Packing List

• 5 Pairs of long pants (for work)
• 4 pairs of shorts (for everything else)
• 1 pair of jeans
• 15 boxershorts, 8 socks
• 6 work shirts (buttons,short sleeve)
• 10 cotton shirts (including some old favorites)
• 3 long sleeve shirts (take that mosquitos)
• A rain jacket
• One set of dress clothes including shoes (for rubbing elbows)
• Sandals, flip flops, and hiking shoes
• Towel
• 2 rolls of duct tape (if you can't duct it, fuck it)
• 50 ziploc bags (African tupperware)
• Sewing kit (note: learn to sew)
• 6 in one spice can (salt/pepper/garlic/paprika/...etc)
• Toiletries for 3 months
• Gold Bond (you know)
• 5 french books including Sur le Route, jack kerouac.
• My favorite physics text
• Picturebook of America (this will be most handy)
• Cycling gloves (for off-roading/no-roading)
• Multi-tool (Thanks Zack)
• Cards
• watch ($6.49)
• sunglasses (cheap)
• security wallet
• Harmonica (thanks Ry)
• Crank radio (AM/FM/Shortwave)
• Flashlight (no batteries, uses magnetic induction, educational and practical)
• 2 canteens
• Nice day pack (includes water pack/ camel pack)
• 2 person tent
• sleeping mat
• 2 empty journals
• 1 notebook
• Picture frame with pictures
• AC voltage transformer (220V to 110V)
• Digitial Camera
• 6 Rechargable AA's with charger
• My calculator
• My trusty laptop (loaded with 168 of my favorite music albums)

You might think that bringing electronic equipment (especially a laptop) is a dumb idea. Well, you might be right.

Also of note: The Peace Corps will issue me a sweet new bike, like a limosine with pedals.

P.S. I'd like to post a few links of some picture sites I found interesting. Notice how the Burkinabe manage to smile even without Prozac:

Matt McClure was a PCV from 2001-2003. He had the same assignment.

These pictures tell an interesting story as well.

A link for translating web sites.