A (mostly)
girls Peace Corps packing guide to Nicaragua
Don't take
more than you can carry or roll… seriously.
Also, Peace
Corps will make you pay overage fees if your 2 bags weigh more than 50lbs
each. Trust me, 100lbs of stuff is more
than enough!
I think you should not leave without:
-Surge Protector for your computer
-Nalgene Bottle
-Head lamp
-Shower bag
-Quick dry towel
-skype headset
-camera
Work
Supplies
o
Good
pens, a bunch of them
o
A
few Sharpies
o
A
few highlighters
o
Tape
o
Clear
packing tape
·
Personal
o
Journal
o
2-3
books (Peace Corps library is awesome but you won’t visit it until at least the
end of training)
o
Cards
·
Electronics
o
Headlight
with extra batteries - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MFK7H2/ref=oh_details_o05_s01_i00
o
Small
Extension Cord
o
Laptop
with charger
o
iPod
o
2
sets Headphones - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ELYQHK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02
o
Headset
with microphone for skype - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001S2RCXW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01
o
Digital
Camera with charger
o
Flashlight
o
2
flash drives
o
Small
external hard drive
o
surge
protector for computer http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EIZPLM/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i00
·
Misc.
o
movies
/ shows/ music on removable hard drive
o
soft king size sheet.
Easier than bringing a fitted bottom sheet and top sheet, you can always
wrap yourself up in it if necessary.
o
luggage locks - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Y8DQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
o
2 soft pillow cases
o
nalgeen water bottle.. maybe even two! You will you use it every
single day http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NCDE5W/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01
o
Photos of family/home, artwork from nieces and nephews, school
stickers, just bring crap to put on your walls to make you happy. J
o
Slide Ziploc bags all different sizes. Bring a ton of these!
o Baseball Hat
o Umbrella
o Rain jacket (if you have to pick one, I’d go with the umbrella)
·
Pocket knife
·
Mase (I didn’t bring any and I think it would be nice to have
just in case!)
·
Drawstring backpack - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002W8SLSG/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00
·
Bathroom
o
Face
wash! (hard to find here and expensive)
o
Antibacterial
Body wash (because it gets gross sometimes…)
o
Shampoo
o
Conditioner
o
Loofa
o
Shower
shoes – old navy flip flops $3.50
o
Extra
Razors. Bring as many as you can
fit!
o
Sunglasses
o
2
Eyeglasses
o
Extra
Contact Solution (I brought 3 bottles which should last me about 10 months)
o
Extra
Contact cases (I brought 5 cases changing ever 3 months)
o
2-3
small hand sanitizer bottles (easy to find large refill bottles, hard to find
small bottles)
o
Ear
plugs (you will use them!)
o
Quick
dry towel - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KTL7PS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i03
o
Mesh
shower bag - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KFVL6W/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i04
o
Small
mirror, you might not have a mirror at all in your house…
o
Toothpaste
o
2
toothbrush
o
Travel
mirror/ brush (walmart travel isle)
o
Brush
o
Daytime
high spf face lotion. The sun is so
bright!
o
Strong
Perfume (you’re going to smell Bad.)
o
Nail
files
o
Nail
clipper
o
Tweezers
o
2
nail polish colors (I brought clear and bright purple)
o
Small
nail polish remover
o
Q
tips
o
Make
up remover
o
Your
favorite make up to last you awhile
o
2
Deodorants
o
Small
Super glue
o
Small
Sewing kit
o
Extra
supplements (besides daily vitamin and calcium)
Shoes
·
Comfortable
Professional flats
·
Casual
flats
·
Shower
shoes
·
Running
shoes
·
1-2
nice sandals
·
1
pair of heels if you can fit them not a necessity at all.
Clothing:
Regardless of your sector, it is best to be at least somewhat professionally dressed at all the Charlas during training. By this I mean dressing anywhere from dark jeans, nice shirt and casual flats to black slacks and button down shirt with dressy flats. Also, Nicas pride themselves on personal appearance. They dress as nice as they can every day. So dressing nice daily will become the routine for you as well.
·
3
pairs of jeans (dark jeans are considered professional but they are very hot)
·
1-2
professional capris (I have dark blue and black pairs that I wear to class all
the time because they are so much cooler and still professional)
·
1-2
Black and/or khaki slacks
·
1-2
pairs of light and cool casual capris for daily wear
·
Yoga
Capri pants to run or wear around the house
·
2-3
pairs of Running shorts / soffes
·
2
pairs of leggings
·
A
few long skirts if you wish
·
Limit
yourself on shorts… unless they are about knee length you will Rarely wear them
(I brought 3 pairs and have worn 1 pair once…)
·
Sneak
in a Beach dress or two J
(I wear mine to bed sometimes?...)
