

My Czech friend, Veronika, and I were initially shocked by the lack of hot water in the shower, and now we accept it,  as the weather is so damn hot and humid in Thailand.

What I love about my experience, is the interaction with people from Australia, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Hungary, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. English is our common language, and the more time I spend with others, the more I realize we are all the same.

Arm, our local Thai advisor, picks us up on in the Bamboo jeep on the main road each morning at 7:30 a.m. We stop at 7/11 for water bottles, and we discovered a French Cafe across the street with chocolate croissants and strong coffee. I enjoy speaking French with the local expat community. We have a routine on our way to the Boh Phut elementary school.

When we arrive at the school, the students are impeccably dressed in school uniform, saying their early morning prayers, while facing Buddha. We  wait for them to finish, then head over to our first class. We teach Kindergarten to fifth grade. One of us is the main teacher, and the other volunteers assist, since most of our classes have 40 students.

At first we were shocked by how the kids are, and how we have to “shout” and make them repeat everything, mainly by shouting louder and louder each time.  I was not comfortable with this, but then I realized this is the way the student are taught.

The kids like repetition and copying from the board. I realize that each country has their own way of teaching students, and next week I shall be in a U.S. Kindergarten volunteering with an American teacher, so that will be completely different, and interesting to analyze.

I wonder what it will be like to teach in Lesotho, when I join the Peace Corps in October. Another new experience, which I look forward to.

It’s been one week since I landed at Bangkok International Airport, and today is my first day of teaching a first grade class how to count numbers one through ten in English.

I’m nervous after observing the students during our initial orientation. Why am I nervous?  Because I truly want to help and for the following reasons:

• I have no experience teaching younger children.
• The children in our Thai public school have to follow the government’s text book.
• The children have not been taught the basics, therefore how do we help them progress to the next level in the textbook?
• The children learn by repeating and memorizing, and often repeat your questions without understanding that you expect an answer.
• I am a volunteer, and want them to succeed, but how do I get the entire class to pay attention?
• It seems that they listen when you’re loud, but I don’t like to shout.
• We are only here for a short period of time, so we have to continue with the same methods. I hope I remember the correct steps.

Besides being nervous,and wanting to make a difference, there is the added pressure of adapting to living in a communal atmosphere, and sharing bedrooms and bathrooms with my fellow volunteers who are as young as 17, and as “old” as 38.

I love young people, and admit that at first, I kept wondering if they questioned why a woman my age, was in this program.

It took me a few days to realize that I should just be myself, and not try to apologize for being older, or wanting to participate in their activities. I am treating this experience as pre-training for the Peace Corps, where I shall be living mostly with young people for 27 months, as a volunteer in Lesotho, Africa.

I’m pleased to say that I’m adapting to life in a foreign country without the luxuries of home. Brushing my teeth in the shower, only having cold water to wash, and often no toilet paper, but a small hose to rinse off, are some of the things I’m getting used to.

Now my frizzy hair, is something I cannot get used to taming, but that will come with time.

I believe that discovering new places, new foods and new people, make up for the lack of luxuries from home.  At least that’s what I keep reminding myself.