Staging

I received my "Staging Kit" a few days ago. This packet has all the information about my PC orientation in Philadelphia. First of all, I have a flight scheduled on Monday, October 13th at 9:27 AM on US Airways from Richmond to Philadelphia. I arrive in Philly at 10:35 AM, and must be at my hotel and registered (as an official Peace Corps trainee) by 2 PM. From 3 - 7 PM, we have training sessions that include: a Welcome and Introduction to PC, Anxieties and Aspirations for Service, Managing Risk, Politics in Practice, Reflection on Commitment to Service, and Logistics and Departure/Arrival Information.

The next morning we must be ready to leave by 7:30 AM to head to the clinic in order to get the necessary vaccinations. Afterwards, we have lunch and check-out of the hotel. Buses arrive for loading and departing to the airport at 1:30 PM. Our flight (Delta) departs Philadelphia at 6:45 PM and arrives in Paris at 8:25 AM the following day (Wed Oct 15th), a 7 hour 40 minute flight. We are stuck in Paris until our next flight at 4:10 PM when we fly from Charles De Gaulle to Ouagadougou. The flight should take about 5 hours 35 minutes, and we should land in the capital at 7:45 PM, local time.

The Amazing Race in Burkina

I was bored last night and stumbled upon a couple videos from The Amazing Race 12 when they traveled to Burkina. This first video (8:37) shows the "Roadblock" where competitors had to milk camels in order to receive their next clue. Hopefully, this is not part of my daily routine:



This other video (1:38) focuses on the "goth" couple in the race and their reflections to Burkina Faso and the Burkinabe (the people of BF). Enjoy:



If you go to YouTube, you can see the entire episode, broken into 5 chunks. Just search for "Amazing Race 12 Episode 3." The next next episode is from BF as well, but I can't find it on YouTube in full.

Sending Me Mail

This post is meant to be an in-depth guide to sending me mail during my service. While my address is listed under the "Contact Me" tab on the left, there is simply too much info to include everything on the sidebar. This entry is also available under the "Important Posts" tab on the left side of the page for future reference.

While Burkina Faso has a pretty reliable postal system, occasionally problems do occur. So you may want to send me inexpensive things in the mail, since there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. If sending me a package, it is recommended that it be shipped in a padded envelope if at all possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more heavily. Boxes also can be expensive on your end ($50-$100 sometimes), but I will definitely love them. If sending me a postcard, it is best to put it in an envelope or else it might end up on some postal worker's wall. All mail ($.94 in stamps for lightweight letters) and packages can be sent to the following address:

Erik Durant
Corps de la Paix
Ouahigouya 01
01 B.P. 392
Burkina Faso
West Africa

Other tips I have heard to ensure packages reach me include addressing them to "Brother" or "Father Erik Durant," using red ink somewhere on the box, and drawing religious symbols on the outside. Some people, whether religious or not, are very superstitious about this sort of thing. If you want to use any of these ideas, go ahead. It definitely can't hurt.

No matter what, be sure to write "Airmail" or "Par Avion" on the outside of envelopes and packages, or else it could be sent by boat and never reach me. If you plan on writing me a lot, numbering your letters (or at least dating them) will help me keep them in order and know if any become lost in the mail. Also, it is a good idea to include a list in each package you send of everything inside. That way, in case someone decides to open a box, take something, and then reseal it, I'll know what's missing. Speaking of which, if you have to fill out a form describing the contents of a package, try to be as general as possible, such as "educational media" or "personal items", so as to not entice anyone.

PC does not recommend that costly items be sent through the mail. For lightweight but important items (airline tickets, important documents, etc.), DHL does operate in Ouagadougou. If you choose to send items through DHL, you will use the same address as above. (the phone number for the Peace Corps office in Burkina Faso is 226 50 36 92 00 should DHL need this information). You can call a DHL office near you for more information on how to go about this.

If you can't or simply don't want to send me letters or packages, that perfectly fine as well. I won't think any less of you. I always appreciate emails (ecdura at gmail dot com) or posts on my blog, of course. But remember, depending on my internet situation, I can't guarantee a speedy response.

My Packing List

So I thought it would be useful to share my tentative packing list for Burkina. I know reading other volunteers' lists has definitely helped me out a lot. I still have a little over a month to go, so this list is not at all complete. I haven't even really thought about clothes yet. But I'll keep updating this list, and I've added a link to it on the main page under the "Important Posts" tab on the left so it can be accessed easily for future reference. I'll try to be as specific as possible and provide links when appropriate.

People have already asked me what they could send or do to help. I'll probably post a seperate "wish list" once I arrive of goodies and other useful things, but the toiletries and food stuffs on my packing list that will eventually run out (i.e. floss, toothpaste, face soap, powdered drink mixes, etc.) are always very appreciated as well. You can never have too much of these. So let's get started.

