Because I'd need my own tour bus to bring everything currently on my packing list. Jill thought I should post it so y'all can laugh at me and my idea of getting away from all this American materialism. It ain't gonna be easy, that's for sure.
I'm checking on the possibility of mailing myself some stuff in advance -- anything that's heavy and inexpensive and not immediately essential. But I'll still need to haul it all to site on my own, so I will need to start paring down my ...
PEACE CORPS PACKING LIST:
Items to buy in italics
Luggage: (Two checked bags = max 107 linear inches and 80 lbs. combined)
Swiss Army suitcase: 17 x 26 x 13
Gregory Deva 60 backpack: 17 x 28 x 11 if really overstuffed
Large, lightweight duffel (To contain backpack for checked luggage on airline so straps won’t get caught; use later as extra bag in country)
Carry-on suitcase
PLUS?: Daypack as second carryon (“Personal” – i.e., purse/laptop carrier ... need to make sure I can do both this and a full carryon)
Gifts
Toys for kids: Balloons; bubbles; jump ropes; toy cars; playing cards; Uno; Frisbees? hackeysacks?
Gift for host family: Nebraska book?
Other miscellaneous gifts: Towels embroidered by my mom; lotions; incense? Tshirts? Pens?
Technology: TZ is 210V
Laptop
Camera, connector, batteries, charger
iPod and charger/connector; headphones/EXTRAS/pads
Speakers
Solio (solar charger for iPod)
Solar panels for laptop
Shortwave radio?
Flash drives
Power adapters; surge protector?
Watch
Headlamp
Batteries/charger
Blank CDs/sleeves?
2009/20010 datebook?
Gardening supplies:
Work boots?
Gloves
Trowel?
Felco pruners
Seeds: Tomatoes; carrots; eggplant; onion; cucumber; radishes; beets; cilantro; basil; spinach;
Medications:
Lybrel: 3 month supply
Vitamins
Over-the-counter sleep aid
Ibuprofen
Calcium?
Iron?
Cranberry extract?
Toiletries:
Two pairs glasses (second pair w/clip-on sunglasses)
Contacts (two years’ worth?)
Saline; lens cases; eyedrops
Soap; soapdish
Toothbrushes; toothpaste; floss; toothbrush holder
Lip balm (two years' worth of Burt's Bees!)
Face wash
Moisturizer
Face scrub
Sunscreen: Face; body
Body lotion Hand lotion
Razor/blades (bought two years' worth on eBay; apparently among the hardest things to find)
Shampoo, conditioner, anti-frizz cream
Hairbrush; comb; clips; hairbands; elastics; pins
Qtips?
Deodorant (also hard to find)
Nail clippers, files, cuticle cream
Tweezers; scissors; mirror
Pumice stone
Hair dryer; flatiron (for those rare opportunities w/electricity)
Toilet paper
Hand sanitizer; handiwipes
Iodine pills?
Small bandaids
Earplugs; eye mask
Makeup: (I know, I know...)
Powder foundation; sponges
Concealer
Eyelash curler; pencil sharpener
Mascara; eye shadows; eyeliner; brushes
Stila lipstick; Burt’s Bees gloss
Clothes:
Bras; sports bras
Undies: Cotton; Exofficio (organic/soy/quick-drying/AWESOME)
Pajama pants; tanks; nightdress
Tshirts: Black; white; colors;
Long-sleeve Tshirts
Other tops: light sweaters/blouses;
Polarfleece; second sweater or hoodie
Skirts (must be below knee): Green hemp; pink/Krista; black/Krista; cargo; black floral;
Dresses: ???
Pants: Ripstop/quick-drying?; khaki cropped; brown linen; black cropped; plaid/knee (as a woman, I'm only "allowed" pants because I'll be working in sustainable ag, so this is probably too many)
Jeans: Dark; light;
Exercise pants, top; skort (doubles as swimsuit coverup
Swimsuit? (conservative; must cover midriff and wear shorts over it?)
Rain jacket
Hats: Straw gardening hat; Ex-officio camping hat; ballcaps?
Bandanas
Sunglasses (several cheap pairs; one good pair of Bollos)
Scarves: Black; lavender; sarong; silk;
Socks: white thorlos; hiking; more??
Shoes: Merrill black slides; Merrill maryjanes; Keens; thongs; trail runners; work boots?
Jewelry:
Earrings
“Wedding” ring (supposedly helps keep the suitors at bay)
Household:
Water bottles (aluminum; Nalgenes)
Sleeping bag
Swiss army knives
Dry bag?
Pillowcase
Microfiber towels (large, small); washcloths?
Beach towel?
Yoga mat?
Kitchen:
Towels; napkins?
Small pan/skillet (highly recommended; hard to find in-country?)
Collapsible colander
Kitchen knife; paring knife
Flexible cutting board
Egg carrier? (recommended if I plan to buy eggs)
Measuring cups / spoons
Spatula; paring knife; peeler; grater
Chohula (essential!)
Spices: What to bring? Suggestions are welcome!
Tea; Splenda; powder to flavor water
Hummus mix
Ziploc bags, large and small (apparently as valuable in Africa as cigarettes are in prison)
Cookbook?
Office supplies:
Journals
Notebooks
Pens AND REFILLS
Scissors
Tape: Scotch; duct;
Post-it page flags (cuz I'm, y'know, me)
Clothesline/clothespins for hanging art (Ikea?)
Big world map?
