Packing List

Luggage

     Osprey Transporter 60L

     Large rolling suitcase

     Osprey Sirrus 24L Daypack

     Cross body purse

Clothes

    Skirts (4)           

    Dress (1)

    Blouses (1)

    Misc. Cotton Tees (6) and Sleeveless Tops (6)

    Comfy T-shirts (3)

    Pants/capris (3)

    Jeans (1)

    Shorts – basketball length (2)

    Capri length workout pants (3)

    Spandex shorts (4) - to wear under skirts while biking

    Underwire Bras (3)/ Underwear (~30)/ Sports Bras (7)

    Socks (6 pairs)

    Rain jacket

    Light cardigan

    Denim button up

Electronics

      Laptop

      iPod

      Old iPhone – iPod back up

      Earbuds (3 pairs)

      Portable speakers

      Fugi Digital Camera + memory card

      1 Terabyte external hard drive

      Flash drives (4x8gb)

      Voltaic Cell 10W Solar Charger     

      Cases and Charging Cables for Everything

Shoes

      Chacos

      Birkenstocks

      Pale pink flats

      Nice gold sandals

      Brooks trail running shoes

Toiletries

      Shampoo & Conditioner

      Body wash

      Toothpaste (4)

      Deodorant (8 full size, 2 travel size)

      Toothbrush (4)

      Face Wipes (~200)

      Face Wash (2 tubes)

      Face Lotion (3 tubes)

      Wet Ones (~400)

      Sunscreen (3 tubes) - Will receive more when I get there

      Mosquito repellant (4) - I hope I will receive more when I get there..

      Vitamins

      Razors (6)

      3 Month prescription of meds I'm currently on

              PC doesn't start providing meds until post-training

      2 pairs of prescription glasses

      2 year supply of contact lenses

      Bobby Pins

      Pony Holders

      Bandanas and headbands

      Washclothes/loofahs (3)

      Camping towel

        

 Miscellaneous

       Pillow

       Watch

       Minimal Jewelry

       Flat bed sheet

       Sleeping bag liner

       Tupperware

       Ziploc bags

       Knives (2)

       Non stick pan

       Swiss army knife

       Sewing kit

       Spices

       Tea 

       Photos from home

       Office stuff (Pens, stapler, tape, etc)

       Spiral notebooks

       Construction paper

       Crayons - kids projects

       Guitar (extra strings, picks, books, poster)

       Books

            War and Peace

            Brothers Karamazov

            365 Tao

            Light on Yoga

            The Essential Rumi

       Incense lamp

             Incense bricks from seven different trees from the foothills of the Rockies 

       Candles

             Fall festival and cinnamon (for the holidays) 

             Tropical coconut

       Sunglasses

            Cheap (3 pairs)

            Nice (2 pair)

      Hammock

      15 lb resistance band

      2 water bottles

      Head lamp

      Flashlight

      Juggling balls

      Hacky Sack

      Seeds for gardening

      Sketchbook and pencils

      Watercolors

      Baseball cap

      Wide brim sun hat

      Calendar



I will also be getting a bike and helmet in Africa to get around. 

I would like to give a special thanks for all the gifts and support I received from my friends and family that contributed to the completion of this list. I'd have shown up to Africa either very empty handed or with a maxed out credit card I wouldn't be able to pay off from abroad. You all have made me feel very loved.

Three Inches Too Short

No. There is not a height requirement to serve in the Peace Corps.

Pretty sure "you must be x inches tall to ride this ride" is unheard of in Togo.

This blog post refers to how hard it has been to shop for clothing that meets the dress code I will have to adhere to while serving as PCV in Africa.

Here's an idea:

No shorts. The only exception is if it's appropriate to run and you can then wear knee-length basketball shorts.
No thin strap tank tops, spaghetti straps, halters, etc.
Pants are only appropriate in less traditional communities.
Skirts and dresses are preferred, but must cover the knees.

Other tips include:
Don't wear white because it gets dirty too easily.
Don't wear black because it gets too hot.
Anything you buy should be relatively durable because it's going to wear out quickly. It's not like you have a washer/dryer with a delicate setting... or a washer/dryer period.

I can't speak for most volunteers, but I grew up in southwest Texas. I live in shorts and thin strap tank tops. With the exception of one or two weeks out of the entire year where it gets below 80 degrees, my choice articles of clothing are pretty consistent.

