Packing
List, For all those future Peace Corps Mada Volunteers
Composed
over time
Its
important to note that what you bring will not define your Peace
Corps experience and everything you need you can either get here, get
sent here, or have an incoming training group bring it from the
states for you. It's really about bringing things that will make you
feel comfortable and that you enjoy. Things you like to do for fun,
or clothes you like to wear. The hardest part for me was not knowing
what I needed - when your packing Peace Corps is still so ambigious.
Pack things that will make you happy.
Clothes:
*Note
on Clothes: You can always, always, always buy things here. Most
towns/banking towns have frips where you can buy used (and sometimes
new/misprinted) clothes. I would focus on bringing clothes that 1 -
You enjoy wearing and are comfortable in but you don't mind leaving
in Madagascar. and 2 - Things that will keep you cool in the summer
and warm in the winter/in the highlands. 3 - That are patterned/dark
colored. You're washing things in rivers/with buckets of water so you
don't want to spend hours trying to get a white/pastel shirt clean.
All my skirts are patterned so they hide spills well. I hardly ever
wash them. I'd suggest bringing a mix of things for moderate/intesely
hot climates because you never know where you'll end up. Layers are
best. You can always wear everything you own on cold days at training
and then buy warmer stuff if you end up at a cooler site.
Underwear
- I brought something like 40 pairs. You can't go wrong with bringing
too much underwear. I bought two new packs of neutral colored undies
before I left that I wore almost exclusively at homestay because I
had to hang my undies out to dry right in front of the door to their
house.
2-3
Bras. Go for neutrals with changing straps so you can wear them under
anything.
2-3
Sports bras. I love wearing sports bras so I brought more but you
really don't need them unless you plan on working out/like
lounging around in them.
5-10
pairs of socks. I bought a pack before I left and almost never wear
them unless I'm running at site. There nice to have if youre in the
highlands and are wearing shoes/hiking boots a lot because of the
mud.
2-3
skirts. Most teachers wear skirts that at least go to your knees -
which is nice if you are bending down to help students with their
work. You really only need skirts for teaching - but they are also
nice to wear when its hot out. Cotton dresses/skirts get really hot
and sticky when it gets humid so try to find lighter, flowly fabrics.
I got mine from my friend's grandma and Goodwill.
1-2
dresses. I brought 2 and saved one for swearing in. I would go for
dresses that you can dress up (if you are invitied to a wedding or a
special event) but also that you can dress down a little and wear to
class when your sick of your skirts. I would go with a longer dresses
because you can always buy short ones here but if you're tall (or
realistically average American size, I'm relatively tall in America
but I am a giant here) it might be really difficult to find long
skirts/dresses!
1-2
Pairs jeans. I brought one pair and only wore them occassionally
during training. They can be tight jeans as long as you're
comfortable in them. Nothing with rips/tears/distress and a darker
wash is a good idea.
1-2
pairs cargo/khaki pants. Best if these are capri length/can be folded
to capri length and a light weight but easily washable fabric. They
don't need to be safari-pants but you'll want pants you can be cool
in.
1
pair sweatpants. I wore mine all the time during non-training days at
the training center because it was cold!
1
pair yoga pants - if you're so inclined. I brought my crop yoga pants
and I'm so glad I did!
1
pair leggings. It gets so cold in the highlands during the winter
months that I wore my leggings under my pants/skirts to keep warm.
1-2
pairs pj bottoms. Or whatever you wear to bed. No one has to see you
in your PJs! (except your roommate at training).
1-2
pairs shorts. I brought one pair of khaki shorts and two pairs of
running shorts. You can always buy shorts here. I brought longer
pairs because I feel like my legs are already freakishly long here
but I've seen shorter shorts (Nothing too short!!). I also brought a
few pairs of shorter shorts to wear under skirts.
1
belt. This is essential. I would buy pants that are a little big and
then if you gain/loose weight you'll still be able to wear them with
a belt!
2-3
plain, dark colored shirts. I brought 4 V-necks that I wear with
everything. They are plain enough that I can wear them with a skirt
but not "dressy."
2-3
"fun" shirts. I brought a tye-dye shirt, a shirt from my
University (U of M! Woot!) and a Girl Scout shirt. I wear them mostly
to run in or do errands around town.
1-2
fun shirts for dressing up/going out in Tana! I brought a shirt with
sparkles on it that I waited until going out after swearing in to
wear. Its fun to get dressed up a little bit every once and a while!
1-2
long sleeve shirts. I brought one that I could wear with skirts and
one thats athletic that I wear to bed/if I run when its cold(ish)
out.
2-3
tank tops. Thick straps to cover bras. Make sure they are thick
enough that you can just wear one at a time when its hot.
1-2
cardigans. I have one thats light weight and one that is heavier. I
wore my heavy one all the time in the highland winter and my light
one when its a chillier/rainy day here.
1-2
sweat shirts. I brought one crew neck and I wear it in the mornings
when I am up before the sun rises and its still a little chilly.
