Want and Need

     The idea of going on a three-month journey is still so surreal, even though it is mere days away.  Tuesday was my last teaching day, and it was a quite a struggle to get all papers graded, mid-quarters in, and to feel like the kids were left in capable hands (which they are).  Mahalo nui loa to Mrs. Stepien, Mr. Teramae, Dr. Iwashita and the sixth grade teachers as well as the rest of the Lower School faculty for supporting my adventure.  It would not be possible without you.  A big thank you, also, to 6F, 6G and 6Ko for being excited for me...I'll miss you all!  I look forward to hearing how wonderful you all were in the last month of school,  so make me proud!
     This morning, it is time to focus on getting ready.  The hardest part is narrowing down the items I really will be bringing.  Space on board is somewhat limited, so I need to think very carefully about the things I "need" vs. "want."  The funny thing is that now, I am so used to having everything that is in my closet/house available, that I see the "want" more.  I guarantee that when I return, my mindset will be focused on the "need." 
     So what do I NEED to bring? First of all, clothes.  The clothing considerations break down along two lines: what you wear when you might get wet and what you wear when you'll be dry.  Although we'll be visiting land frequently, so fresh water washing should be available, clothes most likely will be laundered in salt water, and need to dry quickly.  I'll need clothes for sailing (surfshorts, swim suits, drifit/capilene shirts), clothes for land (regular shirts/shorts/jeans), and foul weather gear (heavy rain jacket and pants).
     In addition, I will need accessories (hat, sunglasses, etc.), shoes, sunscreen (lots of it!),  camping towels, sea soap (soap that works in salt water), a basic first aid kit (Neosporin, Advil, Benadryl, band aids, etc), basic toiletries, a sleeping bag and a pillow. 
     Another issue for the "need" category is that the end of the trip will be a sail from tropical waters and warm weather to a New Zealand winter.  Therefore, I need to pack a second set of sailing clothes and land clothes that will keep me warm!  This includes waterproof boots, ski socks and windproof gloves.  I'm thinking of bringing a LOT of towel wipes, because I'm not sure how bathing in winter conditions is going to work (rinsing with buckets of salt water in an open area on the canoe).
     A third "need" consideration, one that I'm working out with my friend Michelle Kapana-Baird, a teacher at Kaiser High School, who is sailing with me, is gifts for the people we know and the people we meet.  We both have friends on the canoes, as well as friends in Tahiti that we would like to bring gifts for.  I also have close friends in Rarotonga...and who knows who we will meet along the way?
     The items on my "want" list that I am debating right now are my laptop and my hard drive.  I want to bring more clothes than I need, so I'm getting out the "wants" and will start narrowing down.  Some things that I "want" and I have chosen to bring are a journal, my camera (including picture cards, underwater case), entertainment (books, iPod, cards, cribbage board), navigation information, one credit card, an ATM card (it's pretty cool to use an ATM to get foreign cash!), spending money (I picked up some Tahitian francs and some New Zealand dollars, which can be used in the Cook Islands, too), and of course, chargers for everything. The canoe's electrical system was wired in New Zealand, so I need to bring the correct adapters to use on board, as well as for the islands we'll be visiting. 
     One more "need" that I will add before wrapping up this installment is knowledge of the places I am going.  Knowing how to act respectfully in each island group goes a long way towards making positive connections.  How do people dress?  What behaviors are considered inappropriate?  What will people expect from us?  A lot to learn!  Sixth graders - I'm trying to avoid a real life "Heelotia" situation (I hope you all remember that)!
     If you think about it, living on a canoe is like living on an island.  What do we "want" to have on our islands?  What do we really "need"?