We expect to rely on the kindness of strangers more than once or twice on our trip. We tried to think of something simple, lightweight and meaningful to give as gifts for such occasions. Given World Cup competition in South Africa this summer, we thought that soccer balls might be just the thing.

Thanks to help from Ken and Mary at Sport About, they outfitted us with a variety of sizes and an inflation pump for each ball. I picked them up on Thursday, and we were a little dismayed at how much space they occupy. Up until now, we each had our carry-on suitcase and small backpack, plus one smallish duffel to check with items like our first aid kit, small tools and mass quantities of insect repellent (not the 3-ounce size!). We may have one more small checked bag to accommodate the trappings of the diplomatic part of our trip – a small price to pay for a meaningful way to say, “twa to te la.”