Friday, May 23, 2014

Checking my list once... twice... thrice... so on...

I have been buying a lot of stuff lately, mostly maxi skirts.  I have a long list of stuff that I need to buy, YIKES!

This is from World Teach... Their suggested list of items to bring... (I crossed out the items that I already have).. I hope everything will fit in my bags...

*Flip flop, sandals or crocs
*Sneakers (if you plan to run, if not , don’t bother) (HECK YES I AM GOING TO RUN)
*Enough underwear for 10 days
*Women – skirts that cover knees and shirts that cover shoulders for teaching
*Men and Women you will have to cover up for swimming (sun protection for men and sun protection and cultural reasons for woman) Boards shorts and tshirts for men and boards shorts and t shirts for woman to wear under a guam ($6-12 dollars each) that you can purchase on Majuro.
*Snorkel gear if you plan to snorkel its sometimes hard to find here in the RMI
*rain jacket
*Hat for sun
*long sleeve shirt (you may get cold if classrooms during Orientation have A/C)
*towels ( quick dry or regular)
*Pillow (If you have room, if not you can buy here for about $20-30)
*T-Shirts – you will wear lots of them and they get dirty fast.

*Sunglasses
*flashlight (batteries)
*watch or alarm clock
*water bottles (Nalgene)
*Swiss army knife
*calendar
*journal
*vitamins, medicines and first aid kit (very necessary)
*Neosporin, creams for rashes and mosquito bites
*mosquito coils (can be bought at outdoor stores)
*Mosquito Netting
*envelopes ( DO NOT BRING STAMPS, THEY CANNOT BE USED IN THE RMI, you will have to purchase when you arrive)
*Electronics - Ipod, Camera and computer like devices (at your own risk, most placements will have a place you can charges these items, but how often you can charge will be up to the owner of the battery or solar unit)
*Insect repellent with Deet (you will get bit by mosquitos)
*Sunscreen (lots of it, you are very close to the equator)
*Glasses (bring an extra pair if you were glasses)
1 pillowcase
2 towels
1 set of bed sheets (Full for sleep mats, Twin for dorm dwellers and queen for Kwajalein vols)
1 small, compact blanket if you are placed on an air-conditioned site

Medications that you commonly use, including aspirin
Basic antibiotics
Pepto-Bismol
Waterless hand sanitizer
Medication for hay fever and other allergies
Cold/cough medications
Water purification tablets
A thermometer
A simple first-aid kit, including Band-Aids, gauze and tape
Motion-sickness tablets
Hydrocortisone creams
Feminine hygiene products (can be purchased on Majuro)
Dehydration tablets or salts
6 passport photos
Extra batteries (alkaline last longer than regular) or battery charger
A cheap watch with alarm or alarm clock
A water bottle (bring 2 or have one sent ½ way through year)
A small case to carry passport and money close to your body
Spending money in cash and traveler’s checks
A calendar
A pocket calculator
A combination lock
USB flash drive
ESL materials, classroom decoration – see Teaching Supplies below for more
Pictures of your friends and family to show people
Books, Books,Books for free time reading


Volunteer suggestions
*A list of items this years volunteers wish they brought:
  • Instrument
  • Ipod
  • Journal
  • Underwater camera
  • Kindle
  • Family Photos
  • Back pack
  • Women – leggings and long basketball shorts for under short guams
  • Scissors
  • Extra pair of sandals
  • Raid
  • Playing cards
  • Sudoko
  • Tablet and Hard Drive
  • Movies – DVDs
  • Solar power charger
  • Small mirror
  • Many razors

Things that this years volunteers wish they had know ahead of time:
  • How much discipline I had to instill
  • Taxi rates for Majuro? (.75 cents to $2.00 btwn. Rita and Airport each way)
  • How long Majuro Really is? (33 miles long Rita to Laura)
  • To bring a knife
  • How high cost of living is on Majuro
  • Electricity is never a guarantee 100% time on Majuro
  • How much free time they would have
  • How strong the sun really is
  • Too many ants, mosquitos and cockroaches
  • Classroom management issues
  • Lack of school materials
  • High School placements have internet access, even on outer islands
  • Bring multiple watches
  • Bring plenty headphones
  • The need to bring more than one pair of sandals

3 comments:

  1. You'll definitely need a jacket or several! You're always cold! :). Also, "if you're in an ac room?" I didn't know that was not a standard!

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  2. AC is not a standard in most places across the world.... I will bring a sweater and definitely a rain jacket since it rains there a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I must be a bit spoiled, then living in LV, with ac everywhere!

    ReplyDelete