Packing for Peace Corps South Africa
Dumelang!
Before I left for SA I wanted to
write a post about packing for the Peace Corps. Ultimately, time got away from
me and I never wrote one. However, a post written after the fact (including
what I brought, what I brought that I didn’t need, and what I wish I brought)
is probably much more useful for future Peace Corps South Africa volunteers.
Firstly, keep in mind that this is
a packing list for Peace Corps South Africa, NOT a packing list for all Peace
Corps countries. What to pack changes drastically throughout the PC, and even
throughout PC Africa countries.
Also, this list isn’t exhaustive. I’m
not going to include obvious things I brought (ie, toothbrush). If it’s not on
this list and you’re thinking “I use that on a daily basis, I need that” then
by all means, bring it.
Lastly, I left for South Africa in
January, which means I was lucky enough to do my packing and shopping during
the holiday season. I bought most of the “big ticket” items on Black Friday,
Cyber Monday, or during the after-Christmas sales. For instance, I got my
hiking backpack from the REI Outlet on Cyber Monday for $75 (originally over
$200). Packing for PC isn’t cheap and I recommend doing research before buying
really expensive items. I’ll include prices and stores (when I can) to help in
that regard.
*My biggest piece of advice is this: You’re a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa, not Bear Grylls on a remote island. Pack accordingly.
Luggage: For international travel to South Africa passengers are
allowed two checked bags (neither over 50lbs), one carry one, and one personal
item.
My personal item was my North Face
backpack (standard school size) that I’ve had for 6 years.
When I started the packing process
I only wanted to bring two checked bags and my backpack, so I didn’t plan on
bringing a carry on, but the day of, not everything could fit in my three bags
so I ended up with a tote bag as a carry on.
For the checked bags I used a
large, rolling duffel-esque bag (a Mizzou gymnastics bag to be precise) and a
60L hiking backpack (Alps, $75, REI Cyber Monday sale). I HIGHLY recommend a hiking backpack. Not only are they
easy to travel with, they hold enough for weekend trips to visit friends, or
even travel to Cape Town for a week. It’s so much easier using a hiking
backpack than trying to lug around a duffel bag.
What I brought
Watch: I wear mine 24/7. Waterproof is a must. Not much
else to say. Marathon, $30, Target.
Plug converter: I brought a plug
converter, which I subsequently lost, but very early on in PST, Peace Corps
gives every volunteer the opportunity to buy a converter. $8, Brookstone, or R60 from PC
Laptop: Totally and completely
necessary. I don’t care what Peace Corps says; everyone who brought a laptop is
so glad they did, and everyone who didn’t completely regrets it. I use mine
daily, whether to watch TV shows and movies, write reports for PC or my org,
write blog posts, and occasionally get access to Internet. I have a 13-inch
MacBook Pro from 2010.
External Hard drive: So important!
PCVs share media with each other via external hard drives and trust me, you’ll
want as many movies and TV shows as you can get once you move to site. I
recommend 1 terabyte or bigger. I had a Seagate 1T portable external hard drive
from the states, but it broke a week after swear-in. I ended up getting a LaCie
Thunderbolt Rugged 1T hard drive, which is designed for “rugged” travel. $159, Best Buy (my mom sent it to me from
the states)
Headlamp: At first, I didn’t think
I needed this, but I’ve made good use of it. Some volunteers don’t have
electricity and for those of us who do, it’s not reliable and shuts off
occasionally. The headlamp is also great for walking to the latrine at night. Black Diamond, $14.99, REI Cyber Monday sale
Hiking boots: This item is debatable
among PCVs. I love mine and use them a lot, but they aren’t a necessity.
