This blog entry is intended for future Peace Corps Volunteers, but it may be of use to the general public, too.
Packing for a two-year stay in a country you’ve never been to leads to all kinds of questions, stresses, and flights of fancy. At some point you might feel guilt for the all-out consumerist binging you’ll be doing leading up to departure, but I’m here to say: Don’t feel guilty. Unless you plan on spending heaps of your own cash to live large as a Peace Corps Volunteer (and this plan only taints the whole experience) you won’t be spending a bunch of money in the next two years. Think of it as getting the American consumption bug out of your system before you enter the rehab that living in a developing country surely instills in a person.
After all, being a consumer in Ethiopia is the most difficult thing you’ll do here. You want to bring a bottle of wine to a party? Get ready to argue over extortionist bottle deposits with the barkeep. You want to buy a bike? Plan on riding it home from the bike seller…even if that means a 30-mile cruise. You want to buy some chicken meat? Only fully-grown, live chickens are sold…so have a plan on how you’re going to kill/feather/gut it. The weekly market sure is a carnival to watch but it’s a hair-raising experience if you need some carrots and lentils. And don’t even get me started on trying to order food at a hole-in-the-wall eatery, no matter how fluent you are in the local language. Miscommunications with servers is as ritualistic as the NYE ball dropping in Times Square: it’d be strange if it didn’t happen every time.
So go out and buy some nice, new gear. You’ll be glad you did. Just don’t buy nice, new, completely useless gear. With that in mind, I wrote up some tips on what you must pack, what is optional to pack, and what should absolutely not be packed. As well, I typed up some Housekeeping items at the end, because in all the excitement of leaving for Peace Corps, you don’t want to forget to feed the fish.
YOU MUST PACK THESE
Microfiber travel towel(s). I wouldn’t dream of ever using a regular towel after I shower here unless I’m staying at a decent hotel. Cotton towels don’t dry fast enough and they will start smelling after two uses. Best to go the microfiber route on this one. NOTE: Do run these microfiber towels through a hot cycle in the wash before you depart. Otherwise, eight months later and you’re still washing the color dye out of the damn thing…
Compact, lightweight, waterproof raincoat. During the rainy season this item will be your best friend. You won’t leave home without it. “Lightweight/breathable” and “pit-zips” are the key words here (“Gore-Tex” is typical for these types of coats), as it’ll still be slightly muggy even in the thunderstorm. Check some out at REI or another outdoor store and find one that’s of high quality and yet affordable. You don’t want to worry about getting mud on your $300 jacket here…it’s going to happen no matter what.
Fleece/wool sweater. Outside between the hours of 8 pm and 8 am, year-round, all across Ethiopia, I require my fleece pullover. I also brought a synthetic down jacket, but I use that more for a pillow than a jacket. However, I’ll get around to wearing it when I go to either the Simien or Bale national parks for a multi-day trek.
A Word on Shoes: Male or female, you’ll be glad you brought a pair of Gore-Tex-lined hiking shoes (high-tops or low-tops don’t matter). You’ll spend the rainy season living in them, walking around in the mud quite a bit, so make sure they’re comfortable. If you’re a runner, bring a pair of running shoes (which can double as basketball, etc., shoes), as it’s cross-country heaven in the less urban parts of the country. Bring a pair of Chacos/sturdy sandals for the dry season, but be prepared to wash your feet at the end of every day: It gets super-dusty here. Bring a pair of comfortable, nice dress shoes that make you feel professional (Note: Wearing nicer shoes is required during PST sessions). I brought a pair of Blundstone boots because they’re comfortable, easy to clean/shine, and will last well beyond my two years here. Do bring a few pairs of cushioning/supportive insoles, as these wear out easily in Ethiopia and will need to be replaced before your shoe does. Do not bring shower slippers: they are easily purchased here. So, bring at least four pairs of footwear. Though I know you’ll bring more than that…
Bring two external HDs. One of them should be a 1TB model with all the digital media on it you would be sad to lose if your laptop shattered to pieces. The other should be a 250-500 GB compact model (for portability and extra backup).
