One of my lesser fears regarding the PC at this point is forgetting some vital piece of paper work. I spent about an hour yesterday digging around for my chest X-ray films; they are safely stowed in my carry-on, next to the passport and the immunization records. I'm afraid of hitting mainland China and having an official hassle me for a document I didn't realize I needed. Maybe its an irrational fear. I guess in the big picture, being afraid of not having enough paper work pales in comparison to the fears of not being able to speak Mandarin (or the regional dialects), contracting food poisoning, or being detained while privately traveling. Speaking of which, has anybody else been following the news about the reporters in North Korea?
Things I think I still need before I depart:
- Sturdy trail running shoes
- Teacher shoes
- Electrical converter and a lightweight power strip
- Copies of various and sundry documents
- Teaching supplies - multi colored sharpies, lesson plan books, any ideas?
- Pictures of loved ones
- Spare earbuds?
- Packing tube for posters
- Mesh bags for laundry, storage. Someone mentioned it on Facebook. Couldn't hurt.
- Spare insoles for shoes
- What else am I missing...
Gotta get personal property insurance, too. Damn packing lists. T-minus 20 days until take off.
2 comments:
Your list sounds ok... but I don't think you're gonna need an electrical converter or power strip... those things are still sitting in my suitcase. If, however, your computer is three-pronged, you may need something. But you can always get that in Chengdu once you arrive 'cause then you'll know exactly what adapter you need. I've never needed a converter.
I recommend bringing postcards of your hometown or other places around the US... students LOVE to see where you're from. Pictures on a USB work too. I also brought money... pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters... students like to see those things too.
You may also wanna get your host family a gift... maybe something that represents your area of the US- a book about the Northeast, a lobster magnet... something small, but meaningful.
Other things I was happy to get from home: -Ziploc bags 'cause I can't find them and I often wanna freeze or store things.
-A planner or calendar- they are impossible to find in China... the only kind I have found is the lunar calendar- totally unhelpful.
Hope this helps!
LOBSTER MAGNET! I love it. I'm totally gonna get some inexpensive North East stuff. GREAT idea.
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