Inspired by a) reading about sensible packing on Academichic (one of my favorite blogs) and b) prior knowledge that hauling large suitcases around Eastern Europe is a royal pain, I'm attempting to limit my luggage to a small suitcase (slightly larger than a carry-on), a shoulder bag inherited from my mother (which holds more than you'd think possible), and a computer bag (recently purchased since my old one gave up the ghost in New Orleans this past March).
Deciding what clothes to take has been a somewhat complicated process, since I'm doing so many different types of activities during the 58 days I'll be gone. In Ukraine, I'll be hanging out with kids in a small town, being a bit of a tourist in Kyiv, and attending a wedding. In Lithuania, I'll be teaching, but on the weekends, I'll be traveling and possibly biking. Ukrainian summer weather is quite warm, but I'm told that Lithuania is cooler, and since we'll be on the seacoast, it may be a bit damp.
I've written and rewritten and rerewritten my packing list over the last few weeks while my students were taking quizzes, and I'm fairly happy with the results (of course, I haven't tried fitting it all in my bags yet). However, I am concerned by the amount of footwear I'm taking: everyday sandals (for Ukraine and warm days in Lithuania), dressy sandals (for the wedding), brown shoes and black shoes (for cooler teaching days), and tennis shoes (for being active). I think I'm taking more pairs of shoes for two months than I did when I left for two years in Peace Corps. Eastern Europe, you have won (except that I have no high heels or pointy toes planned).
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