Bring two mp3 players. One of them a high-capacity one you keep at your site and have connected to premium speakers; the other a tiny, cheap one (such as SanDisk’s Sansa Clip models) you can take with you on the 500+ hours you’ll spend sitting on a bus in Ethiopia. It goes without saying to bring a few pairs of headphones.
Laptop. Your single most important item to bring. Make sure you get all the bugs out before departure. And load it with all the free software you can download (such as Skype, VLC media player, etc.) as downloading anything over 100MB is not realistic here. Consider bringing a back-up battery. Invest in a neoprene carrying case. When it comes to size: Smaller is better, as you’ll be lugging it around everywhere you go. NOTE: If you’re in the market for buying a new laptop to bring to Ethiopia, I suggest buying two cheap(er) Toshiba* netbooks instead of one big fancy one. For less than you’d pay for a brand new Apple MacBook Air, you can have peace of mind knowing if one craps out you have another to fall back on. Life is hell without a laptop for Education volunteers over here. And you don’t need a powerful one…just for word processing, emailing, and digital file management, mostly.
*Toshiba builds solid netbooks. Also, Toshiba is the national brand of laptop for Ethiopian NGO workers, so represent!
Burn CDs with a variety of software installation programs, specifically MS Office, anti-virus, etc. You’ll get asked if you have this-or-that software to install on so-and-so’s computer all the time, so come prepared. It’s also good to have as backup in case, mid-service, your laptop craps out and you need to load all your software onto another computer.
Mini-speakers that take rechargeable batteries and pack a good punch so you can listen to tunes in your home. When the power goes out (brownouts are quite common) you can be the only one on your block listening to music. (Or just enjoy the precious, momentary silence!) Nokia makes some good, cheap, reliable models.
Rechargeable AA/AAA batteries and battery charger. I use rechargeable AAA batteries to power my mini-speakers, alarm clock, headlamp, flashlight, and a few other things. DO NOT bring a solar panel. I don’t even know where to begin on why you should not bring one…but for starters, read this article. There will be electricity at all of your sites, I promise.
Small pocket notebooks. Invaluable during PST for taking notes on Amharic words you hear in passing and want to remember. Also, just logistical stuff like taking down phone numbers, etc. Don’t bring a ton of large spiral notebooks, as these will be given to you like candy at trainings.
OPTIONAL-TO-PACK
Jeans: I did not bring a pair of jeans and regret it, kind of. Sure, it gets chilly here enough that a pair of jeans would be nice, but honestly I’m not usually “out on the town” past 7 pm, and by 9 am on most days I’m already sweating, so would probably have to have a ritual of changing in and out of my jeans. I did bring a pair of Carhartt “Sungarees,” which are sturdy like jeans, but more lightweight…and these are a perfect compromise. That being said, I could certainly buy a pair of stylish (but cheaply made) jeans here if I wanted.
Fleece sweatpants or other comfort wear. You will have days when you won’t want to go outside, when all you’ll want to do is tuck in at home with a good book or Mad Men seasons 4 and 5. Also, this is colloquially known as “between the hours of dusk and whenever it is I fall asleep.” Bring something comfortable to throw on for such occasions.
Despite what others might say, sleeping bags are definitely optional. You can make a good case for bringing one (some PCVs sleep in them here…I don’t know why…wool blankets are cheap and plentiful, and easier to clean) and you can make a good case for saving the space in your suitcase for more valuable items. I’ve been in-country for 8 months, am a die-hard backpacker/camper, but have only found the need for a sleeping bag once. A few of us are camping out on a hill next week, so naturally I’m borrowing one from another PCV who never uses hers. That extra space in my suitcase was sooooooooo worth it.
If you don’t bring a sleeping bag, at least bring a sleep sheet. These are found at any outdoors store. They’re made for being a sleeping bag liner, but I’ve found that in warm(er) climates they’re all you need for bedding. And a few throw blankets are always laying around, anyway…
Umbrella. You won’t be able to afford one on your walk-around allowance during PST, so buy a compact, cheap one before you leave the States. June through August is the monsoon season. It’s good to have for when you have to walk to class in the afternoon T-storm.
