Gift for someone starting a new life overseas
November 15, 2013 3:05 PM Subscribe
I have a friend who is extremely social and environmental conscious. She has been an activist for most of her life not because she woke up one day and decide to be one, but because she sees where the need is and get busy. She is an Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who volunteered for a month duration in Haiti after earthquake hit in 2010. During her service at Haiti, she saw what she was doing was just a stop gap measure and not really in any way helping Haitian to better their medical service and delivery. So she came back and got busy with getting a master degree in Public Health. Now she got a job of a lifetime to go over to Rwanda for Partner's in Health to oversee and train nurses in 3 hospitals and 30 clinics. This assignment is indefinite, meaning she will be starting a brand new life.
Before she leaves, her group of friends would love to present her with a gift for the countless lives she has touched here, but we are at a loss as to what. She is not materialistic at all and don't want extra baggage to bring to Rwanda.
Any suggestions?
Before she leaves, her group of friends would love to present her with a gift for the countless lives she has touched here, but we are at a loss as to what. She is not materialistic at all and don't want extra baggage to bring to Rwanda.
Any suggestions?
Here's a better personal water filter: Sawyer Mini
100,000 gallons (v. 1000 liters in the one above) and better protozoa filtering. It needs to be protected from freezing, but it screws onto many kinds of water bottles and weighs only 2 oz (dry--it's closer to 3 oz after it gets wet). Lots and lots of backcountry hikers have switched to this filter.
Some people also take these tablets for backup or for when using a filter isn't very convenient.
posted by BlooPen at 7:07 PM on November 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
100,000 gallons (v. 1000 liters in the one above) and better protozoa filtering. It needs to be protected from freezing, but it screws onto many kinds of water bottles and weighs only 2 oz (dry--it's closer to 3 oz after it gets wet). Lots and lots of backcountry hikers have switched to this filter.
Some people also take these tablets for backup or for when using a filter isn't very convenient.
posted by BlooPen at 7:07 PM on November 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
A Kindle or mini-iPad pre-loaded with lots of things and subscriptions to lots of magazines. One with an international warrenty, if they come with those. So so useful and small enough to carry around with her. Get an awesome cover for it with a great photo of all of you, or an inspiring quote she loves. If she's going out in the field where electricity is unreliable, the solar powered generator things are an indulgence and very helpful. If she's in the city, no point.
I wouldn't bother with the water filter thing - she's much more likely to get a more suitable one recommended by her colleagues or find a different approach.
Great luggage if she's moving around a lot and will be traveling by plane. The cheap stuff breaks down fast and damages contents (she may not be materialistic but she may be bringing along medical stuff as she goes from place to place), and a good backpack, carry on and larger matched set will be used for years. Samsonite does lots of nice sturdy sets.
Things to pack for Kigali - oh yes to the harddrive preloaded with lots and lots of seasons of TV! Saves all the time wasted on downloads and when you don't have reliable wifi.
posted by viggorlijah at 1:48 AM on November 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't bother with the water filter thing - she's much more likely to get a more suitable one recommended by her colleagues or find a different approach.
Great luggage if she's moving around a lot and will be traveling by plane. The cheap stuff breaks down fast and damages contents (she may not be materialistic but she may be bringing along medical stuff as she goes from place to place), and a good backpack, carry on and larger matched set will be used for years. Samsonite does lots of nice sturdy sets.
Things to pack for Kigali - oh yes to the harddrive preloaded with lots and lots of seasons of TV! Saves all the time wasted on downloads and when you don't have reliable wifi.
posted by viggorlijah at 1:48 AM on November 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have moved from country to country multiple times and people would regularly buy me 'gifts' before I went. The problem is that there is a limited amount of stuff you can bring and I would generally end up having to leave stuff behind that was bought for me. Because of that, I would recommend something like the video homodachi recommended.
posted by Literaryhero at 4:29 AM on November 16, 2013
posted by Literaryhero at 4:29 AM on November 16, 2013
How about a customized photo book, from Shutterfly, etc? It could include pictures of loved ones and those whose lives she has touched.
posted by dreaming in stereo at 8:24 PM on November 16, 2013
posted by dreaming in stereo at 8:24 PM on November 16, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions. Things to pack for Kigali site is great although she is not heading to that city. Nice to see a community of ex-pats.
posted by gloturtle at 11:25 PM on November 16, 2013
posted by gloturtle at 11:25 PM on November 16, 2013
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Longer-term: people living overseas really need someone at home who can send them requested creature comforts that they can't order on the internet. Your friend won't know what those things are until she's been there for a few months. Even when the person overseas offers to compensate for cost & shipping it can still be hard to find someone to do that for them. If you (and/or your friends) can consistently play that role for her, it's a very big deal.
posted by homodachi at 3:17 PM on November 15, 2013 [5 favorites]