All that you can’t leave behind

Despite what many folks seem to think, moving to Nepal is not the same as being stranded ont hat proverbial a desert island and having to choose the three things to carry along to help you both survive and pass the time. I can’t tell you how many times I have told someone, “Actually, there’s a KFC,” only to have them look at me as if I’d just sprouted six heads. Can you get a clothes washer? Yes. Will you have a fridge? Yes. How about internet? Yes, again. Drink the water from the tap? Well, not exactly …

 

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Now that 95% of the furniture is gone, the biggest question we wrestle with these days is what goes and what goes. Our two main piles are labeled “Coming to Nepal” and “Being Re-homed.” There’s a “Storage” pile, too, but it’s purposefully much, much smaller than the other two. We’re not throwing away baby books and keepsakes from beloved, deceased family members. But we’ve never been the type to hang on to every outfit that a child looked cute in, so we don’t have a ton of winnowing there. It’s mostly Go or Go. And that’s where the hard choices come into play.

Because yes, we can get just about anything you might want in Kathmandu. But sometimes the quality is an issue. Other times, the price might be a factor. And then there’s the “Does that actually suit our needs?” question. Managing these issues without slipping into a Western Superiority Complex has been eye-opening, convicting, humbling, and educational. And I’m not even there yet.

We have been blessed (and that doesn’t even seem to be a strong enough word) with folks on several continents who have stepped up to be our tour guides on what to bring and what to leave behind. One woman in particular has gone so far above and beyond the bonds of Christian fellowship (for people she has never met!) that I am just, well … humbled. (Sense the theme here?) People with whom we share blood, people who we’ve known for decades, people who have far more cause to be invested in us– well, they’ve done far less by way of smoothing this transition practically, relationally, and spiritually. And yet, she has been the hands and feet of Jesus to us as every turn. My heart for hospitality is a mockery compared to hers. May I learn from her example and love more fully through this experience!

In the end, what makes the cut? What is worth the time, the space, the cost? Naturally, it all depends on your destination, your individual family, and your needs. But here’s a peek inside our boxes as we prepare to depart:

Clothes. We’ve packed a few key clothing items for the whole family (long johns), some harder to find items of quality that will hand down well (zippered, footed pjs for the littles), and the things that will be nearly impossible to find on the ground in Nepal. One need for clothing revolves around the height of our older boys and the average height of a Nepali man. Having clothing made is definitely an option, but in the beginning, we’ll at least have things that fit and can be used as patterns for later on.

School supplies. I am encouraged daily by a facebook group based in Nepal that gives me peeks into what’s available, where to go, and what to expect in the landscape of homeschooling. I am pretty sure I am bringing too much in this area, but I suppose this is my “what if?” area. I have packed, essentially, full curriculum for one year, with the knowledge that travelers can carry over reinforcements in the future. Still, Phin’s resources, and the sheer number of kids being educated, seem to take up a lot of boxes. I wonder if I’ll be kicking myself in six month’s time for worrying over this item or that.

Toys, games, and puzzles. We’re not overly big individual toy people, but we are huge game people. We have creatively repackaged many of our family’s favorites to make them more transportable. The downside is that my littlest ones will probably grow up thinking that all puzzles come bagged, with a small copy of the master image slipped inside. I figure it’s a small price to pay for durable, proven activities that will outlast even my whole brood. Also, with Birdie’s specific allergies, it seems safer to stick with known paints, dyes, and coatings rather than experiementing with a whole house of new-to-her items that might trigger reactions. Plus, there’s monsoon season. And really … if you can’t do much outside for a whole stretch of season, you may as well settle in for hours of Sorry!, right?

The “us” stuff. I am taking yarn, my needles, and my sewing machine. (Yes, really.) Christopher is taking both indoor and outdoor soccer shoes. Mary Hannah is taking an arsenal of musical goodness. Mathaus is taking his stories. Jack is taking his Legos. John Mark is taking his Legos. Phineas is taking his Lincoln Logs. Birdie is taking her babies. Simon is taking me… and some Thomas trains. These are the comfort things, the “home is where the heart is” of our material world. In our toughest moments of loss and grief and What were we thinking?!?!, these items are the soft place to fall.

Technology. We’re Mac people. And despite it’s ubiquitousness, Apple still hasn’t quite figured out how to penetrate the market in Nepal. So we’re blazing the trail by bringing what we need. School, work, life … technology is ingrained everywhere, it seems. And oh, yes: my camera is coming. Because what would I do without it?

The health stuff. Specific meds, an emergency kit, industrial strength insect repellant, filtering water bottles for travel emergencies … not the stuff of a normal shopping trip, but all in the “just in case” pile that we’ll be lugging with us.

And that, for the most part, is the bulk of what travels with us. Some days it feels like too much, others, too little. I know, already, that in a year, I will laugh at some of the things I felt were important, and bemoan my lack of attention to other areas. In the end, all we can do is guess, pray, ask around, and make the calls. And when we unpack on the other side, we can begin the process of figuring out how well we did.

One thought on “All that you can’t leave behind

  1. You’re doing an amazing job at downsizing and packing. It’s inspirational to watch.

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