Friday, January 12, 2007

What I want to remember to take to Antigua

Nine weeks in Guatemala this summer to study Spanish. These are the things I want to remember to take with me. Some of this is obvious, some not so much. Behind each item is one line about the item and it's relation to the trip. If anyone else thinks of something I should take, feel free to comment.

  • My Spanish dictionary, verb book and Words They Don’t Teach You book - is this cheating?
  • Casual reading (in English!) - I can’t work on Spanish the entire time
  • Shoes
- tennis shoes - for hiking
- leather sandals - going to class and dressing up a bit
- mesh casual shoes - alternative shoes for class
- Tevas - what I wear all summer anyway
  • laptop - can’t be off the Internet and away from email for nine weeks
  • iPod/iPod speakers - need my tunes, baby
  • Palm - keeps track of my life and my passwords
  • phone - gotta Phone Home
  • digital camera - gotta snap those memories
  • chargers and connectors for all above - nothing’s any good for very long without juice
  • extra power strip - it’s an old house where I’m staying, I’m betting only 1 plug, 2 max
  • clips - very handy for all sorts of things
  • office type accessories - stapler, tape, pens, pencils, lead, folders - it is school, after all
  • water purifier tabs - no can drink the water, hope I don’t get bugged
  • Nalgene bottle - need someplace to put the good water
  • bottle insulator - staying cool, ya know
  • med kit - if I bring it, I won’t need it, if I don’t bring it, I’ll, for sure, need it
  • prescription drugs (make sure enough for 9 weeks) - better living through chemistry
  • clothes (but not too many) - pack judiciously, just enough, but not too much, plus I think they frown on naked tourists
  • towel - no good space traveler ever goes anywhere without their towel
  • travel pillow - otherwise, my neck will make me want to kill myself to stop the pain
  • body maintenance items (clippers, hydrogen proxide, nail file, etc.) - it’s the little things you forget that will drive you crazy
  • DEET (ick) - hate the stuff, hate dengue fever worse
  • international drivers license - might have need for a scooter or car while I’m there

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