Next stop? Juba? Bangui? Goma? P-a-P? Bamako?
Guess again: Brindisi, Italy
Yes, all new peace operations staff go "via"
Brindisi for Civilian Pre-deployment Training, or CPT, at the UN Global Service Centre,
which happens to be located in the up-and-coming Puglia region of Italy (a.k.a.
“the heel of the boot”). Unfortunately,
Brindisi is not the crowning jewel of the province (see, e.g., Lecce, Salento, Trani, Ostuni).
That said, Brindisi does have (1) a centro storico, or old town, smack on the Adriatic, (2) good food if you avoid the tourist traps, and (3) last shot shopping options before you head to Mogadishu. Don't forget that Italy has seasons, so you will find few swimsuit or summer gear options in November or winter coats for Mazar-e-Sharif in June.
That said, Brindisi does have (1) a centro storico, or old town, smack on the Adriatic, (2) good food if you avoid the tourist traps, and (3) last shot shopping options before you head to Mogadishu. Don't forget that Italy has seasons, so you will find few swimsuit or summer gear options in November or winter coats for Mazar-e-Sharif in June.
Along with the little boutiques in the centro storico (which may not exactly help with the practical requirements
of mission life, but who am I to suggest you don't need those stiletto heels?), the shopping center Le Colonne has H&M, Zara, Benetton,
Sisley, Bata, and ipercoop – an Italian supermarket. There is a city bus line
running straight to the mall parking lot (ask at your hotel desk). Further out
of town is the second shopping centre anchored by French hypermarket Auchan, which
also has a Euronics for electronics and a Piazza Italia next door (think cheap
Italian clothes – the 100% cotton polo shirts in a rainbow of solid colours at €6/each
are one recommendation).
Pre-deployment shopping lists are very subjective, but as this
is Jeffrey’s site, this is Jeffrey’s list (not to say suggestions aren’t welcome
in the comments section):
Vape Herbal Salviette
Antipuntura (mosquito repellent wipes)
Item Number One on the list - people ask where I get these
every time I am deployed. They are brilliant mosquito repellent wipes – so no
need to choke the entire dinner table with spray, or smear weird mosquito
repellent cremes on yourself. Passed the
test in Guinea-Bissau, Mali, South Sudan, and Timor-Leste, as they should, given
that despite the “herbal” moniker they contain DEET. Better cancer later than a
terminal case of malaria today. Also
comes in a pump spray. Available at
ipercoop.
Quarta coffee
From
Lecce, this espresso is relatively inexpensive (under €3 a bag) and competes
well with its higher priced Italian cousins such as Illy. If you are a real
caffè aficionado pick up a Bialetti eletrikka (yes, it works will all
voltages – my travel set is a permanent travel companion) or, if you will have a
functional burner, grab a Bialetti mokka. Don’t forget your tazze e cucchiai.
Citronella candles.
Well, yeah. If you forgot yours, you can pick some up in Brindisi (in spring/summer)
at ipercoop, Auchan, Leroy Merlin…
Borotalco dry powder deodorant
(grey stick with green top).
Some people sweat like pigs, and if I were one
of them, I might have found that this actually helps in sub-Saharan heat. Find
the scent too baby-powderish generally (prefer smelling like the cologne of my own
choosing), but in unrelenting heat surrounded by ‘the great unwashed’ this does
the trick.
Decathlon – the
French among you will know this store; if you are from Texas think Euro-style “Academy”. Located by Le Colonne, but no sidewalks so a strange walking experience.
Some mission favorites:
-
PowerBars (you never know when they may come in handy)
- €6 solid colour swim trunks
- New Feel sneakers – you buy the insole separately, the idea being that you can buy 2 or more exteriors and just change the insole. Anyhow, a pair of sneaks in funky colours will run you about €20 or €25 for the water resistant version – I recommend the latter, they are my mission go-to casual shoes.
- Microfibre towel – dries in minutes, and packs a lot smaller than regular towels. Not as pleasant after a shower as cotton, so
my back-up.
Before you get to
Brindisi:
Load up on music/movies/TV series
Anything. Really, anything. After a month even the nasty sluttely Kardashians will be entertainment (or at least a reason to hate LA, or just fake boobs and total d#*%head guys). (Non US readers - no, people in The Flyover™ do not live like that - they may be uncouth, but really...)
Mrs. Whites Unstung
Hero – Natural Spray AntiMosquito Eau de Cologne
This “Lemon Tea fragrance” is natural – no DEET - so won’t
give you cancer. It actually smells like a nice unisex summer cologne and it
passed the test in both Timor-Leste and Mali (I forgot to take it to South
Sudan and hadn’t found it before Guinea-Bissau). Downside: you have to order it
in advance (I get it from Roullier White in the UK) and it comes in a travel-unfriendly
glass bottle.
Malin+Goetz Bug Spray
Found this in their boutique in Chelsea, and haven’t tried
it out but if you are in NY pick some up – comes in a much more travel friendly
plastic bottle than Mrs. Whites, and on-line reviews rate the two equally.
Disclaimer: they weren’t testing it in a malaria zone.
Dominica Bay Rum –
From the Commonwealth of Dominica, a nice tropical toner/cologne/splash for about $20. I get mine at Orvis, but it is available elsewhere too.
For container
living:
Remember trying to
make your cinderblock dorm room seem less inhospitable? Multiply that by a
thousand and that is trying to sort your container out.
- Hot plate
- Pot, skillet (a pot with built in pasta strainer in the lid is golden)
- Cotton sheets and a light cotton blanket (e.g., Ikea’s cheap-as-chips FABRINA or INDIRA bedspreads, both 100% cotton, and both cheap enough to leave behind )
- Seat cushion for your folding metal chair
- Cheap flatware & dinnerware. Again, IKEA bottom of the line is great
- Kitchen towels & potholder
- Cheap tablecloth or placemats for your ugly UN-issue table/desk
- Anything to add a bit of colour to the white metal that is a container.
- Mosquito net for bed
- Coffee maker/hot pot
- Favourite spices or condiments (for me, Knorr chipotle cubes and Zataar)
