Reflections on Packing

This post is meant for all of those anxious FPCVs who are searching the internet for blogs to help them with packing, as I know I did about this time last year. You’ve accepted your invitation, you’re all sorts of stressed out about medical clearance, but you’re almost there and the idea that this is really happening is both extremely exciting and mildly terrifying. BREATHE. It’ll all be ok. Packing was easily one of the most stressful aspects of my Peace Corps experience thus far, and probably will maintain that title until I approach my COS conference. So below, find a recommended packing list for PC Rwanda. Hope it helps :)

1. Luggage (BRING A HIKING BACKPACK, a smaller carry-on backpack, and a normal suitcase. Duffel bags get ripped easily)

2. Sleeping Bag (I didn’t bring one, but ended up buying one later on after training. You need this for PST and its great for when you go to visit other volunteers) *Sidenote: I brought my own pillow and am soooooooo happy that I did*

3. Sheets (Bring 1 twin fitted sheet for your bed, maybe at your host family, but maybe not until you get to site. Also bring one full size flat sheet)

4. Power converters (bring a universal power adapter/converter to have during PST, unless all of your stuff will work with 240v *still need an adapter*)

5. Phone (I brought my unlocked iPhone with me, it’s been great to have and you save a lot of money from not having to buy a decent phone while here; bring a good case like otterbox or lifeproof)

6. Laptop (I highly recommend you bring a laptop with Microsoft office and a good antivirus program if you can. It will make life so much easier when you are writing grants)

7. 1TB external hard drive (I bought a drop-proof one on Amazon for about $50 I think)

8. Flash Drives (Bring 2-3 good sized flash drives *I brought this many because I lose them all the time...*)

9. Clothes 

Women: 2 light, neutral colored sweaters; 1 pair jean capris; 1 pair black skinny jeans; 2 below-the-knee length skirts; 4 nicer short-sleeved shirts; 3 nice sleeveless, but still cover tops of shoulders, shirts; 2-3 undershirts/tank tops; a ton of underwear; 2 bras; 4-5 pairs of socks; rain jacket

Guys (via Byron): 5 dress shirts (some short sleeve), 3 dress pants, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair jeans, 7 pairs socks, 7 pairs underwear, 1 tie, 1 fleece jacket, 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of swim shorts, 1 towel, 1 belt [khaki pants get dirty after one wear, so don’t. Black socks are fantastic because you can’t see if they are dirty] 

*don’t worry too much about clothes, you will get a bunch made from the local fabrics and you can also buy clothes in the markets*

10. Shoes 

Women: Teva Capri and Teva Kayenta *great for the rainy season*; black keds; running sneakers

Guys (via Byron): 2 pairs dress shoes, 1 pair normal shoes, most guys bring chacos too

11. Cosmetics and Whatnot (just bring enough shampoo and body wash to make it 3 months; I don’t everrrrr wear make up here, save the room)

12. Watch (I brought my running watch Timex Ironman Triathalon series; soooo important for managing classes and generally keeping track of what day it is)

13. School Supplies (I wish I had brought more of this and less clothes. Bring children’s books, ESL/TEFL short activity books, etc.)

14. Kitchen Stuff (bring a few of your favorite spices, you can buy more in Kigali but they are expensive; DEFINITELY bring a good knife and a sharpener)

15. Miscellaneous (leatherman multipurpose tool; battery powered fan *awesome for those hot sticky nights*; rechargeable batteries *regular batteries are available but they are poor quality and there is no good way to dispose of them*; host family gift *just bring something from home for your parents, don’t worry about kids*; headlamp is key because chances are you’ll be wandering to your latrine/cooking/generally losing power/ expect to be in the dark); bring things from home that will help you make your house a home and feel comfortable, and things that will entertain you when you inevitably get reallyyyyyy bored over school breaks; BRING A GOOD WATER BOTTLE)

16. Kindle or e-book reader (you'll get a ton of free books from other PCVs)

 

I hope this helps and seriously don’t stress too much. Literally anything you can’t fit, don’t worry you can most likely buy it in Kigali, however you will not have access to Kigali for most of (Pre-Service Training) PST!