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What To Bring (for prospective PCVs)

Clothes (Health and Community Development)
What to pack for female teachers

What to Bring (Everybody)
What not to Bring

Also see:
cookbooks for third world countries - good to bring!
Brian Bueler's packing updates: text file or word file

Clothes for Health and Community Development PCVs

Comments: You can find used clothing here in the market very cheaply (better than Goodwill!) and also get some neat stuff made. You just need to bring enough clothes to get you through 3 months of training, plus those essential things you just can't live without for two years.

  • Cotton Underwear (14-20)
  • Bras (W: 2-5, 1-2 nice ones for your own sanity, 1-2 sport bras)
  • Two nice outfits suitable for conferences and/or meetings in the states (W - skirts or dresses or nice slacks and blouse)
  • Jeans (W-1, M-2)
  • T-shirts (2-4)
  • Tank tops (1-2)
  • Casual pants (2)
  • Casual long dress, women (3-4). Sleeveless is OK. Especially sun dresses. Cotton's best.
  • Casual skirt (W 2-3)
  • Dancing dress (can be above the knee
  • Sweatshirt/sweater/flannel shirt
  • Short-sleeved nice but sporty shirts (W 2, M 3)
  • Oxford type shirts (M 1)
  • Light raincoat (shell) or poncho
  • Swim suit
  • Decently nice shoes -- like sandals, no dress flats
  • Light waterproof hiking boots and/or sneakers.
  • Running shoes, if you're a runner
  • Hat for the sun
  • Cotton socks (3-4)
  • Shorts (1-2), especially long shorts
  • Tevas or sandals. Birkenstocks are great, too, except they fall apart during rainy season.
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    What to pack for female teachers

    Submitted by Jenni Pearson, Siguiri, June 02

    Clothing/Shoes

    3 pair khakis/slacks
    2 long skirts
    1 pair jeans
    5-8 tank tops
    4 button-down shirts
    Modest swimsuit
    Everyday sandals, like Tevas
    Hiking/athletic shoes
    Raincoat
    25 pairs of underwear
    6-8 bras
    5-8 pairs cotton socks
    Cotton pajamas
    Cotton slips
    Several cotton bandanas
    1 sweatshirt
    A hat for sun
    A good watch with a plastic or web band, not leather
    1-2 good outfits for holidays/going out with other PCVs

    For School:

    Ink pens, especially red
    School bag
    Accordion file
    Grade books
    Colored construction paper (one multicolored package from Target is good)
    Good scissors
    Scotch tape
    Low reading level English books for adults (magazines with lots of pictures are good)

    Miscellaneous:

    Lots of hairclips and bobby pins
    Halgen water bottle (available at sporting goods stores)
    Leatherman utility knife (has multiple blades and devices)
    Headlamp (halogen or LED)
    Regular flashlight
    Pillow
    CD/cassette player and plenty of music CDs/tapes
    Can opener
    Rare spices (or ones you like a lot)
    Crystal Light drink mix
    Sauce packets (like Knor) to add variety to the rice
    US stamps (letter and $3.50 stamps for small packages)
    Envelops which seal with a sticker
    Girlie stuff (a little makeup, good smelling cream, etc)
    Lots of film (Guinean film sucks)
    Stuff that makes you feel good and comfortable
    $500 in $100 bills for traveling (traveler's checks are hard to cash and have poor exchange rates)

    Don't Bring:

    A French-English dictionary (unless it's tiny) the Peace Corps will give you a big one
    Basic medications (PC will supply these)
    Lots of toiletries (you won't need them or can purchase them in Guinea)
    Lots of books (there are good libraries at the Regional houses which you will visit periodically)

    Do Bring (because they're hard or impossible to find in Guinea):

    A good pillow
    Music CDs
    Good pens

    Advice:

    Don't bring anything with spandex - it will feel like rubber in the heat!
    In Guinea how you dress strongly influences how you're treated. Skirts above the knee, skimpy tops, or anything too tight will mark you as a child because that's how they dress. Certainly bring a fun outfit or two for the capital, but for day-to-day wear, favor more conservative dress. Tank tops are fine - don't worry!
    You can get almost everything in Guinea, but it might not be exactly how you like it.
    You're really packing for the three months of training right now. After you're more familiar with Guinea, you'll be able to find and buy almost everything you need in country.

    What to Bring (everybody)

    Comments: Africa will be here, with or without your stuff. It'll all be fine. That said, here's the compilation of our obsession with What We Wish We Had Brought. In general, you want to pack enough clothes to get you comfortably through 3 months of Stage, and then use the rest of the space to put in the things that are most important to you. There is no perfect list, it's a matter of priority. And bring what makes you happy and kicks ass -- like platform shoes and that fave pair of black jeans. Plus, anything that doesn't fit into your luggage will be a GREAT care package item for your family to send. Don't stress!
    If it's in this color it means we think you'd really like to have it.

    Luggage

    We suggest bringing a large bag on wheels, or one of those little luggage carts, because you'll be in a lot of airports in the beginning.
    The dream-combo of luggage is:

    • huge bag on wheels for heavy stuff
    • a large internal frame pack, inside a huge duffel bag. This serves to protect all the straps on the frame pack, plus to give you another bag to use, and some extra space.
    • Carry on: a nice medium sized hiking backpack -- that funny size that's larger than a day pack and smaller than your standard overnight pack. Kelty Redwing overnight has been recommended. Plus, a pillow, outside of your day pack.