Parachute cord. Bring about 100 feet of the stuff. Useful for tying up your mosquito net, stringing up a clothes line, hanging a fruit basket, or one of a hundred other uses for strong, resilient, lightweight rope. I put this in the “optional” category because you can get cheap nylon rope here, but it’s just not the same…
Duct Tape. A million uses. Bring a big ol’ roll. Again, I put this in the “optional” category only because if you look really hard in Addis you can find a version of duct tape. But have some for arrival in country.
Kitchen stuff: Wine opener, bottle opener, can opener. Spatulas would be nice to have, but you can improvise. Consider boxing up your favorite spices and additives and having a family member mail it to you once you have a P.O. Box at your site (you’ll know your P.O. Box within the first month of being in Ethiopia).
Fitted sheets are nowhere to be found here. So if you toss-and-turn in your sleep at night, might want to consider bringing some (or having them mailed to you later).
Bandanna/Buff. These are lifesavers sometimes. I use my bandanna as a shield against rogue food particles landing on my lap (the trials & errors of eating with your fingers shouldn’t have to stain your dress pants), as a dust mask when I walk along dirt roads or when I’m on any bus in Ethiopia, as a headband when I run, as a duster for dirty chairs, as an improvised sunshade for my neck, etc., etc., etc.
Kindle/e-reader. It’s a no-brainer purchase. For the cost of four hardcover books and the weight of a single paperback you can have a library at your disposal. There are over 600 Kindle e-book files floating around in Ethiopia—a decent collection of classics and newer stuff—so don’t go out and buy 50 e-books off of Amazon…just buy a few. I also recommend getting the protective case that has its own reading lamp (for nights when the power is out). Note: As a protective caution, I only travel with paperbacks or magazines on bus trips and leave my Kindle for home reading. Others read their Kindle on the buses just fine, despite the dust, heat, and bumps. We’ll see whose lasts longer…
DO NOT PACK THESE
Scarves (the kind that keep your neck warm). You want to be wearing Ethiopian-made scarves, made locally and top quality. Wait until PST. However, it’s OK to bring a stylish scarf for the early days of PST (so you don’t blow all your walk-around allowance on a scarf).
Do NOT bring a hammock. I repeat, DO NOT bring a hammock. You’ve been warned.
Kitchen stuff: Non-stick frying pans. These are easily purchased in the larger towns. However, if your bags are under weight and you’re a die-hard cook, might consider bringing a cast-iron frying pan. Cheese graters, peelers, cutting boards, big wooden spoons, food processors, blenders, electric water-boilers, pots, pans, cutlery, mugs, glasses, and whisks are all available here.
Tent. I’m torn over this because I received a tent here in country from another volunteer who no longer needed it, and I plan on using it this weekend. Its original owner used it once or twice in two years, and I’ll probably have the same usage pattern. (Again: I’m a die-hard camper.) Lodging is so cheap here, and tents so widely rented in the “camping zones,” that it makes very little sense to schlep a tent all the way here. But if you’re dead set on it, do what you will…
HOUSEKEEPING ADVICE
If you are bringing iPods or any other devices that are formatted to work on a computer that you are not bringing to Ethiopia, for heaven’s sake please de-authorize these devices. I have an iPod over here with over 30,000 songs on it, but I have no way to add or delete songs from it because it’s authorized for my iMac back in the States. Yes, I can format it, but I did not also copy all my music files to an external HD, and so therefore would lose all that music.
Destroy all of your checks except for maybe five of them. I speak from experience: Someone back in the U.S. found my checks and forged a bunch of them. Talk about a needless waste of time and money! Bring five checks with you to Peace Corps (one to sign up for Direct Deposit and the others in case you need to mail a check home for some random reason).
Sign-up for an Absentee Ballot. Each state is different, but a good place to start is at your state’s Election homepage. For an address, use Peace Corps’ P.O. Box in Addis. I’ve received two absentee ballots at my site out here in the jungle, (Peace Corps forwarded it to me) so I know the system is working. However, come Presidential election time, I’m going to meet my ballot in Addis sometime in September or October, fill it out, and send it directly from the U.S. Embassy.
Bring no more than four (4) passport-sized photos with you to PST. If you need extras during PST, and you probably won’t, you can just walk up the street to a photo shop and they’ll make you eight passport photos for a dollar (compared with $60+ in the States).
Eat a lot of cheese and ice cream. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.