·
1-2
swim suits (ones that can mix are the best!)
With
shirts you are going for versatile. If
you have a shirt you could wear professionally, casually, or to go out, (or
sleep in and jog in, even better!)… bring it!
Also pay attention to material… all my favorite shirts now that I live
in Nicaragua are 100% cotton or 95% Rayon… my least favorite shirt, that I
loved in the states but Hate here is 60% polyester and 40% nylon. Bad idea.
It’s so horribly hot I literally refuse to wear it. Go for Rayon or Cotton. FYI Rayon is actually considered cooler than
cotton. Stay away from Polyester (unless
its dry wick), Nylon and Wool.
Necessities:
·
5+
Boyfriend V neck/ scoop neck Tees (cool, light and can be casual or
professional) like Express’s best loved tee.
When I mentioned versatile, this shirt fits in to All 5 categories. And they
are usually cotton or rayon! Win win
win. Here are examples: Forever 21, Target, Gap
·
2-4
nice button down professional shirts, again try for cotton or rayon
·
5+
of your favorite versatile shirts
A dress to wear to the swearing in ceremony (if you can fit 2 nice dresses bring the other one for the small business gala which is held every fall)
Thinking that you will
wash laundry every two weeks, bring at least 15 shirts. 12 of which should be able to be worn
professionally, (during training you have charlas 6 days a week). I’d think you wouldn’t need more than
25.
Other ideas:
·
Thicker
sleeved tank tops are fine to wear here.
Example: Target.
·
If
they are dressy tank tops, you can wear them professionally as well. Example: Amazon.
I have 1 professional tank that I bought here and love!
·
Short
sleeve button down is a great idea.
Example: Express
·
Dry-wick
performance tee’s are nice. My family
sent 2 down. They look sporty but are V
neck and dressy enough for class and they keep me cooler. I guess these types of shirts are the
exception to the no polyester rule.
Examples: Marika, Reebok
·
Soft,
cool, t-shirts for sleeping, working out, lazing etc. (you can buy more here
for so cheap!)
·
A
polo or two. I brought 4 100% cotton
ones by Karen Scott. They are hotter
than my soft tees because they are thicker, but they are easy to wear to
school. Probably only needed 2.
·
Camis/tanks
in fun colors. Example: Cami:Forever21,
Tanks: Forever21.
I brought 4 camis from the states to wear under other sheer shirts or to
bed, probably only needed 2.
·
As
many other of your most versatile and favorite shirts you can squeeze in that
suitcase.
·
One
light jacket (you could end up in the mountains, but I’d say buy a sweater if
that happens)
·
Socks
(I brought 8 pairs which is perfect for me, but it totally depends on how often
you need them… I only wear them to work out)
Definitely
bring a FEW of your favorite bright and fun jewelry pieces. But I wouldn’t bring your expensive watches
or bling. Forever 21 jewelry is Perfect! Bright, fun and cheap = bring to Nica.
If you will
be teaching in the schools, I would bring a cute bag/purse you can fit books,
water bottle, umbrella etc in. Like one
of the bags you used in Undergrad. I
didn’t and it sucks. Then bring one
normal size purse that ideally zips up to keep curious hands out of it.
Money belt,
you decide. I brought one and only used
it once. Your bra is an awesome place to
store money, credit cards, and ID.
Nitty Gritty:
Never thought I would say this, but Fruit of the Loom Walmart 100% cotton underwear is the jam. I have two packs of them. They are So much better than my Victoria secret underwear that I now only wear when I am out of the fruit of the loom ones! I would bring 3 of the fruit of the loom 8 packs plus a few sexy undies for those days when you need to remind yourself that you can still be sexy.
I’d bring 4 sports bras and at least 4-5 normal bras, 1 strapless.
Things not to
bring because Peace Corps will provide throughout your service:
·
Spanish/English
Dictionary
·
Spanish
Grammer book
·
1
Blank notebook for Spanish class
·
Sunscreen
·
Body
Lotion
·
Bug
Spray
·
First
Aid Kit (including Tylenol, band aids, gloves, asprin, anti-diarrhea, motion
sickness, chapstick and so much more)
·
Mosquito
Net
·
Coffee
Cup
·
Daily
Vitamins
·
Calcium
pills
·
Condoms…
you never know!
If you have
extra room, pack your strangest favorite snacks or things you will miss and
can’t find here… you can find most things here in Managua, but you won’t be
able to get there during your 11 weeks of training. During training, you will be able to shop at
Pali which has all your basic necessities to keep you fed, clean and happy, but
it won’t provide most of the stuff you crave from the States that you could
purchase in Managua at the fancier stores La Colonia or La Union.
Thank you for the great list!
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