Two bags, 80 pounds of stuff.

Who'd have believed an old life could fit so neatly into checked baggage?

Laura Maria Roberts flew to Miami Wednesday with a pared-down wardrobe suitable for tropical weather, a camera, a few sundries and big hopes.

She said she joined the Peace Corps because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of people who often do without something the rest of us take for granted: clean water.

"I really like the idea that I'm still using my engineering [degree] and my skills for something productive and useful," said Ms. Roberts, 23, a graduate of Peters Township High School and Bucknell University.

In her senior year at Bucknell, she'd been working on a water pumping system design in one class, while taking a course in third-world development.

"That kind of sparked things a little. At the time, I thought, 'I really should do this.'"

Instead, she took a job in nuclear engineering with Westinghouse at $54,000 a year. It wasn't for her.

"Even when I was applying for jobs in my senior year, the idea of going out and getting a job didn't appeal to me.

"And not because 'Ooooh, I don't want to work, this college life is kind of fun.' It just didn't seem ideal working for some big corporation you don't really care about."

Peace Corps applicants can request assignment to various regions of the world; Ms. Roberts chose South America.

After several days of meetings and vaccinations, she will travel from Florida to the Republic of Suriname.

"My friends don't know where it is. It's fun. I tell them they get three guess to pick which continent it's on."

Suriname, the smallest independent country in South America, is just north of Brazil and has a coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean.

Before leaving Pittsburgh, she said, her job description was vague, but Ms. Roberts knows she'll be serving 27 months abroad working on health and sanitation projects.

There are 44 Peace Corps volunteers in Suriname right now, her first-year group of 26 will relieve about half of the current workers.

The country, formerly known as Dutch Guiana, has vast tropical forests, some 5-star tourism around the capitol of Paramaribo, but it also has poverty.

The official language is Dutch, with a local dialect of Sranan Tongo.

Ms. Roberts said she expects most of her group's work will be in the interior of the country, away from the cities.

Peace Corps workers get a stipend for housing and food, plus roughly $225 a month set aside for when their commitments are through: "So you're not sleeping on the streets," she said, laughing.

"We get some living expenses for travel and whatnot, but the cost of living is very low there. You're not going to be flying through your money."

She'll get a few vacation days each month, and visitors are encouraged.

"I keep plugging it to all my friends: Suriname is a great vacation!"

Ms. Roberts, who was a member of the crew program at Bucknell, has always been comfortable in the outdoors, but said the hut-like accommodations might takes some adjustment.

"I'm sure it'll be a big challenge because when you're camping, after six days you can come home and 'de-camp' yourself. But I love the outdoors, an ideal day for me is one where I'll be outdoors most of the time."

Somewhere, 27 months down the line, she'll have to make another career decision. Ms. Roberts said she can't begin to guess what happens next.

"I can see it going either way. I'd like to think that the two years would impact me enough to continue doing things I think are important to me, but I also may end up just working as an engineer at some firm.