Now, imagine going to live in a new place with a similar weather situation (hot and humid) and having to change everything about the clothes you wear to typically deal with said weather situation. Picture it being 110 degrees outside and all you want to do is strut around in a bikini and run through a sprinkler. Instead you have to dress very conservatively and don't have the option to retreat to a clean pool or air conditioned oasis. That's right, no air conditioning... or cold water... or refrigerated foods.

I've accepted this. I've also predicted I'm going to drop 20 pounds in water weight from sweating so much.

After getting over giving up shorts and tank tops for over two years, I was ready to create my packing list. I evaluated the items of clothing in my closet to determine everything I would need to purchase. Unfortunately, every skirt or dress I previously owned was about three inches too short. They barely hit the top of my knees. I realized I didn't own a single item of clothing I could take with me except for a pair of running tights. Really looking forward to breaking those out when the temperature gets below 90..

So the new reality was that I was going to have to buy pretty much everything. I spent several days wandering around camping stores, athletic stores, and boutique type stores with hardly any luck. Every dress I found that met the length requirements usually had holes cut out of it or spaghetti straps. Every long skirt I found was designed for that new trend thing of short in the front long in the back. They were also all made of materials I wouldn't waste money on to hand wash and hang dry in the middle of Africa.

I told my mom I was considering going to maternity stores because those are usually conservative, right? I determined, though, that everything probably wouldn't fit me in.. certain areas. I also didn't want to take the risk of being approached or congratulated on my new, nonexistent conception.

I did find some pants that I decided could work, but realized that now, I was three inches too short. I stepped on all of them and they got caught in my shoes. If there's a store with 5'2" people in mind, please let me know! shea_flynn@utexas.edu

At the end of several shopping ventures.. I had a couple pants and skirts that needed to be hemmed, one dress, and fingers and toes tightly crossed that I could find more stuff online.

Tops were relatively easy. I got a few sleeveless tops from REI (I learned there's a difference in sleeveless shirts and tank tops. Who knew?). I was going to purchase some neon colored shirts online because I figured they'd be a great pick me up for when I'm depressed. However, I quickly recalled the warnings I've received about  the inevitable surplus of unwanted attention. I decided I don't need to turn myself into a neon advertisement to highlight that I'm an American. I'll be a billboard enough on my own as it is.

After a lot of trial and error, I finally packed my bags. Well, it's the weekend before I leave and I'm still packing my bags.. but essentially I've bought all that I'm going to while still here in the United States. I know I will have forgotten something, but I'll deal with it when I get there.

If you're curious about what I ended up with, I will post it on a separate blog. It's a great read. Truly riveting.

Cheers to having clothes made overseas that accommodate my lack of inches,

-Shea

If you want to keep in touch...

Peace Corps suggested that I share the following letter with all of my family and friends. It addresses how to contact me during my next 27 months in Togo.

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from the Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Togo training program. Over the years we have received many questions from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.

1.  Irregular Communication.  (Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Lomé, the capital of Togo). The mail service in Togo is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service.  Thus, it is important to be patient.  It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Togo to arrive in the United States via the Togolese mail system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Lomé. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.

We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office.

Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc.  While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front.  Please do not assume that if your family member gets sick that he or she has not been attended to.  The city of Lomé has medical and dental facilities, and there are Peace Corps Medical Officers there as well.  Most Volunteers can reach Lomé in less than one day’s time. Volunteers also have cell phones so that they can call our Medical Office.  In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Lomé and is cared for by our Medical Unit.  If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Togo, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or to the United States.  Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.

If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Counseling and Outreach Unit (COU) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-855-855-1961, extension 1470 (or direct: 202-692-1470).  The COU will then contact Peace Corps staff in Lomé, and ask them to check up on the Volunteer.  Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call COU immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed by a member of Peace Corps/Togo staff.

2.  Telephone Calls.  The telephone system in Togo has fairly reliable service to the United States.  In the interior of the country, where most of our Volunteers are located, the network can be less reliable. 

When dialing direct to Togo from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 228 (the country code) + the number.  Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is less expensive than calling the U.S. from Togo.  All volunteers purchase cell phones once they arrive in Togo, but they may not always have regular reception at their site.

The Togo Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Lomé at least once every two weeks. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone.  If you have an urgent message, however, and have exhausted your other means, you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed. 

