Packing List and Suggestions for Peace Corps/Namibia

Sorry, friends and family! The this one isn't for you. To the PC/N Group 43 incoming volunteers and future groups… here’s my attempt at packing advice for Peace Corps/Namibia. I’m sorry this is such a long post! Please feel free to comment if you have any questions.

Things I brought:

Luggage:

1 big rolling suitcase

1 hiking backpack (60L)

1 regular backpack (carry-on)

1 pillow (with a neck pillow stuffed inside the case) as a second carry-on [advice: buy yourself a neck pillow for the ~36 hours of traveling.]

Clothes:

2 pairs of black work pants

1 pair of khakis

2 pairs of jeans

1 pair of Bermuda shorts

2 pairs of running shorts

1 pair of basketball shorts

2 pairs of leggings (long)

1 pair of leggings (knee length—actually acquired these here)

1 pair of sweatpants

1 pair of flannel pants

4 skirts (midi-length)

2 sweatshirts

4 cardigans, lightweight

1 cardigan, heavy/warm

3 sweaters, warm

3 nice long-sleeved t-shirts (could wear for teaching)

1 long-sleeved casual t-shirt

5 short-sleeved t-shirts

~10 work tops (most of which can also be worn casually)

~3 casual shirts (could be dressed up for work or dressed down for casual wear)

3 tank tops (2 of which are spaghetti strapped)

1 long-sleeved athletic quarter zip pullover

1 long-sleeved, quick-dry button down (aka, “white lady in Africa” shirt—actually got this here from another volunteer)

2 maxi dresses (one was actually purchased here)

3 knee length dresses

1 above the knee dress (for vacations or in towns)

1 blazer (made of cotton/rayon, doesn’t need to be dry cleaned)

1 warm fleece jacket

1 raincoat

1 ultra lightweight down jacket

1 jean jacket (actually had my mom send this to me as I regretted not bringing it!)

4 regular bras

4 sports bras

~40 pairs of underwear (seems ridiculous, I know)

1 warm scarf

1 warm hat

1 pair warm gloves

4 lightweight scarves

~7 necklaces (some statement, some everyday)

~7 pairs of earrings

1 pair of birkenstocks

1 pair of flip-flops

1 pair of tevas

1 pair of running shoes

1 pair of black ballet flats

1 pair of dressy sandals

1 pair of black booties

Here are my thoughts on the clothes I brought:

Did well in the pants department. For men, I’d bring more. For ladies, women wear dresses and skirts to work much more than pants, so I like that I didn’t bring a ton. I wish I had brought another 1-2 pairs of Bermuda shorts. If you can’t find them in the states, you can here… I just haven’t had the time/energy to go clothes shopping recently! In the villages, shorts that show much more than two inches of leg above the knee are a bit taboo. It’s fine at home (if there aren’t many men living there), but it’s not ok for walking around the village. In towns, things are different though, but you don’t know where you’ll be placed now so it’s hard to know!

I wish I had brought another pair of basketball shorts and one fewer pair of running shorts, also for the modesty reason. Shorter leggings (ie, ¾ length or knee length) are also awesome for the same reason. I did pretty well with tops, too. I wish I had brought another ~2 shirts that could be dressed up or down, like a colored v-neck or striped t-shirt, etc. I’m glad I brought a lot of work tops that can be worn either with skirts or with pants. I’m super happy to have acquired my “white woman in Africa” shirt for good sun protection when I’m out and about or working in the fields, etc. This African sun is real and you’ve got to protect your skin!

I haven’t had a ton of opportunity to test out my winter wardrobe yet, but I definitely used my fleece a lot when we first arrived. The mornings are not a joke in the wintertime here—and I’m a Chicagoan talking! Don’t forget some type of warm jacket. I’m also happy I brought lightweight scarves for accessorizing (that is, when it isn’t 110 degrees out!)

Bring a lot of bras and underwear. I wish I brought more bras. Handwashing does a number on bras and you go through underwear a lot faster here due to handwashing and… erm… “stomach problems” :P (No one wants to say it, but I’m here to be honest with you!) Also, I wish that I would have brought 1 pair of wedges for summertime. People wear heels a lot here, and I sometimes feel like a bum wearing my birkenstocks with (nearly) everything. That said though, birks were an awesome choice. So glad I got a pair before I came (and glad I had my aunt send me cork sealant for them!). Bring hiking shoes or boots if you're into that kind of thing. (I had to have mine sent here because I didn't bring any.) Namibia has some awesome hiking! 

