Packing

I in no way consider myself a packing expert. Unless of course by “expert” you think of someone who rarely forgets something and carries just about anything one may ever need, aside from the kitchen sink. When my travel buddy and I have road-tripped around the US, the minivan we were driving was filled to near capacity. My bag when traveling internationally is often near bursting point. Last year, for really the first time, while Jessica, my travel buddy, and I traveled around Peru and Bolivia for about 6 weeks, we carried all of our belongings (and treasures found along the way) in a backpack. Not a camping backpack and not a school backpack, but somewhere in between. It was wonderful and made everything we did easier. I was planning to go light on this trip as well!

But then… I reached out to Auburn University, my college that first inspired my study abroad with a summer in Florence, Italy and student teaching in New Zealand. I contacted the Fulbright representative at Auburn and told him about my upcoming travels. I asked for things like stickers, pens and pencils. His response was immediate and filled with eagerness. He said he’d be thrilled to send me a few things. A few days later, I came home to two boxes that might each hold a small microwave! 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1IfagU4qQCXbK-aCr3D_lmHouPpsedbFvhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=11GngKw_QJZroK3zSe2xMsvMmLVwqzPTWhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ANX4UYtvnD-1DZGIsbMCprnMxQK-FNmvhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1FfWvf6iyln-kMi7kF_KrcyyGT9wKDmDG
So, once I realized “light” was not a possibility, I went full force with gifts and treasures I might leave in Senegal, sharing about my home state. Being a lover of books, I wanted to take some books about Alabama and life in the United States. And yes, we all know how light books are.
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1JRsoqh50MX3nEBF1PzUy2TNDYn0eKgfZ
So, it took some rearranging and the removal of a very few things, but my checked-bag came in just under the wire at 49.5 pounds!
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17SqrzoS36gJvseb44kYzTpW9XOVnDDNh
And my carry-on, while quite heavy, is about as big a carry-on as you can have! But I’m thrilled with the treasures I’ll be leaving behind in Senegal. My hope is they think of Alabama fondly, knowing that while our state has gone through dark times in history, we are a kind, generous bunch. And oh yes, of course I hope they remember to say, “War Eagle!”

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