Paperwork:
Immunization card
Copies: Passport; immunization card; other vaccinations
Prescriptions: Lybrel; eyeglasses; contacts
Copies of pap smears, mammogram
Divorce decree; college transcripts (why, you ask? yeah, me too)
Resume
Miscellaneous:
BOOKS!!! (again, suggestions welcome ... I'm told to bring something "light" ... but weighed down with agronomy books at present)
Photos and album (to show my host family/village)
Cloth bags; daypack; waistpack
Waistpack; cloth bags
Padlocks
Carabiners
Bike helmet? Gloves? (PC sez you have to wear a helmet, but apparently doesn't always provide one)
Dominoes?
Incense? (my comfort item?)
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Now I need to set up a new blog for the TZ adventure. Name suggestions? Winner gets the beer and slice of her/his choice @ Yia-Yia's ... one of many places I'm gonna miss ...
Meanwhile, I'm reading every blog I can find from current volunteers in country ... and trying not to freak out over so many stories of mamba snakes and spiders as big as your fist ...
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11 comments:
Ahhh!, possibly THE list of all lists! definitely not the makings of listlessness.
(one concern however ...i don't see "beer" on the list! egad... such sadness this is?) :)
entirely exciting Becki. it's fun to share your steadily building wave of energy through your posts.
Wow! that is quite the list.
I will tell you my suggestion later.
I'm surprised at seeds on the list. Is that recommended? I was under the impression intercontinental transportation of plant species was a big no no.
Lots and lots of cayenne: Keeps the taste buds from getting dumb and hides bad flavor when necessary.
Knowing nothing of where you are going, when I went to India, the only clothing I took was the barest essentials and bought what I needed their. The dollar went a long way.
Speaking of cigarettes, I’ve found a carton of Winstons doled out slowly does wonders for breaking the ice.
hey! I am getting excited to go!! I try not to think about those spiders and such...yeah....I don't knoe how i am going to fit everything either....yikes!
ps...do we really need a bike helmet? that would be awkward to pack....im pretty sure if they provide us a bike...they have to provide us a helmet...
oh my! we have some serious trimming to do. first of all, think back to nigeria to all the peddlers all over the place. Dar es Salam will most likely have similar places.
1) Do not travel w/ two year’s worth of anything. People, namely me, will be visiting and can bring you next year’s stuff.
2) buy a local cookbook, or download recipes and save them onto a cd.
3) the cranberry extract is non-negotiable. don't even think about leaving the county w/out it.
4) multi-vitamin. all you need.
5) soap dish and tooth brush holder: buy/trade something from local craftspeople.
6) skip the hairdryer and flat-iron. if you are in a city for an event, most likely you'll stay at a hotel that has a hairdryer tha fits local currency.
7) hand sanitizer = soap
8) work/hiking boots important.
9) skip straw hat. find one locally produced.
10) might want to invest in a water filtration system, in lieu of iodine pills which make water tast icky.
11) buy local textiles, i.e.: napkins
12) splenda? organic farmer needs splenda?
13) clothesline making will be available in country.
i'll be cutting more when i get there, don't you worry! and i'm a master packer....from years of playing tetris.
Ditch the laptop and the iPod stuff. Also, forget the contacts, and just go with glasses.
From everything I've heard from Gray, you'll quickly take on the habits of the locals....it's 120 degrees in Ghana, so Gray said he has to hydrate before going to bed, because he sweats so much while he's asleep. So cotton clothes might not be the best of ideas either.
Run your list by him...he can tell you what you'll really need, and what you can leave in Lincoln.
Hmm. That's tough. How is the mail there? I wonder if you could just, like you said, ship stuff over there. And have us mail you stuff as needed.
You did list work boots twice. So, you can scratch one of them off of the list : ) Hey, every bit helps, right : )
I am so excited for you!!!!!
-Nealy
hm, where to start? Yep, clothing is the first place to pare back. Can have clothes custom-made in country!
Much of the toiletries/bulky/heavy stuff I'll have shipped. Or, even better, learn to live without.
Cranberry pills = sadly, don't see them being necessary for survival. Haven't even needed them here at home in, um, too long ...
Can't ditch the iPod -- necessary for sanity! The laptop is certainly a space- and weight-sucking luxury, but I really, really want to hone my writing, and it'd be so difficult to do longhand.
Contacts I should ditch, and in the end may, but I see so much better than with my glasses. And the hand-sanitizer is for handling the contacts -- usually I think it's a terrible new "necessity" that's contributing to ever-declining antibiotic effectiveness.
Iodine pills just for emergency backup -- easy to stash a couple in daypack. We'll get a filtration system at site.
Cookbook = yeah, not something I"m bringing, just something "they" recommend. Already have lots of recipes on laptop. Also, oh yeah, don't cook!
Seeds = yeah, probably highly illegal. And we all know I've never done anything illegal.
Beer = available in country. Essential to survival!
Thanks, all! I'm so digging on the interest/support!
thats good...i don't think id have room for a helmet, let alone the rest of the stuff i have :)
I am finishing up my graduate degree in texas, but i grew up in kansas city...my family lives in wichita and thats where i am moving to in a couple weeks and where i will fly out of....happy road tripping!!
Ipod = not necessary for sanity. So you know the place you'll be living in will have reliable electricity? Because a lot of your list can be left behind if not. All the pretty-fying stuff you don't need anyway. :)
I totally understand where you're coming from to make this list. And, in fact, I think its a good step to put it all down on paper. Wow! That's a lot of stuff. Happy hunting.
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