3.  Sending Packages.  Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive.  We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. During training (first nine weeks in Togo) you may use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:           

                                                Shea Flynn, PCV

                                                Corps de la Paix

                                                B.P. 3194

                                                Lomé, Togo

West Africa

It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as Volunteers are asked to pay taxes on large packages they receive and boxes are taxed more frequently (typically between $2-$8). That being said, many people find the flat rate boxes the most cost efficient to send from the US (a current Volunteer said it costs around $50 per package from the US). Once your Volunteer moves to his or her permanent site, he/she will send you their new address.

Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged.  If your Volunteer requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it.  Some Volunteers use Western Union, which has offices throughout the country. 

4. E-mail.  There is fairly reliable e-mail service in Togo with cyber cafes in most large towns. Many volunteers now have internet keys and some can even access the internet from their sites. Connections can be very slow and time consuming as well as costly.  E-mail, however, may become the preferred method of communication between you and your Volunteer in Togo.  Most Volunteers do not have access to e-mail on a daily basis, but they should be able to read and send messages at least once a month.  As with other means of communication, do not be alarmed if you do not receive daily or weekly messages.

We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as

a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline.  

Hello, my name is:

So who/what is goose and why is he/she/or it on the loose?


Hey. My name is Shea and Goose indirectly refers to myself.

During the summer of 2012, I rode a bike with 41 other students from the University of Texas at Austin from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska to raise money and awareness for cancer research. I completed that trek on my noble steed that I dubbed Goose.

I won't go into extensive detail of how his title originated because there is already a blog out there in cyberspace to address that topic. If you're interested, you can summon it here:

http://www.texas4000.org/journalentries/View/4928

Long story short: It does not have to do with the movie Top Gun (although, I do love that movie). Instead it's in reference to the teamwork and navigational skills exhibited by geese in their migration patterns and how that parallels with a team of college students cycling 4,500 miles across North America.

After the ride was over, I decided to commemorate my experience by getting a Pacific Northwest style goose tattooed on my ribcage. For me, it not only symbolizes the incredible journey I had that summer biking along the Rocky Mountains, but also the growth and fulfillment I felt getting on a bike each day and pedaling for someone or something bigger than myself. I would consider my time spent in Texas 4000 to be a pivotal point in my life that has helped me develop new perspectives and ideas about the direction I want my future to take.

A bike's name may seem pretty trivial (unless you're a cyclist), but it is a constant reminder to me (I guess you could call it permanent) of that first experience when you realize what it means to really really be living.

"For once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you will always long the return." | Leonardo da Vinci


So there. I am this Goose. But now, why am I on the loose?

September of 2012, I applied to serve in the Peace Corps. After a very (very) long process, I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation in March of 2013 to serve in Togo, Africa for 27 months beginning June of 2013.

Where is Togo? Is that a city? If your knowledge of geography is comparable to that of a 6th grader like mine is, you might need to look it up..

Now that you know the location, whether you looked it up or not, that is where I will be spending the next chapter of my life. I will not speak English. I will not having running water. I will not have electricity. I will sleep under a bug net and improvise my utilities. I will also assist in community health and AIDS prevention in a community in dire need of it. I will become completely immersed in a culture unknown to the majority of the world and I will come back with a much deeper appreciation for all that I am leaving behind.

With this newly harnessed sense of adventure, post T4K, I look forward to every trial this experience has to offer. I know that there will be really difficult days, but I also know that I can't imagine doing anything else. I am going to be freer than I have ever felt in my life and have control over my own schedule and my own projects (after training that is). I am going to be cut loose from American society, the pressures of a 9-5, and keeping up with today's social media and politics. Without all of that, watch me fly.

Also, although this blog's name is derived from a cross-continental bike ride and begins with the tales of 27 months in Togo, I want it to be able to continue encompassing all the major moments to come. Besides, writing about them for people to read holds me accountable for many more future adventures.

I believe that life is about experiences.

So here's to having them and sharing,

Shea




Also, I have to give credit to Kate Simpson. I told her I was leaning towards blog names involving Goose. She was thrilled and shared with me that 'goose' is one of her favorite words, to be used in one of her favorite phrases, 'goose on the loose'. Thanks, Kate!


Just for more entertainment, I asked a few people for blog name assistance and these were some of the results (the majority being from brainstorm sessions with Sadia):


thoughtispokefrenchguessnot
lostinafrica
ihopeilearnthebongos
imgonnamissstarbucks
texastotogo
togototogo - Melissa
sheafrica - Mars
shuckleberryflynn
meettheflynnstones (inspired by Jonash)
sheasaddictedtogeographiclocationsthatbeginwiththelettera
pardonmyfrench
sheasshortvacation