Before Sylvain left over a month ago for Chile, he bought 3 new shirts- in addition to the you're going away and I want you to look smart one I bought him, and a new pair of new balances. He had a duffle bag and had been living out of said duffle bag for about a year. It was stuffed, but he was ultimately traveling for months on what I traveled with for long weekends. And I am largely considered by those who know me a light packer- this is because since 9/11 I refuse to check luggage and if that means cutting down on liquid products, fine, I don't care. Still, everything about airports and airport security in America takes way too much time and is incredibly inefficient, so I avoid any extras. Having said that- and I know this is digressing a little- but I have regularly carried far more than three ounces of liquid products through airport security x-ray machines, and if this doesn't make you feel like America is safe- several exacto knives and my swiss army knife. We're all just lucky I am a lover and not a fighter. Also if you avoid flying United, you probably won't ever be moved to take out any weapons of mass frustration.
So after I returned from Tanzania and began to throw a few things in the suitcase, I realized how much clothes I had; and frankly, I was embarrassed. I decided to put a moratorium on further clothes shopping until, like Sylvain, I had worn my shirts threadbare, and the soles of my shoes were run paper thin. I still had two massive bags of clothing to leave in the states, and one massive suitcase to carry those that I was taking with me. For the last three days however, I have driven myself with ambition, to cut back further on what I was bringing. Sylvain and I had been talking and he had said, "well, no need to bring all your dresses they will be useless." This was a huge blow to my natural instincts, as I love dresses and have more of them than I would possibly be willing to admit. But more importantly I wear them all the time, and if I'm not wearing them, what would I substitute in their place? I countered with, I think I will bring them anyway, and he said, fine. However this exposed a major flaw in my packing plan, it won't be summer in Chile when I get there, it will be summer in Chile when I leave. So.... yeah.
So the challenge of bringing just enough clothes to survive on has been cause for some distress. Everyday I pack and repack taking a couple things out, but then inevitably putting something back, having decided it was too practical or too cute to leave behind. I have successfully pared down the dresses to what I consider to be a very conservative number and I now have more room to pack art supplies and books.
And I will end on books. I love them, and I love having them around me. Art books are the best, but they're really heavy, because they're always hard cover. But I also love reading, so I'm trying to pack several English language books, as I'm not sure how much opportunity I will have to buy them. Travel books are my favorite, especially while traveling, but this time I have packed a few french and spanish books too, I figure left with no other options, it will force me into fluency.
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