Peace Corps volunteers are allowed 2 bags.  The dimensions of the bags must not be greater than 107 inches (length, width and depth combined).  The bags cannot weigh more than 80 pounds combined and no single bag can weigh more than 50 pounds.

So how do you fit two years of your life into 80 pounds and 107 inches?  Start with a list.

12 Tank tops
16 short sleeve tees  (all cotton or cotton poly blend)
8 lightweight long sleeve tees  
2 polos
Zip-up fleece
Rain jacket
2 American Apparel multi-wear dress/skirts
2 Multi-wear wrap skirts made from recycled saris
5 pairs of lightweight pants (cargo and linen)
Jeans
PJ Pants & Shorts
Underwear (too many.  Stopped counting at 30)
Bras (too many.  No Victoria’s Secret Stores in Senegal) 
Bathing suit
A couple of scarves  
Shoes 
     Chaco sandals
     Keen H2 hybrid closed toe sandals
     Reef flip flops
     Dressy flats

Towel & washcloth
Three pairs of prescription glasses
Sunglasses
Year supply of disposable contacts
Year supply of contact lens solution
2 in 1 Pantene Volume shampoo and conditioner
Olay soap
St. Ives facewash
Schick Intuition Razor and a two year supply of refills
2 sticks of deodorant
3 soft toothbrushes & 3 tubes of toothpaste
Tons of hairbands & bobbypins
Small Mirror
Fingernail & toenail clippers
Tweezers
Cosmetics (waterproof eyeliner and mascara)
Burts Bees lip balm
Vaseline Protecting Body Lotion with SPF15
Bug repellent
Sunscreen
3 months of Birthcontrol (Peace Corps supplies prescriptions after training)
Divacup

Hand sanitizer
Nalgene & Sigg waterbottles
Nonstick frying pan & spatula
Large and Small Ziplock Bags
Gummy bears/worms
Chocolate candy
Hard candies
Mexican seasonings
BBQ seasonings

Digital camera and memory cards
Unlocked cell phone & charger
Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries
USB flash drive
Laptop
Ipod & Iphone
Extra Headphones
Solio solar charger
Blank CD/DVDs (For backing up photos and documents)
Plug Adapter 
Leatherman multi-tool 
Shortwave radio
Sleep sheet
Warm blanket
Pillow
Battery-powered alarm clock
Headlamp

Plastic document/file folder
Pencils & pens (RSVP fine tip-my favorite)
Moleskine journals & notebooks
Stationary & envelopes
Scissors
Duct tape
Photos of family and friends

Books 
     501 French Verbs
     French Dictionary 
     Pride and Prejudice  --Jane Austen 
     The Symposium --Plato
     Three Cups of Tea  --Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
     I have a couple dozen books uploaded onto my iphone via the Stanza App

To carry it all a Northface daypack, Eagle Creek maidenvoyage travel pack & large rolling duffel.  Whew.

So there it is!  I will come back an update it with a commentary after I have been in country for a year and let you know what is helpful and what wasn’t worth its weight.

So I’ve been shopping and stocking up on essentials for almost 3 months now.

         
Panicking a little bit…