Care packages :)

Hi friends and family.  A lot of people have been asking if there is anything I would like/need.  Thanks for asking, because there is!  Since my diet consists almost completely of starches (rice, millet, and pasta) and the fact that the only fruit/veggie available in my village is squash, I would love to have some things to add a little variety to my diet (and things that I just plain miss).  Keep in mind that in my mud hut I only have a stovetop (no oven and no fridge) BUT I do have access to an oven and a fridge at our regional hostel.  Don’t feel tied to this list; it’s just to give you an idea of the types of things I miss and can’t find here.  Thanks so much!  

 

 

Snacks/food:

Velveeta cheese

Parmesan cheese

Granola Bars

Cliff Bars

Dried Fruit

Dried/dehydrated veggies

Packaged/canned chicken

Restaurant sized dressing packets

Pretzels (honey wheat, nuggets or sticks)

Fig Newtons (fruit flavored)

Oreos (especially mint Oreos!)

Chocolate (Peanut Butter MMs, candy bars, etc)

Marshmellows

Little Debbies (brownies, coffee cakes, etc)

Fruit snacks

Trail Mix

Jello/pudding mixes

Muffin/cake/cookie/brownie mixes

Seasoning packets (ex: pesto, tomato basil sauce, alfredo, etc)

Breakfast foods

Turkey Jerky

Soft tortillas

Lipton white tea w/raspberry mix

Crystal light green tea w/raspberry mix

Funfetti cake mix 

Baking cocoa powder

 

Stuff:

A good book

CDs (Gospel, hymns, folk, classical, international, jazz, oldies, Jack Johnson, Bethany Dillon, Norah Jones, Marty Feldhake CD #2, anything you like)

 

Cat toys or treats (my kitten gets bored)

Fluoride rinse (ACT) 

Sharpies (just a few) 

Apricot face scrub

Pictures of you and fun things in America (my host family loves to see pictures)

 

Please do not send:  (I can get these things here all year)

Rice, peanut butter, powdered milk, oatmeal, tomato paste, toilet paper, or pasta.

 

Postage tips:  There are two sizes of flat-rate boxes available at the post office.  A small flat-rate box costs $35 to send and a large is $50.  It’s normally cheaper to send these rather than your own box and you can pack up to 20 lbs of goodies inside.  Also, put anything liquid or prone to melting/leaking in a ziplock bag.  To cut down on shipping fees go in on a care package with your friends, your office, your class, your church, your family, etc!  Packages take about a month to arrive, so plan accordingly J  Thanks again for thinking of me!  You have no idea how much I appreciate it.