Other things: (* denotes “a must” in my mind!)

1 headlamp*

1 crank-powered flashlight

1 set of rechargeable batteries (AA and AAA) and the charger*

3 journals

boatloads of printed photos*

1 hammock

1 umbrella

2 nalgenes*

1 small purse*

1 bigger purse (longchamps)*

1 fabric bag, can be used for groceries or carrying work papers

1 reusable shopping bag*

2 nice kitchen knives*

food! (barbeque sauce, sriracha, mac n’ cheese powder [amazon], candy, taco seasoning)*

small toys as host family gifts

2 Chicago coffee table books with lots of pictures

1 microfiber towel* (had another sent in a care package)

1 flat full-sized sheet

1 hairbrush*

1 diva cup

1 deck of cards, 3 decks of Uno

stickers for my learners

1 sleeping bag

1 sleeping pad*

1 sleeping bag liner (sheet)

enough toiletries for 2-3 months

1 hard drive filled with TV shows and movies* (1-2 TB)

1 kindle*

Thoughts:

I won’t mention things with an asterisk, because I think they’re a must (at least for myself in my experience). They’re things I use all the time. If you have any questions as to why you might need one of these items, comment on the post and I’ll answer!

Pack everything in ziploc bags. You’ll thank yourself once you get to site; they’re expensive and not as good of quality here. Bring something for host family gifts. For me, it was a Chicago book (my host dad shows it to EVERYONE), Reese’s PB Cups (my host dad’s new favorite food I think), Milky Ways, Uno, and some of those little gel capsules with sponges in the shape of animals inside (the ones you let dissolve in water).

You can buy journals here; no need to bring as many as I did. I’ve just started using my hammock recently and am pumped about it. Probably not as useful for town volunteers, though. In general, I’d say don’t buy one now if you don’t have one already. Wait until you get here to see if it’d be practical. You can buy an umbrella here and same goes for floppy hats for sun protection, though the quality is poor here for ones that PCVs can afford. Bring one from home if you want a nice one.

The sheet was nice during training and when I first arrived at site, so that I had something to sleep on! Most host families provide sheets, some don’t. It’s not a requirement of them. You could easily buy it here within the first few days of arriving as well.

I highly recommend a diva cup for the ladies (I used one before I came too), though pads and tampons are readily available here. Also, there is a store like Walgreens/CVS that sells all sorts of shampoos, soaps, lotions, face washes, etc. called Clicks. There’s one in Okahandja where you’ll train and many more around the country. So, no need to bring 10 bottles of shampoo or anything. You’ll find most of the same brands here (dove, tresseme, head n’ shoulders, etc.)

Random useful things: your home library card number for kindle books, a keychain or wallet bottle opener (lots of bars don't have openers here and people use their teeth! Even if you don't drink, at weddings and such soft drinks come in glass bottles than require openers), a travel/camping spork for eating at work or while traveling, and some good quality (aka not purchased in Namibia!) pens/markers. 

General advice:

Update your antivirus. Seriously. You might be thinking, “eh, I’ll be fine.” NO. Right now, update your antivirus. It seems like every second computer here has a virus and you’ll need to share files with your colleagues, many of whom will have viruses. And downloading software here can quite literally take days over the slow internet if you aren’t in a big town. So, do it now.

You can buy adaptors here in Namibia, in the airport in Jburg, or in the States before you come. All work! They’re $7-12 USD in Namibia. However, if you need a converter for something like a shaver/hair trimmer or something, then you should bring that with you. Laptops chargers, cell phone chargers, or any other USB charger do not need converters; they just need plug adaptors.

Bring a Zzz-Quil (or some other sleeping pill) for the flight from JFK to Jburg. You’ll adjust to the time much faster and then you won’t be bored on a flight for ages.

Don’t freak out about packing. You’ll miss some things, of course. You’ll overpack in some areas, of course. Remember that Namibian towns are very developed and you can buy almost anything you need here. And if that fails, you can have family/friends ship things to you. Just relax and spend time with loved ones before you come!