Packing

Maybe I'm just an easy traveler.

Maybe I procrastinate.

Maybe I just refuse to grasp the enormity of traveling to another continent for two and a half weeks.

It has come that time when people keep asking me if I've started packing yet.

(I just actually had to look at a calendar to count exactly how long it is until we leave for Africa: 5 weeks and two days.)

In case you're wondering, perfectionism goes hand-in-hand with procrastination. I've worked on this my whole life. Most of the time I can let go of perfectionism enough to organize and plan ahead. When situations are big (like traveling to Africa for over two weeks) the procrastination kicks in again.

On the other hand, part of me likes to think that I'm really trusting God a lot with this whole situation and I know deep down that everything will get done and no matter what I pack or don't pack, God will take care of us and we'll have a great time.

So, like I said, it's either that I'm procrastinating or I'm an easy traveler.

Part of my problem is I'm a little overwhelmed with how much we need to take for our trip. Besides culture-appropriate clothing (of which, it turns out, I have very little since I shouldn't wear shorts), we have a huge list of things we need to bring for the Compassion part of our trip (toys for the kids, gifts for Ronald and his family, etc.), and we also need to bring some gifts to our friends in Ghana who are graciously hosting us for a week.

Ummm. All of the above includes shopping. I really should make a list. As a counselor, I know I should take my own advice: when you write it down your brain no longer has all the stress and strain of trying to remember everything, and it all looks more do-able on paper than floating around in your head.

Ugh. Shopping is not even remotely my favorite thing to do. I'm not sure how I'm going to find some skirts to wear in Africa over the next month. I sure am not paying $50 for a skirt that will most likely get very dirty or stained while in Africa. This is probably the most tricky part of the list: several cheap skirts that fit me, and cover my thighs.

I'll admit, shopping for gifts is more fun. We have almost everything for Ronald and the other kids except a long jump rope, bubbles, and a sheet. I've been thinking hard about a unique gift to take to our friends in Ghana, and I'm open to any suggestions you may have. We've given them a pewter wind chime before, with various shapes on it (Texas, cowboy boots, etc.). I figure two cultures unique to the U.S. are cowboy and Native American, but I've not really come up with anything specific.

So, needless to say I have not even thought about starting to pack. Maybe I should. We have some stuff already gathered in a garage closet. I could just put it in a suitcase.

Or maybe I should just start at least making the list.