Volunteers who don’t have them don’t notice a difference in their daily lives
because of it. Honestly, I could live without mine (it’s not like I have to
hike a mountain to work everyday), but they are comfy and durable and nice to
walk in for long distances around my village especially in winter. Keen, about $100 on sale, REI
Shoes: I brought a pair of Reef flip flops, Birkenstocks, Converse, hiking boots, Merrill running shoes, and Target sandals. I have been very happy with my shoe collection. A lot of people brought Chacos, and although I personally don’t think they are comfortable, they are completely appropriate for PCSA. (On second thought, I did bring a pair of Chacos, but I gave them to my host sister, that’s how much I hate them)
Clothing: In terms of clothes,
there is a balance between the amount of “dress” attire and the amount of
“casual” attire you’ll need. Bring a few knee length skirts, sundresses, and
cardigans, but don’t bring a suit jacket or slacks (for females) it’s not
necessary. As long as you aren’t wearing old t-shirts, ripped jeans or shorts,
you’ll be fine. South Africans don’t care if you show cleavage, but if you wear
a short skirt, you’ll look inappropriate. During PST attire is more restricted
than anything you’ll experience post-PST. For instance, I wasn’t allowed to
wearing leggings during PST, but I wear them occasionally at site. Be careful
what you pack for exercise. Short shorts and sports bras are not appropriate to
work out in. I suggest longer shorts or athletic leggings and t-shirts. Also,
clothes are really cheap and easy to get in Pretoria if you need something you
didn’t bring.
Life Straw Water Bottle: South
African village water is not safe for Americans to drink and although Peace
Corps provides each volunteer a large water filter, sometimes you forget to
fill the filter and need water immediately, or your filter breaks and it might
be awhile until you can get a new one – in those situations, having a
self-filtering water bottle has been amazing. I got mine as a gift. As long as you have a water bottle of some kind, you'll be fine.
Camelbak 1L Water bottle: I highly
suggest a 1L water bottle, especially in the summer when you absolutely need to
stay hydrated.
Inflatable pillow: Definitely not
necessary, but I’ve actually used mine a lot cause I’ve been in situations
where I didn’t have a pillow or I was traveling and didn’t want to bring a
regular sized one. I can’t remember, but I probably got it from REI because I’m
addicted to that store.
Sleeping bag: This is another
debatable item. I used mine every night in the winter because South Africa
winters are brutal, especially at night, and blankets weren’t cutting it (but I could have layered more blankets if I didn't have a sleeping bag). I
also use mine when visiting volunteers who don’t have a lot of sleeping space.
Some people don’t have them, but I’m glad I brought one. This was a splurge for
sure but it was a Christmas gift from my mother, otherwise I would’ve gone
with something cheaper. Sierra Designs,
$300, REI
![]() |
I got this pic from the REI website. |
Kindle: I’m obsessed with my
kindle (as you can see here). It’s great for traveling because you can have
hundreds of books on one device, and volunteers share books with one another so
you’ll never run out of something to read. Kindle
Paperwhite, about $100, Amazon.
Camera and 32g memory card: I love
my camera. I use it ALL the time, especially for my blog. Some people just use
their IPhone cameras, but most people brought a digital camera. The large
memory card is also nice because I don’t have to worry about taking too many
photos and not being able to store them. Canon
PowerShot SX510 HS, $300, Creve Coeur
Camera in St. Louis. The memory card was a gift.
IPod: Because of all my phone
problems (see below), I don’t always have a place to listen to music. My IPhone
is dead (RIP) and my BlackBerry only has a 4g memory, so I use my IPod all the
time, especially when I go for runs. People frequently see me running and then
ask for my phone number, but I tell them that I don’t have a phone and my IPod
is only for music. It’s a great way to avoid those awkward “Gopela numbers”
situations. I got mine from Craigslist.
IPod Touch 16g, $130 (I believe)
Travel size umbrella: Great for
rainy days, which are frequent in rainy season, and great for sun protection.
If I walk around the village without wearing a hat or using an umbrella, people
are shocked because “your white skin will be ruined”. Unfortunately, I lost the
umbrella that I brought.
Winter coat: Although winter only
lasts about two months, it can be brutal. I’m really happy with the winter coat
I brought. It’s warm, but made for travel (compresses into a little bag thing). REI
Rain jacket: Yeah, bring one, why
not.
