The freak out

My goal is to freak out as much as humanly possible right now so I can be totally Zen when I arrive in Kenya. My motto has always been that pure exhaustion does wonders to calm the nerves. Right now I’ve started the daunting task of packing more than a week in advance of my departure. My greatest challenge is figuring out how to mix Nairobi chic or what Kenyans call “looking smart” with clothing more suited towards developing a new appreciation for the great outdoors.

I’m not ashamed to say that I initially based my packing on what I’ve seen other people wearing in their Facebook pictures during their study abroad programs. It doesn’t matter what corner of the world you’re in right now. I have Facebook creeped your travel photos. It doesn’t even matter if you were my roommate freshman year or if we’re complete strangers. If you have photos online I have probably seen them.

If it’s Armageddon my suggestion would be to head over to your local Walgreens as I did. They have everything you could possibly need to survive nuclear fallout and much, much more. My purchases there included individual bug spray towelttes (deceptively difficult to find in other stores), safety pins (another hot commodity), and my personal favorite, Dr. Scholl’s Foldable Flats with Stylish Wristlet (a must have for any traveler).

Back home, I unpacked my purchases. Listening to Shakira’s “She Wolf” I ended up trying on every article of clothing I own. Unnecessary? A tad bit overzealous? Nay friends. Despite the differences in climate, I’d identified the basic articles of clothing that are must haves. The only problem was that, for example, I had difficulty justifying not bringing one of my six black sweaters.

I feel like Nicole told me this secret, but I’m going to lay everything I’m planning on packing out the night before and leave behind at least 40% of it, hopefully more. Packing can be a cathartic and constructive way of addressing travel jitters. Maybe you really can transfer your nerves to inanimate objects, packing them away for the journey that lies ahead.

I just hope that I don’t transfer all of my nerves to inanimate objects or else I definitely won’t make the one bag per passenger rule.

-Jennifer

*Please note that the lack of appropriate transitions between thoughts in this post may be related to the author’s consumption of copious cups of Yerba mate.**