We will strike through the items on this list that we have received/don't need right now, and update it often.
**See below for tips on shipping**
MOST APPRECIATED NOW-NOW:
- Whatever special thing you want to send us, including your favorite music, books, mags, anything you want us to see that we are missing out on in America
COOKING AND FOOD
- Carmel sauce (not syrup) for coffee[ie: a bottle you would find at a coffee shop, not in the ice cream toppings section of the grocery store :)]
- Kraft Mac and Cheese!!!!!
- “As seen on TV” Ice Cream Maker ball
Cooking (meat) thermometer- Starbucks VIA micro-ground coffee packets [or any other brand of micro-ground coffee. Please avoid sending instant coffee as that is all that is available here
- Oven thermometer (you would laugh if you knew how the ovens work here!)
- Pumpkin spice coffee syrup
- Chocolate Chips, M&M's or Toffee Pieces, or anything that can go in a cookie (our introduction of American cookies here has been popular! Pack in a ziplock)
- Nuts (cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia, pistacio)
- Dried Blueberries, Cranberries, and other Berries
- Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate (pack in a ziplock)
- Good quality dark chocolate (pack in a ziplock)
- Graham Crackers
- "Better than Bouillon" Chicken, beef or Vegetable base
- Albacore canned Tuna Fish
- Healthy Snacks (there is virtually nothing to snack on here)
- Real Maple Syrup
- Maple extract or essence
- Kraft Mac and Cheese!!!!!
Rennet (for cheese making)- Garlic salt
- Cinnamon
- Red Robins fry seasoning salt
- Good quality Ranch dressing mix packets (no msg please) or Newmans Own (or other quality brand) ranch dressing in a plastic bottle
- Boxed desserts (Jello chocolate pudding, Ghiradelli brownie mix)
- Peperoni (the full stick)
- Sumatra, Columbian (etc) coffee beans
- Kraft Mac N Cheese!
AROUND THE HOUSE
- Outdoor thermometer (centigrade-Fahrenheit therms are helpful)
- One Nalgene bottle
- Citronella candles
- Citronella oil
- Board Games
- Fruit Seeds (right now we need raspberry, strawberry, honeydew melon, or anything that doesn’t grow on a tree, beside watermelon which we have)
Gardening gloves- Ziplock bags in various sizes (except the 'snack' size)
- Current magazines (pop culture, news, pop science, fashion, creative home, outdoors, health, etc)
- Current newspapers
- New music that you like!! (thumb drive or CD)
Stationary to write you with- Scented Candles
Latest 2 or 3 seasons of: Glee, How I met you Mother, 30 Rock, Daily Show (any), Modern Family, Sopranos, Castle, anything new and good-put on thumb drive or cd)- Latest movies of any genre
- LETTERS, POST CARDS, PERSONAL ART, PICTURES, POSTERS, etc, that we can put around our house
- Water colors with brush, markers, craft paper, craft supplies
TOILETRIES
- Plackers floss/picks (please avoid sending any other brand-they all break in your teeth)
- Nivea for MEN shaving cream
Kleenex Cottonelle Fresh wipes-the refill packs and travel singles- Opti-free Replenish contact solution- all purpose/ No Rub formula
- Bauch and Lomb Saline solution Plus for sensitive eyes
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion- Aveeno Nourish + condition leave-in treatment for hair
- Burts Bees
lip balmand Intensive lotions Travel size hand sanitizer- Any travel sized toiletries!
Special gifts:
For Amanda:
- Aveeno Nourish + condition leave-in treatment for hair
- Maxi dress- size Medium or 7/8 (nothing low cut please)!
- Light-weight, cute hat (not baseball style) the wider the brim the better
- Top-of-the-knee length or longer, light-weight skirts - size Medium (or 7/8
- Very light weight, light colored shirts (casual or nice- but nothing shiny, sparkling, glittering)- size medium
- Very light weight, breathable sleeveless dress shirts (collar, button-up,etc) -size medium
- Very light weight, flowy 'tunic' or 'beach' or 'gypsie' style shirts-size medium
Very light weight scarf/wrap- Very sturdy-wedge or no heals- sandals (that you could walk through sand in)- size 9
- lounge wear for at home (capris, light, loose tops, tank tops)-size M
Paul Mitchel Tea Tree shampoo/conditioner- Any skincare products by Origins or Clinique (especially travel size)
- Gap "So pink" Or Victoria's Secret "Pink" small bottle of perfume
- Clinique High Impact Curling mascara-black (01) or Maybeline Great Lash mascara- black
- Eye shadow (I like Revlon color stay or clinique)
Makeup remover (water goes out a lot here!)Earrings backed in gold or silver -not longer than 1" ish (I'm allergic to all other metals and I left all mine at home), stylish necklaces and other accessories, such as a wide belt
(The clothes that I need are " desert proof" , sweat proof/very breathable items- it is very hot here, but for some reason, Batswana don't seem to care or alter their dress for the heat . They still dress quite formally, with regular, thick business dress materials, despite the heat. Therefore light (as in weight) flowing clothing is very hard to find (and expensive on our budget).
Also because of the formality, I cannot wear tank tops unless the 'straps' are roughly 1.5" or thicker or it is under a (light) wrap of some sort. There are no taxis in Gumare and it is covered in sand, so we walk everywhere and it takes a long time.
Finally, hand washing clothes really takes a toll on them very quickly, so our clothes are starting to disintegrate. Therefore , clothes that are sturdy looking are appreciated!)
For Todd:
- American Crew (brand) mint shampoo
- Shoes or
sandals- size 11 - Wrinkle free/stain free slacks [Dockers makes a good one], in a darkish khaki or a darker color- size 32x32
Wrinkle free/stain free dress shirts (or regular dress shirts), long or short sleeve- size M- Good quality Tshirts/casual shirts
Tiesundershirt tanks (sleeveless t-shirts?)light weight pocket knife- other manly stuff
- cheap notebook dividers (prefer A4 but I know its hard to find)
(As with the above message, Due to the heat very lightweight material clothing is best)
Shipping Tips:
-
- Re-pack food items in a ziplock bag - especially items that will melt and all candies
- Don't send items in glass bottles-opt for plastic [except small spice jars and candles-those should be ok]
- The cheapest way to ship is using a padded envelope: Place all items in a sturdy bag and then inside the envelope (for when the envelope gets slit/cut/torn en route, the items will remain in the bag)
- Second cheapest is the USPS Flat Rate box (can ship up to 20 lbs for about $45)
- Pack all items tight- don't leave any room for them to flop around. We love reading newspapers, so make use of those and pad your box with them!
- If sending scented items or hygiene items (like lotion,soap), be sure to NOT send them in the same package as with any food items. The food will take on the scent, even if bagged separately!!!
- Declaring and addressing:
Don't declare even mildly expensive items on the Customs content label. Always write things like "candy, letters, pens, stickers, gum, paper, spices, magazines" etc. Packages coming from America are assumed to be very valuable, and you don't want to give some random Shmo working in the system a reason to
You might even want to address it to Pastors Todd and Amanda Wright, or something of that