Towel and washcloth: Bring at least one towel and washcloth. You don’t know when you’ll get a chance to visit a store and buy some (and it definitely won’t be before you need to bathe) because PC doesn’t provide any, even your first night. A lot of people bring the quick-dry towels, which seem to work well.
Toiletries: Bring enough to last for a month (tops) because even though you won’t have access to a store immediately, you won’t be living in isolation for long and stores have most items you need. Also, PC provides volunteers with unlimited sunscreen, bug spray and condoms, so keep that in mind when packing. PC also gives you a medical kit at the beginning of service and although it’s full of most meds you might need, once you run out, you’re on your own.
Things I brought that I didn’t need
Water bladder: An REI employee
convinced me I needed this. I don’t. They only way I can see this becoming
useful if I go on a hiking trip (which I want to, but who knows). $35, REI
Edit: I went on a hiking trip and didn't use this.
Edit: I went on a hiking trip and didn't use this.
Hammock: The only reason this
hasn’t been useful is because I didn’t actually buy a hammock… I bought a bug
net for a hammock. That’s my bad. In reality, a hammock would’ve been great
because I have the perfect spot for it outside my house. However, I recommend seeing
if there’s a spot for a hammock at your permanent site before buying one (you
can find them at Cape Union Mart in South Africa for about R150). $65, REI (with an additional 20% off)
Inflatable sleeping pad: I have a
bed; I don’t sleep on the floor; this isn’t needed. I have used it when
visiting other volunteers or when they visit me, but I’m not sure it was worth
the price. However, I can see this being useful if I go on a hiking trip. I
have used this mat as a yoga mat on occasion, but an actual yoga mat would’ve
been much better (which you can buy in SA, so don’t bring one).
What I wish I brought
Two years worth of good deodorant:
This sounds silly, but good deodorant is impossible to find here. I’m not the
only one who thinks so; it’s a universal complaint among PCSA volunteers.
GoPro: I love my camera but it
would be nice to have a GoPro for scuba diving and other activities that
involve water. Lucky, a lot of my friends have GoPros so I’ve been able to use
them when I need to. However, I’m glad I brought a regular camera because I’m
not a huge fan of the “fisheye” look for everyday pics.
Other items
Laundry stuff: Some volunteers
bring fancy stuff from America to do their laundry, but I think it’s a waste.
Everything you need is here, and if you really hate hand washing, you can pay someone
in your village to do your laundry for you.
Solar Charger: I didn’t bring a solar charger, but for those
who did, I don’t think they found it useful (or warranted the price). Everyone in
my cohort has access to electricity, even if it’s limited and spotty.
Unlocked cellphone: This is a
tricky subject. If you want to use your American phone in South Africa (which a
lot of volunteers do because they love their iPhones) then you need to call
your cellular provider and “unlock” your cell. If you don’t unlock it, then a
South African sim card won’t work in the phone. I didn’t bring an unlocked
cellphone because my iPhone was almost 4 years old, cracked, and barely worked.
I bought a Blackberry in South Africa for R1999 and 1G of data is R149.
However, my blackberry did break relatively soon after I purchased it, and
South African customer service is… lacking, to say the least, so I had to buy a
completely new Blackberry. Having an IPhone is great but it can make you a target for theft,
but that doesn’t happen too often.
Musical instrument: Don’t bring
one. They are bulky and hard to travel with. I bought my guitar in Nelspruit
for R700 (about 65 bucks, which was a great deal). Also, volunteers who are
finishing up service will give you their old instruments for free or really
cheap.
Food: There are lots of food items
that are impossible to find in SA. Some volunteers try to bring stuff (like
American candy, spices, tortillas, mac n’ cheese, chocolate chips, powered
Gatorade, etc.) but it doesn’t seem worth it to me.
I can’t think of anything else at
the moment, but if you have any questions, just leave them in the comments
below!
P.S. Am I going blind or are these photos kinda blurry?
P.P.S. My computer thinks it's South African and wants me to spell things weird now. Oh well.
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