You'll need a sweatshirt for winter in the highlands.
1-2
fleeces/zip ups. My fleece kept me sane during training in the
highlands when it got cold. (Its only around 50 degrees when the sun
isn't out and without any heating in the buildings it gets really
really cold at night. I also brought a zip-up hoodie that I wore a
lot during training too.
1
rain jacket. Rainy season here is no joke.
&
1
small/compact umbrella. For the same reason as above (You can always
buy one here too but they aren't "compact" at all).
Headband(s)
Bandana
- some PCVs use these for wiping off sweat/blowing their nose. I
brought a ton of travel tissues and you can buy tissues here but its
a good idea to have one.
1-2
hats - I brought one baseball hat from the U! :)
1-2
scarves. I like scarves but you don't really need them. They are nice
to have when its a colder day though!
Toiletries:
*Note
on Toiletries: You can buy almost everything here in Tana but it can
get really expensive. Bring things you enjoy using but you don't need
a two years supply of anything. You can also always have care
packages sent! Most medical things are available but you should bring
at least 3 month supply of anything you are used to using regularily
just incase.
Toothbrush
( I brought multiple but you can buy them here)
Toothpaste
Facewash
(I also brought face wipes for days when I'm feeling lazy)
Bar
soap
Shampoo/Conditioner
Dry
Shampoo/Baby powder - I wash my hair once a week. Sometimes I need
something to look presentable for those last few days.
Mosterizer
with SPF
Chapstick
with SPF - they give you a generic chapstick in the med kit but I
like my good-smelling/tasting chapsticks better. I brought so many.
Comb/Brush
Hairties
Bobby
Pins
Deodorant
Baby/Booty
wipes
hand
sanitizer
Tampons
- I brought OB tampons because they are compact and don't have a ton
of packaging. You can get tampons from the Medical Center but bring
some for the first 3 months of training (and don't forget to take
them to homestay right away like I did! You body does weird things
when you move half way across the world!)
Diva
Cup/Soft Cups - I brought soft cups and then ended up getting a DIVA
cup later on, and they are both life savers. You can keep either in
for 12 hours so you don't have to worry about changing them in a long
brousse(bus) ride. If you choose this option I would reccommend
buying them few months before you leave to get used to them! Soft
Cups are great, but honestly I think a DIVA cup is the way to go. It
is reuseable (less waste) and then you don't have to worry about
running out. These ARE NOT available in country.
Nail
clippers
A
good tweezer - there is one in the med kit but it isn't great.
Basic
make up/hair styling things - nice to have for special occasions! I
didn't bring any hair styling things though.
Nail
polish/Nail polish remover - I didn't bring any because I never paint
my nails but other girls did! If you enjoy painting your nails its
nice to have colors you like when you're bored. You can by nailpolish
and remover here too, but its not great quality.
Anything
else you use on a regular basis that isn't electrical. You definately
don't need a blow dryer or a straightner or anything like that, but
its nice to have things you are used to! Especially for the first few
months.
Shoes:
Note-
Same as clothes. Bring a mix. You can always get shoes here. I almost
exclusively wear a pair of flip fops I bought here.
1
pair heavy duty sandals. I have Chacos and I love them.
1
pair flip flops - I wear them around my house/yard and in the shower.
1-2
pair of shoes that cover your toes but are relatively nice looking (I
brought Toms). Some schools apparently say you have to have your toes
covered while you teach. There is a lot of sand at my site so nicer
sandals are fine too. You can always buy sandals/flip flops here
though!
1
pair nicer shoes that cover your toes (I brought a pair of matallic
flats that I really only wore for Swearing In.)
1
pair running sheos (if you like running).
1
pair hiking boots (I was SO glad I brought mine. When it rained in
the highlands during homestay these were essential when walking to
trainings. The roads are SO MUDDY.)
Electronics:
Laptop
Charger
(some people bring extra batteries)
Converters!
Flash
drives
Harddrive
(for movies/tv shows)
An
unlocked smart phone (I brought an Iphone but other PCVs brought
other types. You can get a phone plan with internet and talk to your
family. Making sure its unlocked is ESSENTIAL for using the SIM cards
in country.) You can get phones here but they aren't great quality.
You could also bring (instead or as well as a smart phone) a
older/non-smart phone thats unlocked to put a SIM card in too. I have
my Iphone and then a phone I bought here. I use my iphone to talk to
my family and the other to talk to other PCVs/teachers/my Malagasy
Friends.
Headlamp
Flashlights
Many
batteries for anything you bring. The batteries here don't last long.
A
watch - nothing too fancy but you'll need to keep track of the time
while you're teaching.
Other
useful (but not necessarily needed) electronics:
I
brought a SteriPen and I use it sometimes. You have to put chlorine
(Sur Eau) in your water and it tastes kind of bleachy and hurts my
throat sometimes. Its also nice to have non-chorlined water when I
mix in drink packets every once and a while, but it goes through
batteries pretty fast so I dont' use it often.