Just so you are aware, I have to fit everything into two checked bags and a carry-on. The two checked bags can weigh no more than 80 lbs total, with no more than 50 lbs in any one bag. For my two checked bags, I have one standard 27" suitcase and a 60-liter internal frame backpack (North Face Terra 60 Pack). For my carry-on, I have one of my favorite purchases, my solar backpack that can charge any electronics or batteries that I bring (Voltaic Backpack). Despite the hefty price (PCVs do get 35% off, thanks to me), I am so glad I got this. No matter what my electricity situation is when I get there, I can be guaranteed portable and efficient power for my electronics. Now that I've discussed my bags, I can now dive into actual items. Again, this list isn't complete as of yet, so don't look at it and wonder why I'm not bringing this or that. I'll probably be bring "this" and at least two of "that." Here we go:

CLOTHING

• 1 pair of good Sandals (Chaco Z/2)
• 1 durable but cheap digital watch
• 2 pairs of Rx eyeglasses, 1 pair of Rx sunglasses
• Shower shoes
• Running shoes
• 2 hats
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 16 pairs of underwear
• A couple belts and ties
• 2 pairs of casual shorts
• 1 pair of athletic shorts
• 8 button-down shirts (short and long sleeved)
• lightweight jacket
• 5 pairs of slacks
• 7 t-shirts
• A couple pairs of socks
• Swimming trunks

TOILETRIES

• 2 tubes of toothpaste (Colgate with Cavity Prevention)
• 4 toothbrushes (Oral-B)
• 2 packs of floss (Oral-B Satin)
• 4 sticks of deodorent (2 Gillete and 2 Degree for Men)
• 2 bottles of face soap (Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask)
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• 1 bottle of bug spray with 23% DEET
• Haircutting razor (thanks Mom)
• Assortment of OTC medications
• Plastic soap dish
• Nail clippers, tweezers, etc.
• Lip balm (Burt's Bees)

GEAR

• Multitool (Leatherman Blast)
• Bungee cords
• 2 water bottles (Nalgene)
• Compass and thermometer keychain
• Mosquito tent (Tropic Screen Room Mosquito Tent)
• 2 carabiners
• Sleeping bag (Marmot Aspen Ultralight - available only at Dick's Sporting Goods)
• Umbrella
• Headlamp (Princeton Tec Fuel)
• Comfortable mountain bike seat
• Bike helmet

HOUSEHOLD

• 2 flat full bedsheets with 2 pillowcases
• Pillow
• Oven mit/pot holders
• Kitchen knife
• Towels
• 10" light-weight frying pan
• Vegetable peeler
• Can opener
• Spatula
• 4 paring knives
• Knife sharpener
• Mesh laundry bags
• Travel sewing kit
• Box of safety pins
• 3 cutting sheets (like thin cutting boards)
• Small mirror
• Ziplock bags (various sizes)
• Plastic tupperware (various sizes)
• Scissors

ELECTRONICS

• Laptop computer (Dell Inspiron 600m) - 4+ years old
• Digital slr camera, lenses, memory card, and batteries (Canon Digital Rebel xti)
• Portable DVD player (Sony 8-inch DVP-FX820)
• DVD collection
• iPod nano and speakers
• Rechargable batteries (AA and AAA) and charger (Duracell Mobile Charger)
• A few blank CDs
• Hand-cranked radio
• Cheap, portable speaker for Ipod (Altec Lansing Orbit)
• 2GB flash drive

MISCELLANEOUS

• Duct Tape
• Games (2 decks of Indiana Jones playing cards, UNO, frisbee, etc.)
• Eyeglass repair kit and cleaning supplies
• French/English dictionary
• West African guide book (Rough Guide to West Africa)
• Powdered drink mixes (Kool-Aid singles)
• World map
• Map of West Africa
• Pictures and picture frame
• Computer lock
• Handheld fan
• Gifts for host family

PC Homework

This past week has been extremely busy. Besides working almost every night at the restaurant trying to save up as much money as possible, I've had lots of little things to get done. First off, PC needed several forms completed and mailed to them for my new Peace Corps passport and Burkina Faso visa, which meant getting 4 passport-sized photos taken as well. After that, they needed me to e-mail them an updated resume, as well as an aspiration statement that will be read by the Burkinabe staff. This aspiration statement basically just lets them get to know me better by describing what I expect to get out of this experience and what my plan is to succeed at my job and properly adapt to Burkinabe culture.

Other than that, I've just been busy reading up on Burkina Faso and what I need to pack. I've been doing a lot of online purchases, getting a big backpack, a pair of good Chaco sandals, a new computer battery (yes I am taking my computer), and my favorite new purchase - a solar backpack that can charge electronics using the sun's energy. It will be able to charge my iPod, digital camera, and cell phone (yes I will probably be getting a cell phone). There is still so much more stuff to get together. I just hope it will all fit in my bags. Packing for two years seems like an impossible task.