Updated Packing List

Now, I posted my packing list and said that I would update after I had been in country for a while. Instead of going line by line listing what was useful and what was not. Instead I’ll give a general discussion. I will list the items I have found are absolutely necessary as well as the items I wish I had brought more of with me.

I remember packing and preparing for Peace Corps. It was a stressful experience to say the least. I was entirely convinced that I needed to bring everything. I kept thinking “I’m going to be in Africa and won’t be able to get any of this stuff.” I also think that obsessing over packing was a coping mechanism. Preparing for Peace Corps was scary and packing was a way to control the situation and way to funnel my fears into sometime productive.

Looking back now having been in country for seven months now, I realized that I over packed. It wasn’t like I didn’t read the journals from other volunteers cautioning about over packing. I believed them, but was unable to make the tough decisions on what to get rid of from my bags. Everything seemed important and something I couldn’t live without. There is a big chunk that I haven’t even touched since getting here.

Though it is true that I can buy most things in the capital, I have found some items to be difficult to find or very expensive. Here is a list of things that are hard to find, impossible, or expensive:

-Conditioner (shampoo is easy enough to find, but conditioner is next to impossible)

-Disposable razors (can find by they are not very good quality and are expensive)

-Deodorant (I have never been able to find any even in Lome other than the spray kind . . . bring plenty)

-Sauce packets for pasta

-Unusual Spices (you can get the basics here but any unusual spices you like bring plenty)

-A good quality but small book bag (I’ve bought two marche bags and both have broke)

-Maple Syrup

Here are items that have been invaluable to me here:

-Solar charger

-Battery operated fan!!!! (There is a small one called O2 Cool that uses D batteries)

-Solar battery charger

-Good frying pan

-My two good kitchen knives

-External Hard drive

-Headlamp (love this thing)


-Nokero Solar light bulbs

-Bug Hut 2

-Exficio underwear

-My Eagle Creek Bag

-Nice pillow

-Fitted queen sized sheets (you can get the flat sheets, but not fitted easily)

Things that I didn’t bring that I wish I had:

-Hammock

-Nail polish (You can get it in marche, but it’s not the same quality

-More cotton tee shirts

-More Capri pants (you can have pagne skirts made really easy)

Things that didn’t work out as planned

-Nalgine bottles (I got two with wide mouths and they don’t work for bush taxi rides. Love them but buy one with a smaller mouth unless you want to be wearing your water).

For any perspective volunteers, remember to not over pack. Your back will thank you.  Don’t wait to the last minute to pack your bags. Pay attention to the weight of your bag (you’re going to be lugging it around).