Power
storage things for phones - I brought a few and they have been
wonderful. The electricy isn't always reliable and I can always
charge everything when the electricity is one and then use the power
storage things when my electricy isn't on to charge my phone.
Solar
power charger - I brought a little one and used it when my electricy
just wasn't on for a few days. You can buy them here too.
A
nook/ereader - Many PCVs bring these and share files. Its a great way
to have a whole library at your disposale. Its an easy way to have a
lot of books at once. I ended up bringing around 10-15 real books
that I had collected over the years and really wanted to read. You
can also get books from the Meva (Peace Corp Hotel) in Tana. But its
sort of a take one/leave one policy.
Misacallenous:
Duct
Tape : Fixes everything.
Pillow
- You can buy one here but again, so glad I brought one from home.
The pillows as homestay/PCTC are somewhat uncomfortable and you won't
buy one until site intall.
Sleeping
bag - I brought the smallest packaged camping bag I could find. Its
good for as low as 45 degrees. I mostly use it as a body pillow but
its nice to have when you're visiting other volunteers too.
Sunglasses
- I brought a few pairs. I wear them when its really windy so sun
doesn't get in my eyes or if its an especially bright day. And also
at the beach. They sell sunglasses here too!
1
Ltr Waterbottle - You'll want something sturdy and with measurements.
A liter works best because its what you use to know how many drops of
Sur Eau (chlorine) to put in your water. Many PCVs have Nalgenes. So
do I! I also brought a smaller Camalback for brousse rides/travel
because its so bumpy and difficult to drink out of a Nalgene if
you're thirsty!
Yoga
Mat - if you do yoga. I have a lightweight one that I brought, and
again, so glad I did. There is (alledgedly) a sports store in Tana
that sells them but they are hard to find and pretty expensive here.
Notebooks/Folders/Pens(especially
red pens for teachers!)/Pencils/Siccors/Permanent Markers/crayons -
I only got a few items from the school (2 Blue and Red Pens,2
Pencils, an eraser, and one notebook) and some items from Peace Corps
(A folder, two notebooks, and a pen and pencil) and they just aren't
the same as American school supplies. I would reccomend bringing
permanent markers of various colors and definately crayons or colored
pencils. Especially if you enjoy doodling/drawing in color.
Bags:
You
get two checked bags a carry on and a personal items bag. It really
doesn't matter what you bring, but eventually you'll have to cart it
around so its a good idea to get something thats easy to carry. Also
something rather durable because it will get thrown around in any
form of transportation on these streets.
I
brought:
One
large duffle bag.
A
big bag that has back pack straps and rollers - Its been quite handy.
Some PCVs bring giant day packs. Those work too.
A
carry-on that is a suitcase/backpack -Many PCVs bring small day packs
and those work really well. Something that can fit 1-2 weeks worth of
things is perfect for traveling around the country or spending a few
days at a PCV's place nearby.
A
messenger bag - Perfect for brousses because I can sit it on my lap
with all my valuables in it.
A
small purse - It should have a strap that goes around your body. I
bring mine everywhere I go to carry money and my keys. Its also nice
for when you're in Tana or a big city. It should be a little big
bigger than your passport (not that you carry around your passport
but our country ID cards are that big and you have to bring them with
you and have them accessible when you leave site).
Other
things to get sent when you leave or shove into your bags if you have
space:
Sheets
- you can buy them/have them made here but I was SO glad I brought
some from home. I brought two queen size flat sheets.
Kitchen
utensils - If there is anything small that you use often - bring it.
I brought measuring cups, a can opener, a vegetable peeler, and I
wish I would've brought a good knife. But everything is available
here - but sometimes its just a bit different from the stuff you're
used to at home and when it comes to cooking its nice to have things
your familiar with.
Food
-Especially things that are hard to get here: your favorite
(non-chocolate because it will melt) candy (I brought Twizzlers and
had my mom send them in my first care package), almonds (or any nut
besides peanuts), dried cranberries/raisins, cliff bars, granola
bars, your favorite spices, powdered milk (its kind of expensive here
and I like the powdered milk from American better but make sure to
check the expiration date and put it in a bag in your bag. A bag of
powdered milk exploded on the way over and everything in my bag was
covered in it.), pancake/cake mixes (my mom sent pancake mix. it was
wonderful), some people bring powdered cheese from mac & cheese
boxes or velvetta/hickory farms cheese, your fav. hot sauce, quinoa,
Instand Oatmeal, Girl Scout Cookies, and really anything you do not
want to be with out! *bring extra Girl Scout Cookies for me*
Drink
packets - I brought 100. I don't regret it. I put them in my water
every once and a while and its a great mix. There is wonderful fresh
juice available here but sometimes you just want some ice tea or
lemonade! I put them all in my Nalgene which saved space and made my
Nalgene useful during travel.
ENJOY!
:) Remeber - Nothing you bring/don't bring will impact your service!
Its not about what you have its about what you're doing!!
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