Packing
One evening Dad got out the suitcases and said, “It’s time to begin packing. Weeks ago we shipped some trunks home. Now we pack what we take on the plane.”
“You each have a suitcase and your backpack,” added Mom. “Of course, you need to pack your clothes. Then you can add whatever else you want to take, up to 20 kilograms. That’s all the airline will let you take.”
“I’ll never get everything in,” sighed Esther. “I already sent books in the trunks we shipped, but I know that I can’t get everything I want in a suitcase. Even if I could, it would be too heavy.”
“That’s true for all of us,” said Dad. “I would suggest sorting things into four piles.
“First pile: Things here that you want to take with you.
“Second pile: Things you want to put in storage to have when we come back.
“Third pile: Things you want to give to friends.
“Fourth pile: Things you want to sell or to donate to nationals who live here.
“You might even need a fifth pile for things you borrowed from friends and haven’t returned yet.”
Dan said, “That sounds like a good idea. What if the first pile has too much to get in our suitcase?”
“Then you sort it again and put more things in the other piles. Keep sorting until you’re able to get everything in your suitcase and backpack,” said Dad.
Mom added, “You may have to do that for the second pile as well. We do have storage here, but it won’t hold everything.”
“OK,” said Esther. “When Ruth and I get eight or ten piles around our room there won’t even be room to walk.”
Everyone began sorting. Dan noticed that Paul had put his ragged old teddy bear in the pile to take, “Why are you taking that, Paul? It takes up a lot of room. Throw it away and get a new one when we get back to our passport country if you still want one.”
“I don’t want a new one,” said Paul. “I like this one. I’ve had it a long time, and it’s like an old friend.”
“You sound like a baby,” said Dan.
Mom was walking by just then. She stuck her head in the door. “That’s enough of that, Dan. Paul’s not acting like a baby. Each person has things that mean a lot to him or her. Just because you don’t want a teddy bear doesn’t mean Paul shouldn’t.”
“But it’s faded, and one eye is missing,” said Dan. “A new one would be a lot nicer.”
“Paul, a new one would just be a teddy bear,” said Mom. “It wouldn’t have all of the memories with it that this one has.”
“OK,” said Dan. “He can take what he wants.”
“Of course, he can,” said Mom. “And you can take what you want. Paul may think your old scarred softball isn’t worth taking, but you can take it if you want.”
“But it’s the one I hit for the home run that won the tournament,” said Dan.
“Exactly,” said Mom. “It has value for you—the memories.”
Over in their room Esther and Ruth were talking about packing their backpacks. Ruth asked, “How do you know what to put in your backpack and what to put in your suitcase?”
“In your backpack be sure you put things you’ll need on the way home. Like your toothbrush and a snack,” said Esther.
“I’ll need something to do on the plane,” said Ruth. “Can I take a toy too?”
“Sure,” said Esther. “Just be sure that you take one that’s small enough to leave room for other things. And take one that’s light. A backpack can get really heavy carrying it around the airport on a long layover.”
“What else should I put in my backpack?” asked Ruth.
“Take things that are really special to you,” Esther replied. “Things that you do not ever want to lose, like the picture of you and Grandma when she visited here. Sometimes the airline loses suitcases. They usually come in a day or two later, but sometimes they are lost forever.”
Ruth said, “That sounds like a good idea.”
“Oh, yes,” said Esther. “Also take things you don’t want dropped or crushed. Dad always carries his computer in his backpack. It’s big and heavy, but he doesn’t want it in suitcases that are tossed around and piled on each other.”
“OK,” said Ruth. “I think I understand now. I’ll take all I can. But I’ll remember that I have to carry it myself.”
Things to do and think about
1. Sort out things you are going to throw away, and throw them away now.
2. Sort out things that you are going to give to friends and give them away now if they are things you will not need anymore. Remember that when you give them away, you can’t take them back—ever.
3. If you have things you have borrowed from other people, return them now if you won’t need them before you leave.
4. If you and others in your family have things you want to sell, you may want to sell them now. That will save you time when you are packing.