Packages

Letters from home are most appreciated, however if you feel the urge to send me a care package, following the advice of former & current Tanzanian Peace Corps volunteers will help to ensure that packages arrive safely & in a somewhat timely manner! Here are a few tips I've seen over and over again:

1) As I may have to pay a duty on packages that are too heavy, please keep the weight to around 5 pounds maximum.

2) Padded mailing envelopes seem to have the best arrival success rate.

3) When filling out the international declaration slip, you don't necessarily need to write exactly what is in the package. Certain contents are more likely to be stolen, so just writing "educational materials" or "feminine hygiene products" may ensure the package's safe arrival.

4) Again, on the international declaration slip, please do not declare the total value of the items as any amount over $10, regardless of the actual total value.

5) Other random helpful hints: write religious phrases on the packages, include "sister" before my name when addressing the package and/or use red ink & be sure to write "Air Mail" on the package.

6) Please remove as much of the packaging that the item(s) come in as possible before shipping them. It'll help reduce the weight for you & waste for me.

7) Any packages over 4 pounds cannot be mailed 1st class, but must be mailed priority. The post office has "flat rate international" boxes that may be cheaper for heavier packages, otherwise, keep them under 4 pounds & send them 1st class.

8) Finally, sending several small care packages throughout the year does much more to boost morale then one large package once a year.

Thank you in advance for any care packages you might send! Several people have asked for a list of items I may want to have sent to me, so once I get settled I'll post a list for anyone who's interested. I know for sure that letters will be most appreciated & easiest for you to send.

About Me

I rarely see anyone use their blog profile, so I got rid of mine. Instead, here's a quick "about me" blog. I just finished teaching 10 years of math in Central PA. I volunteered for the Peace Corps for a multitude of reasons, but mainly I needed a change. I will be teaching math in Tanzania from Sept. 2008-Dec.2010. At first I wanted to do something other than teach math, but with all of the other changes that will come from being in a new country, having the familiarity of doing something I've done for a decade will be a comfort.

Getting Started

This blog is for everyone who has asked if they'll be able to keep track of what I'm up to while serving as a math teacher for the Peace Corps. To get this started, I thought I'd steal an idea from a show I watch on Bravo called Inside the Actor's Studio. Near the end of each episode the host, James Lipton, asks his guests a list of questions. Here are my answers to some of those questions.
1) Q: What sound or noise do you hate? A: The alarm clock.
2) Q: What sound or noise do you love? A: Rain/Thunderstorms
3) Q: What is your least favorite word? A: Moist (ok - if you know me, you already knew that!)
4) Q: What is your favorite word? A: Serendipity
5) Q: What career, other than your own, would you like to try? A: I'd like to be in a Broadway show, but not in a lead, just in the chorus singing & dancing.
6) Q: What career would you not like to try? A: Most of the careers I've seen on Dirty Jobs.
7) Q: If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say to you when you get there? A: Either "You're in the right place" or "Job well done."