How to Pack for Two Years in a Tropical Climate

How to pack for two years in a tropical climate? Lightly. And I don’t mean pack light-weight clothing (well, I don’t just mean that.) I mean do not bring two giant duffle bags and two carry-ons. Almost anything you need in Panama, you can buy in Panama. Need to do a clothing shopping spree for some new clothes? Panama has a lot of clothing stores- a TON. There are great thrift stores easily found and easily accessed in Chitre, right by your future training communities. Even the stuff that isn’t thriftstore material is cheap. And there is a place called Conway in Albrook, which is owned by Target and is like a smaller-inventory version of it’s super-parent.

I can only speak for women coming to Panama for Peace Corps, but I regret bringing a ton of field-work shirts and pants. There are more opportunities to dress a little more nicely than I anticipated, and less to labor in the field. Of course I am working in Community Environmental Conservation, which means I am in the schools more than in the field. I will, however, out those work outfits to good use once turtle nesting season starts up.

The following things were provided by Peace Corps:

Med Kit with:
• 50 acetaminophen tablets (325mg)
• 48 bismuth subsalicylate tablets
• .5oz. tube of antibiotic cream
• 18 cetylpyridium throat lozenges
• 4oz. bottle of chlorohexidine detergent
• .5oz. tube of clotrimazole cream 1%
• 18 dextromethorphan throat lozenges
• 30 antacid tablets
• 30 diphenhydramine capsules (25mg)
• 1oz. tube of hydrocotisone cream 1%
• 80 ibuprofen tablets (200mg)
• 50 iodine water purification tablets
• 10 oral rehydration salt packets
• 48 phenylephrine HCI tablets (5mg)
• saline eye drops (.5oz)
• 12 anti-diarrheal caplets (2mg)
• 8 caladryl cream packets
• Adhesive tape, 10yds
• 45 bandages
• 20 butterfly skin closures
• 10 condoms
• dental floss (100yds)
• elastic bandage 3″x5 yards
• 10 Gauze pads
• 2 exam gloves
• insect repellent 30% deet (Peace Corps will restock this as you need)
• lip balm spf15
• first aid pocket guide
• safety whistle (can be colored to resemble a seahorse!)
• 5 1/2″ bandage scissors
• Sunscreen spf30 3.5oz (Peace Corps will restock this as you need)
• 3 1/2 splinter tweezers
• 10 disposable thermometers

Aside from the sunscreen and bug repellent, it is a fight to get more of any of these items. However, if you are sick, tell the medical office, and they instruct you to use something in your med kit you can get that replaced as it’s documented that you had a legitimate use for it. They do not restock things you hand out to your host family and community, so be wary of falling into that gringo handout trap.

Other things Peace Corps provides include a mosquito net, a water filtration system if you need it for your site (which many of us did not), a huge 5″ 3-ring binder, clipboard, writing pad, pen, folder, giant durable plastic bag to carry all of this in, and flu shots. If you didn’t get one, you will. They don’t tell you this for pre-med clearance but leave it for a surprise when you get there. ALSO LADIES! There is a blood test the day you arrive to make sure you aren’t pregnant! They did not tell us this, and lo and behold a team of the medical staff was waiting with gloves and needles and had all the women line up for blood samples. This caused a lot of girls to freak out. Just be prepared.

