Eric Wiley's Packing for Bulgaria



Eric Wiley's Packing for Bulgaria

On packing.

I am carrying only one of the two allowed pieces of check-in luggage and have packed it to the 50 lb weight limit.

Some of the things I am carrying with me are, clothes for every season and occasion, a good chef's knife, my powerbook, digital camera, and my Noguchi light to feel at home.

This is my completed packing list.

On my person,

miscellaneous, passports + visa

credit and bank cards (for traveling)+ my business cards

clothes, cotton tee shirt

zip-up cardigan

jeans

cotton underwear

cotton socks

leather boots

Messenger bag (carry-on),

miscellaneous, G4 powerbook

digital camera

minidisc player/recorder and microphone

packet of Peace Corps documents + sketch pad + pencil and pen

personal checks

bottle of Oregon wine (gift to host family)

snacks for the flights

Leather suitcase (check-in),

clothes, black sport coat

7 cotton button-up shirts

3 pairs trousers

2 pairs jeans

wool sweater

thin-cotton sweater

4 tees

2 long sleeve shirts

7 pairs cotton underwear

7 pairs cotton socks

1 pair smart wool socks

rain coat

jean jacket

down coat

wool coat

wool scarf

fleece mittens

crocheted hat

shoes

swimsuit

toiletries, toothbrush + toothpaste + floss

face cleanser + moisturizer

shampoo + conditioner + hair wax

deodorant

small swiss-army knife

fingernail clippers

shaving gel + razor

kitchen, chef's knife + honing rod + small walnut holding block

miscellaneous, Noguchi washi light

3 meters of hemp string

Bulgarian language and travel books

small sewing kit + a few buttons

plastic storage bags of various sizes

small shoulder bag

canvas shopping bag

2 electrical-plug adapters

These are things provided to me and acquired in Bulgaria.

medical and safety kit from Peace Corps, Ace bandages

adhesive tape

American Red Cross First Aid & Safety handbook

antacid tablets

antibiotic ointment

antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleaner

Band-Aids

butterfly closures

calamine lotion

cepacol lozenges

condoms

dental floss

diphenhydramine HCL 25mg

insect repellent stick

iodine tablets

lip balm

oral rehydration salts

oral thermometer

pseudoephedrine HCL 30mg

Robitussin-DM lozenges

scissors

sterile gauze pads

tetrahydrozaline eyedrops

Tinactin

tweezers

a fire extinguisher

a smoke alarm

from my host family, men's house slippers

women's traditional Bulgarian slippers

a wood stool made by Dyado Vasko

a cassette with Bulgarian folk music

a wood spoon made by Dyado Vasko

toenail clippers

from my work, a south-facing apartment with a corridor, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and balcony

a bed

a comforter with 'african safari' print

white sheets

a pillow with lumpy synthetic filling

2 wool blankets

a round table

2 chairs

a clothes line and 7 plastic clothes-pins

a small cutting board

small tin cooking pot with flower print

small fry pan with plastic handle

a dull knife

a round metal baking pan

a small single-serving teapot

2 brown area rugs

grey curtains

a small cooking stove

a small heater

a manual washing machine

a legen (plastic tub for hand washing)

dish soap

scouring powder

a coat rack

10 clothes hangers

a refrigerator

acquired with my settling-in allowance, 3 bowls

3 plates

3 forks, 3 knives, 3 spoons

3 teacups

rubber spatula

metal strainer

tongs

grater

sommeiller bottle-opener

6 small glasses

6 wine glasses

a cutting board

a non-stick fry pan

a large metal cooking pot with glass lid

a rectangular glass cooking pan

a round glass cooking pan with lid

a plastic dish drying rack

a big teapot

dish soap

cleaning sponges

a mop

two small garbage cans and plastic linings for disposal

towels

a down-feather pillow

a small round mirror

a small ficus tree

gifts, 2 small house plants

black leather dress shoes (gift to myself for my 25th birthday)

cards, letters, photos from friends and family

a gold colored sweater

a ceramic plate that says '????????'

a scroll with egyptian style paintings

a glass turtle

a Mercedes Benz teeshirt that does not fit

When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 27,000 index entries in 430 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

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February 5, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Peace Corps swears in 12 new Country Directors 4 Feb Kenneth Hawkinson studies oral traditions of Mali 4 Feb Tony Hall urges politicians to bring religious faith to office 4 Feb Dodd opposes Gonzales nomination 3 Feb Dr. Robert Zeigler to head Rice Research Institute 3 Feb Taylor Hackford going into television with "E-Ring" 2 Feb President Bush's past promises in State of the Union 1 Feb Moreigh Wolf says gays cannot volunteer with partners 1 Feb Coleman to chair Peace Corps Subcommittee 1 Feb Vasquez assesses need in Southeast Asia 31 Jan James Bullington says Bush Inaugural speaks to PC 31 Jan Allen Andersson creates foundation to promote libraries 31 Jan Joseph Opala to film "Priscilla's Homecoming" 31 Jan Donna Shalala embarks on aggressive UM expansion 31 Jan Thomas Dichter says Poor Countries Need Smarter Aid 30 Jan Alberto Ibargüen to head Knight Foundation 28 Jan Helen Sheehy organizes "Endangered Peoples" exhibit 28 Jan

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RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.

RPCVs contend for Academy Awards Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.

Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

By eric wiley (193-151-81-250.rozabg.com - 193.151.81.250) on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 11:18 am: Edit Post

go to http://homepage.mac.com/ericwiley/bulgaria.html to see the complete blog - this is only an excerpt here.

By Username (cache2.internet-bg.net - 212.124.92.21) on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 8:37 am: Edit Post

hey guy, i just came across your webpage after I searched for "swiss army knives bulgaria." Hehe, kinda cool so I thought I'd drop you a line.
Casey

By Anonymous (host165-38.k-lan.satnet-bg.com - 85.255.165.38) on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 7:15 am: Edit Post

update: to see the complete blog go to www.ericwiley.blogspot.com