fellow Wilderness Project alumni from WashU. The odds, right? The
other volunteers and I are excited to welcome them and the rest of the
newbies in July. Here's a little packing list and guide to help them
before they arrive.
First, a little bit about the program: Peace Corps Madagascar was
started in 1993 and was shut down in 2002 and 2009 due to political
instability. There are currently four sectors: health, education,
environment, and small enterprise development (SED). A new stage of
environment and SED volunteers swore in early May. The next stage
will be health and education, arriving mid-July and swearing in
mid-September.
Training is held in Mantasoa, which is a town of 10,000 people (or so
we're told) about 2 hours outside of the capital. Training consists
of language lessons and technical lessons to help prepare the trainees
for 2 years of service. In the months of July and August, Mantasoa is
extremely cold and rainy (and that's coming from a Minnesotan, so
beware). So, when packing for training, remember to bring clothes
that are water-wicking, quick-drying, and warm. I highly discourage
cotton clothes, besides a couple items that you need for going out in
the capital or dressing up for swearing in. Cotton stretches and
retains bad odors if not dried properly (you will be hand washing all
your clothes). I would also encourage darker colored clothing,
because a white shirt won't stay white for long.
Here's my list if I were to pack all over again. This isn't
necessarily all you should bring or that you'll need everything I
suggest, just a list if I were to do it all over again. Remember, I'm
a guy, I've lived here 10 months already, and I now live on the coast
in 60-100 degree weather year-round, so tweak the list as necessary.
Madagascar is a tough country to pack for because you don't know the
weather of your site, whether or not you'll have electricity, or what
resources will be readily available; it varies throughout the country.
Outerwear
• Ski Jacket (warm and good in the rain)
• Fleece sweater
• Rain jacket
• Winter hat (it's that cold)
• Baseball cap
• Gloves
• Sleeping bag (as packable as possible)
Shoes
• Chacos
• Sturdy flip-flops (they will still break most likely)
• Waterproof light hiking shoes (you certainly don't need heavy-duty
hiking boots, but you will need something to keep your feet warm, dry,
and mud free during training)
Daily Wear
• Pants (2 pairs non-cotton, 1 pair of jeans so can feel like a real
person every now and then)
• Shorts (3 pairs, with good pockets, zippered pockets are great if
you can find them)
• Short-sleeve shirts (4-5)
• Long-sleeve shirt (light, breathable, for nights when the mosquitoes are out)
• Underwear (20 pairs, they get torn up pretty fast)
• Fleece socks (cotton socks take forever to dry and smell awful wet)
• Dress Pants for Swearing-In (khakis are good because they are durable)
• Dress Shirt for Swearing-In/Going out to bars in bigger towns
• Bathing Suit (2 pairs)
Other
• Watch (a cheap one should be fine, just make sure it has an alarm
and a backlight)
• Work gloves (if you don't plan on farming or doing manual labor, you
won't need these, but if I didn't have mine, I wouldn't be able to dig
at all)
• Safety pins (they come in handy)
• Utility knife
• Large towel for showering (the quicker drying the better)
• Football, Soccer ball (I brought both of these deflated and a pump
and would definitely bring them again. They are a great way to
interact even when you can't speak to people)
• Traveler's Hammock (good for guests)
• GorillaPod tripod (has been one of my best purchases)
• Small umbrella (you can buy it here, but you'll probably want it for training)
• Duct tape
• Bandana
• Book light
• Headlamp (with extra batteries)
• Journal
• Pocket planner
• A book you always wanted to read
• A grad school test prep book (you'll have the time eventually)
• World map (to show people where you're from)
Electronics
• Flash Drive (for use at internet cafes)
• Computer (you may not have electricity, but Peace Corps still
expects you to somehow submit reports. If you choose to bring a
computer, make sure you are prepared for it to break and aren't too
attached to it. Back up your files too)
• Camera
• Plug adapter
• iPod
• Speakers (these are a must)
Toiletries
• Razors
• Shaving cream
• Shampoo
• Tweezers
• Glasses (2 pairs, as Peace Corps recommends)
• Nail clippers
• Deodorant (lots)
Kitchen
• Garlic mincer
• Can opener
• Spices (once you start to cook for yourself, you'll thank yourself)
• Water bottles (2 Nalgenes)
• Small towel (washing hands, picking up hot pots)
• Hard candies (they don't go bad and are a good pick me up)
Luggage
• Large backpack (it is not necessary to have a camping backpack though)
• Medium sized duffel (great for throwing on top of the taxi brousse,
while you have you backpack with you inside)
• Large, rolling suitcase (this is where the rest of your gear goes)
• Small backpack (for day excursions to the market or into the woods)
• Combination Locks (these are great for luggage and for lockers at
the transit houses)
You can get most things here like towels, bed sheets, shampoo, soap,
and cotton shirts, but what you can't get are high-quality clothes or
underwear. My general advice is to pack stuff that you think will
last. If you have any specific questions, start a Facebook thread.
There will be enough volunteers with Internet at various times to help
you out.
Note for education volunteers: you'll have a dress code, unlike the
health volunteers, and will have to wear nice shoes and collared
shirts (for guys). So, my buddy, Josh, recommends a bunch of those
thin button-downs.
Note for girls: I'm not too much help in this department, but I've
been told to recommend loose fitting clothes. The people in the
highlands dress more conservatively than the coast, fyi.
Note for guys: Definitely pig out a bit before coming here.
Collectively, the 10 guys in my stage lost well over 100 pounds during
training and none of us really had much weight to lose to begin with.
So, get ready for that.
Also, don't forget to take advantage of the Peace Corps discounts from
retailers such as Chaco, North Face, and Marmot. You get 50% off!
Just Google "Peace Corps discounts" and you should be able to find the
links.
Finally, word of advice for training: just try to go with it and have
fun. You'll have good days and bad days, but in the end, Peace Corps
is a great experience. You just have to stick with it.
0 comments:
Post a Comment