    High Priority

    • Nice big fluffy bath towel
    • Washcloth and/or loofah
    • Good small flashlight
    • Headlamp
    • Duct tape (attach roll to outside of luggage)
    • Stationery stuff: permanent black marker, thumbtacks, nice paper, envelopes have a tendency to seal in the heat, postcards, glue stick, pens, scotch tape
    • U.S. Postage stamps, both letter-rate and priority-rate ($3).  One of the best ways to get letters home is to send them with travellers going to the U.S., and they can post your letters for you.  Bring about 5 books of the self-stick kind.
    • Art stuff: colored pencils, crayons, markers
    • Nalgene water bottle and/or Platypus
    • Tape Player/Walkman. You can buy boom-boxes here for $30-100 if you want.
    • Lots of Tapes, especially mixes and dance music
    • Camera and camera batteries
    • Replacement bulbs for flashlight, esp. for mini-maglite
    • Good batteries w/ built-in tester. You cannot get C-batteries in-country
    • Film (available here, but quality varies and it's expensive)
    • Personal pictures
    • Mini alarm clock
    • Swiss Army Knife/ Leatherman
    • Books -- a few good ones. We've got tons of pulp novels.
    • Book bag/backpack
    • Sunglasses
    • Day planner and/or calendar
    • Calculator (especially for teachers)
    • Spices: curry, Italian, basil, cumin, coriander. Buy in bulk at a health food store, real cheap.
    • Zip-lock bags
    • Hair bands, headbands, hair clips
    • 2 bandannas (essential for dusty taxis in dry season)
    • Some US Dollars (bring large bills -- $50 and $100 -- you get a better exchange on them). Traveler's checks are hard to use in-country, but are useful if you travel.
    • A credit card.
    • Short-wave radio (digital is easier to use, analog easier to fix). Can also be bought here but are of questionable quality.
    Very Nice To Have
    • An extra small towel, or camp pack towel
    • If you bring a real camera (SLR) bring a point-n-shoot, too
    • Spray bug repellent or skin-so-soft
    • 7-day pill holder
    • Pillow!!!
    • A nice diary or two
    • Spiral-bound notebooks don't exist here
    • Frisbee, soccer ball
    • Walkman speakers
    • A small gift for your host family in Thies, i.e. tea, key chains, baseball cap, T-shirt.
    • Cards and games to play with small children and villagers. We would love a copy of According to Hoyle here in Conakry. Or Boggle!
    • Sewing kit
    • Good blank tapes
    • Ear plugs (PCV's are noisy, and so are roosters)
    • Tough plastic-y mailer envelopes for sending film home
    • Lids that fit on tuna cans
    • Tupperware
    • Kitchen items: , garlic press, spatula, 1-2 good knives, good can opener, coffee press or gold filter,
    • Food items: Knorr's pasta sauce packs and other instant sauces, mac-n-cheese sauce packs, herbal teas, coffee, protein drinks, Koolaid). Your family can also send these in care packages.
    • Toiletries: deodorant (expensive in-country), facial scrubs & masques, deep hair conditioner, nice moisturizer, good hairbrush, haircutting scissors (we also have little scissors in med kits), pumice stone, toothbrushes & toothpaste (expensive here), echinacea or garlic tablets
    • If you like camping: tent, sleeping bag, standalone portable mosquito net (see Campmor)
    • OB tampons, if you know you like them (though your hands aren't always clean enough for that)
    • Seeds for garden -- herbs, veggies, flowers. Good soil here!
    • Wash-n-Dri disposable toilettes
    • Video tapes (to watch in PC Conakry house). This will win you points with 2nd-year PCV's!
    • Good sunglasses
    • Children's books
    • Picture book of USA
    • Those few silly things that will make you feel happy or luxurious -- i.e., mud mask, things that smell good, massage oil, nail polish, stuffed animals, gameboy
    • Bike stuff, if you're hard core: climbing bar, headlamp, toe clips, bike headlight
    • Magazine subscriptions (although we all get Newsweek International for free every week)
    • A youth-hostel type sleep sack comes in handy
    • Book light
    • Silica gel for packing film and batteries in
    What Not to Bring

     

    Don't Bring Because Peace Corps Gives You This

    • Vitamins (multi, B, C, Calcium)
    • iodine tablets
    • sunscreen (unless you have a particular preference, like PABA-free)
    • mosquito repellent (although spray-pump is very nice to have)
    • Bike stuff: bike repair book, bike gloves, All-in-One Tool (you may need to bring a helmet if they tell you to)
    • Med kit stuff: Neosporin, Vaseline, Peptobismol, Chapstick, small scissors
    • mosquito net (non-travel variety)
    • Basic medications (PC will supply these)


    Don't Bring Because You Probably Won't Use It

    • Solar shower (although some people have found this handy)
    • Solar battery charger (unless it's a nice one -- the $10 variety just doesn't work)
    • Water filter (unless you already have a nice small portable one -- handy for trips)
    • Tons-n-tons of tampons. Just bring a few months worth.
    • Sheets. Take up space and you can get them cheap here. They're provided during training.
    • Lots of jewelry. Just bring a few nice items.
    • A year's supply of toiletries (soap, shampoo)
    • Don't bring anything with spandex - it will feel like rubber in the heat!
    • A French-English dictionary (unless it's tiny) the Peace Corps will give you a big one
    • Lots of toiletries (you won't need them or can purchase them in Guinea)
    • Lots of books (there are good libraries at the Regional houses which you will visit periodically)

     
     
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