What I would be remiss without (seriously consider bringing these things)
• Computer. No really, bring one. Definitely bring one. Everyone without one or with a tablet regretted that choice. Several people broke down and bought them. They are nearly IMPOSSIBLE and extremely risky to send in the mail (see page on services in Panama). I bought an Asus Transformer Prime with a keyboard dock and I’m happy with it, but I wish it could run the Peace Corps Volunteer Reporting Form application which is currently only compatible with windows and mac.
• Portable external speakers (I use a x-mini II capsules speaker and it’s fantastic, portable, and great battery life and sound. A favorite among us when all hanging out or working outdoors)
• External hard drive for movies, tv shows, and photos from other volunteers. (My Seagate 1TB drive was $120. There is a collective Tera byte of data out there we exchange like digital STIs)
• Printed photos of family, friends, and myself when I was little. Kids and your host family love this sort of stuff.
• Two pairs of headphones for when the first one breaks
• Waterproof/Humidity control for electronics (silica packets, waterproof housing like those made by Pelican etc.)
• Camera (Canon G12 is my favorite ever.)
• Surge Protector/Power Strip Combo (the Monster Power Outlets To Go 3 Laptop compact surge protector is awesome and all I need. Comes with two USB ports and three DC 3-prong outlets)
• Nice express dress shirts (2)
• 2 pairs of nice jeans (not skinny jeans. These are not regarded as professional)
• A snorkel and mask
• A good leatherman (A GOOD leatherman- you will have many occasions to use it)
• MP3 player for long bus rides (can be over 8 hours sometimes)
• Nice dresses that have conservative necklines and hems down to your knees at least.
• Long skirts (I rarely wear dresses or skirts in the states, but they are excellent here)
• 2 pairs of good dress pants
• 2 pairs of durable work pants
• 2 pairs of running/sleeping shorts (sofies are great for this)
• 1 pair of longer shorts for swimming in
• 3 t-shirts
• 4 tanktops to wear under dress shirts (eeew sweat stains) or to bed
• 14 pairs of underwear (you can’t have enough.)
• 4 sports bras
• 5 regular bras
• Quick-dry towel
• Sleeping bag
• A sheet
• Makeup (it’s a bit pricey here)
• Spanish bananagrams
• Books in spanish. There are very few places to find books for readiny. Grocery stores are the only place I’ve found so far, and they sell books of the class you’d find in a grocery store in the states. Also they are $16-$40, which for something in Panama is an outrageous luxury expense. Bring a copy of your favorites to practice (Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter, Great Gatsby, A Thousand Years of Solitude, etc.) Don’t bring any english books- the peace corps office has plenty. If you have a kindle, there are over 5,000 digital books to choose from.
• Craft supplies or instruments for hobbies that can be shared (embroidery thread for friendship bracelets, hemp, beads, jewelry-making kit, etc.)
• Waterproof notebook and small notepad (“Rite in the Rain” brand is awesome). This will come in handy for words you want to learn, things to remember, and especially names in your community.
• Good sneakers for running and hiking and sports
• One pair of mud shoes (I will not say crocs because they are the bane of my existence and sold everywhere cheaply here in Panama, but a pair of shoes that you can hose down after you’re done with them and will dry relatively quickly)
• Nice dress sandals
• Good flipflops
• One light sweatshirt
• Belt

Things I recommend you buy in Panama

• A second pair of flipflops, $5
• Cute shirts and tops, $2-$20
• Dresses, $2-$30
• A cell phone, $30 (see services in panama page for info on cellular service)
• Notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, and other art supplies (same price as states)
• Leather dress sandals, $20 (there is a particular kind that is very popular and cultural here)
• Regular towel, $6
• Most toiletries can be found in Panama (my particular brand of neutragena face lotion is sold in most major grocery stores to give you an idea of the selection.) You can find tampons, pads, shampoos and conditioners, body lotion, wash, toothpaste (even Sensodyne), toothbrushes, floss, contact solution etc. HOWEVER if you use the solution that has to bubble off, I have yet you find that in Panama. Consider switching to one-a-days if you’re going to use contacts. Regular solution is sold in most major grocery stores.
• purses or bags, $12 (again, very typical cultural styles sold cheaply in panama)
• Any gift for your host family. They will appreciate something at the end of your stay that you know they’ll like (clothes, jewelry, photo of you and them together, hammock) infinitely more than a gift from the states that you give in the beginning. Do not give a gift when you first get there. Wait until you’re saying goodbye. I cannot reiterate this enough. It will be far, far better this way. I was actually asked why do we [gringos] give presents like that? [like before you know someone in the very beginning.] I just explained that it was cultural. Nuff said. They were too embarrassed by the gift (a glass plate with a turtle on it made by a local artist from my hometown) to know what to do with it, and I’ve never seen it in three months.
Things I wish I hadn’t spent money on
• A nice thermarest
• More than two pairs of work pants
• host family gifts
• Steripen

If I think of anything else, I will make notes below: