I scoured the internet for a blog post, an anecdote, an anything that might provide a veteran Peace Corps volunteer’s perspective on what to pack that might have be omitted from the official packing list provided by the Peace Corps.
Nothing.
Either my Google Search skills suck, or no one had the same experience that I have had and thought to write about it.
The packing list that I was provided in the weeks leading up to my departure covered a wide range of activity possibilities. From formal events to what I can only surmise were sanctioned fight club bouts, I followed the packing list. I suppose the official PC packing list be a generic prescription that covers many different Peace Corps locations and service assignments.
Here’s the problem. After a couple of days in Panama I realized that the list that I was given didn’t match up well to the “boots on the ground” reality of the types of activities I would encounter on a daily basis.
I started to give away the ball gowns, the high heels, and began to trade for and buy the things I now use on a daily basis.
So, in an effort to aid you in your own packing I offer the following advice.
**I must add a disclaimer that my community is fairly rural. And, the advice I share is relative to the climate, geography, and community in which I am serving.**
Luggage: How To Carry The What
I strongly recommend two durable backpacks and leave some room for extra things you’ll collect during your time “in country” (trust me, as you begin to collect momentos, trinkets, etc., you’ll want the room). One backpack and another duffle will work too (you can wear the duffle on your chest when you are traveling on packed public transit). I made the collosal mistake of bringing two hard shell suitcases and they were a HUGE pain and struggle to transport thoughout training and when I moved to my community. Further, you will find that throughout your time in the Peace Corps there will be many opportunities to travel in country for a day or two. Having a backpack or duffle is much easier to handle on the varied modes of transporation you’ll find in your country of service. Chooose bags that you can take over any terrain. Image the worst conditions of travel and you’ll be fine. Just make sure you are able to carry everything on your person with out the help of someone else.
All that said, if you come down and find what you brought lacking you can likely buy what you need in country but quality is going to be a question you can’t answer easily. Recognizing my luggage mistake I bought a cheap duffle big enough to fit my things but it ripped twice within a month or so.
Stuff: What do I need?
Each country is different and will have different daily activities based on where you serve in that country.
So, let’s start with my experience.
Based on the packing list I was given I assumed I would have lots of meetings indoors. This turned out not to be true at all. I came down to Panama with a number of “businness casual” outfits. Have I had the opportunity to wear those outfits? Hardly. In two months of training I had less than five meetings that required something more than daily wear.
Since I’ve been in my community I haven’t had opportunity to wear business casual once.
I expect that, on occasion, as we have monthy or quarterly meetings, I will have use of my more formal wear, but those outfits should reflect less than 5% of my wardrobe.
Wardrobe:
1-2 nice dresses. One for swear in and the other for formal events that happen in your community that require formal attire. You can also get away with a nice button down and slacks.
4-5 pairs of jeans/pants. Business casual here = pants and a shirt that covers your shoulders. Especially during training you wear pants every day and very often once you get to site. (1-2 pairs of shorts for causal days)
6 shirts. Preferably tshirts but you can get away with a tank top if the straps are thick. But make sure you have at least a few shirts with sleeves. You may want to consider bringing one or two long sleeved tshirts as well. Depending on where you’ll be placed, some regions are colder than others during the night.
Crocs. Hear me out. Everyone wears them here. They make excellent shower shoes/house shoes/river shoes, you name it. I recommend getting a dark color. Shoes here get dirty fast. Optional footwear: Chacos. Additionally, many people in my cohort wore sandals instead of crocs. Whatever works for you.
Sturdy boots. There are a lot of days where you’ll be walking through tall grass and mud and you’ll want something more durable than tennis shoes. It’s typical for farmers here to wear shin-high rubber rain boots in the fields. This is also a great option if you want to integrate quicker. They are about $10-$15.
6-7 pairs of socks and underwear: maybe more if you’re an extra sweaty person.
A pair of sneakers
A swimsuit and some biker shorts to wear over it: locals here swim in their tshirts and shorts here. You don’t wanna show up sporting your string bikini.
A hat and sunglasses: the sun here gets hot and you’ll want protection.
Non-Wardrobe:
Headlamp. There will be multiple instances where you’ll need both your hands on the dark and your phone flashlight will simply not cut it.
Phone with a SIM card port. The Peace Corps shares this point with you in the packing list, but it bears repeating. Half of my cohort did not have functioning cell phones during their first couple weeks and it was a huge problem trying to communicate in country and back home. If you don’t have a phone with a SIM card port, you can buy a second hand smart phone for pretty cheap in the country to which you are assigne.
PRO TIP: don’t bring an iPhone. For some reason iPhones struggle to get signal more than androids. I recommend a Samsung Galaxy. Any model will do.
Extra cash on hand. Your first week in country may be chaotic. We didn’t receive our first stipend until the end of our second week of training. Further, you are likely coming from a lifestyle that was largely cashless. Apps, cards, etc work great in the States but not so much in cash economies. You will need cash in rural communities where the Peace Corps operates.
A towel/pillow: I made the mistake assuming my family would have an extra towel for me to use. Luckily another volunteer had an extra and was able to let me borrow hers. Don’t assume your host family has the means to share basic items with you.
A computer+a large hard drive: make sure they’re durable. Most likely someone in your cohort will have a giant library of movies/books for you to download and that will be your saving grace when there is no wifi.
Wired headphones: there is a chance you will be placed in a community with no electricity. If that’s the case you will be given a solar panel, but you’ll have more important things to charge than your headphones.
Power bank: this has also been a huge lifesaver during PST and during my service when I have 12 hour days and need to keep my phone alive.
A Kindle: if you’re an avid reader a kindle is perfect! The battery lasts forever and you can store hundreds of books. PC does offer a library specifically for volunteers but having to drag around books wherever you go gets heavy and annoying. Get your local library card updated. Downloading books works the same way as it does back home. It’s a great way to keep reading when your favorite digital bookstore doesn’t work where you live.
A personal mirror: something easy and portable that you can keep in your room to get ready with.
A reusable bag: you’ll have opportunities to visit the city multiple times during PST and will want to take home souvenirs/food to snack on for the week. During service you will have to go out and buy your own groceries and will need a way to haul it back to your site.
A good set of pens (if you care about that sort of thing): you take a lot of notes during PTS and the 1 pen and 1 pencil they give you are dollar store quality. You’ll most likely lose both within the first week. It’s good to have a couple backups.
Period products: this one is self explanatory but I’ve never seen tampons sold anywhere in Panama. I know a lot of girls recommend using a diva cup if pads are not your thing.
A speaker.
What do I not need?
Excessive beauty supplies. Besides your swear in ceremony, you will not be wearing makeup. Ever. Of course you bring what you think you’ll need but I really thought I would be getting dressed up a lot more than what actually happened.
Good quality camera: Chances are, unless you’re a die hard photographer, your phone camera will be more than enough to get you through your entire service.
Snorkel/fins: I almost made the mistake of bringing my fins and snorkel. I knew Panama had some amazing beaches but trust me when I say unless your site is within walking distance of the beach, you will likely only visit the beach every few months (and that’s being generous).
A bug net/sunscreen/bug repellent: these things will all be provided to you by Peace Corps.
As a parting shot I will add that every country, every climate, and every community will have differences.
I would have benefited greatly by connecting with a Peace Corps volunteer who was already in country to ask about what to bring.
If you are soon to join the Peace Corps and would like any additional guidance, feel free to reach out to me. I’ll happily share what I’ve experienced and what I know.
Cheers.
