Hi, so, lemme go ahead and preface this real quick.
I am NOT good at accepting help or gifts. I’m also not super great at being the center of attention.
Ironic, yeah? Cause this blog is all about me.
Hoooowever. I’ve had lots of you reach out to ask “omg this is so cool HOW CAN I SUPPORT YOU?!” after I mentioned I’m quitting my full-time job, ditching my 401(k), bailing on my student loans and uprooting my life to move overseas and serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer for two years.
Enter… my Amazon wish list!
So, yeah. The whole uprooting my life to move overseas and serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer for two years? It’s really cool and all… but also, kinda financially daunting. As you can imagine, the job title “Volunteer” doesn’t exactly pay big dollars.
Peace Corps will give me a stipend of a few hundred dollars a month. It’ll be enough to live at or sliiiightly below the level of my community members.
This is intentional. Basically Peace Corps doesn’t want us Americans obnoxiously stomping into our host countries, flinging dollar bills around being like “yo, in case ya forgot, America is rich AF.”
It’s respectable and I commend it. I’m definitely not doing this for the money, guys.
HOWEVER. (Lots of “howevers,” here) — preparing to serve in the Peace Corps? Kinda expensive.
I had to pay four figures out of pocket for various medical appointments, procedures, tests, immunizations and bills that were mandatory to get my medical clearance. (My four-figure tab was AFTER my company-provided PPO insurance plan covered what it did. Can we fix this country’s whackass health care system, for real?)
I have to buy tons of random shit in the next few weeks (stuff you wouldn’t even think about — like a Cyrillic alphabet MacBook keyboard cover!) to prepare.
I won’t be contributing to a retirement fund or any other type of savings account for several years.
I’m also — and this is the strangest thing I’m struggling to come to terms with — not allowed to side hustle.
YOU GUYS KNOW ME. For the past decade-plus, I’ve always had a full time job plus at least two side hustles!
This will be the first time in my life that I won’t simply be able to up and say “I could use a bit more cash SO I’ll just pick up a third job/ some extra cleaning shifts/ a new freelance client/ a few more yoga classes/ etc.” due to work visa restrictions/ Peace Corps policies/ etc.
Granted, I am very fortunate. My medical care will be covered during my service and my stipend should cover most of my living expenses. I do have a very small savings account I’ve contributed to over the course of my adult life that should cover me if I ever need to book an emergency flight home.
But still, no salary for years? It’s terrifying!
So, enter, my Amazon wish list. Prime Day is coming up (wow, I timed this well) so a lot of this stuff might actually be available for a discount soon.
Look at me, being all methodical with my money-grabbing and all.
Keep in mind this isn’t even everything I need to buy. I’m sparing you the details on more personal things I’ve gotta buy like long underwear (getting super sexy for those unheated Stalinist-style former soviet buildings!) and menstrual cups (Did you know tampons are not only expensive, but also are kinda hard to find in Ukraine?!)
It includes a lot of silly little useful things, like outlet adapters, contact solution and other toiletries, portable battery packs, a coffee thermos, cosmetics, etc.
It’s also got some big ticket items on it, too. Some are a liiittle luxious-sounding for a Peace Corps volunteer — but I promise — having a 2TB external hard drive stocked with English-language movies, music and TV shows will go a loooong way in keeping me sane when I’m the only native English speaker in my rural Ukrainian community.
And, finally, if you don’t know what to get me or don’t wanna drop $200 on some luggage? Amazon gift cards for the win. If an $8 set of carabiner clips feels like a weird gift, heeereee ya go! Gift cards are always a safe bet. I will DEFINITELY use these to buy various things ranging from those super awkward personal items (see: long underwear) to toiletries to cosmetics to packable American foods (see: ranch dressing!) to Kindle books.
Also: Please don’t send me money. I do not want or need cash.
Some of this stuff is kind of trivial, I know, but keep in mind, you’re under nooooo obligation to buy any of it for me. 🤗 But if you’ve wanted to help, in some way, as I prepare for this massive undertaking, this is an option!
This is also tooootally anonymous unless you voluntarily leave a name, if that helps!
(If you leave a name, expect a thank you card! In English, you’re welcome.)
Oh, and in case you were curious? Here’s the “suggested” packing list for Ukraine-bound Peace Corps volunteers. It’s pretty helpful and/ or amusing, depending on your point of view.
Anyway, a very preemptive and humble thank you. I’m off to pack up some boxes, now.
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