So there’s a new group coming in January so I thought I’d
add my 2 cents on packing and how to effectively be happy here, or just
generally any time you’re going to be away from home for long time or living
out of a suitcase.
I’ve had a lot of jobs since I’ve graduated college and most
of them have been 3-4 months/seasonal and have not allowed for me to have
everything I want/own with me (then again for me to take everything I own with
me somewhere I would need a pretty big truck, I will not lie to you that I have
a lot of stuff). Anyways. Even though I’m a chronic over-packer and I mean a
serious over-packer I almost always have more stuff then everyone else- besides
that fact I consistently take jobs that force me to evaluate what’s important
to me, and what can stay at home in my childhood bedroom (ps thanks mom for not
kicking my stuff out- you’re the best and I’m aware I’m really lucky. ) So over
the years I have one thing that I want to communicate to anyone who has to pare
down your stuff or live out of a suitcase; pack what you love, pack things
you like, pack things you will wear. My
first theater tour in 2008 I only brought black work and show clothes and
nothing fun or colorful or comfy to wear when I wasn’t doing the show- by the
end of the first month I was going crazy and just felt like crap, it wasn’t
until I went on a really bad shopping binge and brought some fun hippy colorful
clothes that I realized I felt terrible because I wasn’t wearing the clothes I
wanted to wear. I may be an exception because I tend to get over-attached to
clothes, but you have to put something on every day (unless you live in a
nudist colony) and I don’t know about you, but when I like my outfit and feel
comfortable and like myself in the clothing I have on, I feel more confident,
happy and complete. So… that’s my piece of advice, if there’s a dress code,
yeah you have to adhere to that, but for the love of all things holy if you
leave your favorite tshirt behind I promise you’ll regret that decision, even
if you only get to wear it around your house after work or whatever.
So… for those of you coming to morocco here’s a suggestion
for your packing- the toughest thing about packing for morocco (other than the
fact that you have to project what you will want here and decide what you will
have with you for 2 years, and then make it fit into 2 suitcase and a carry on)
is that it gets both pretty darn cold, and really freaking hot, so you have to
pack a variety of things. As with outdoor education the name of the game is layers…
also this list is more geared towards girls, because boys pack so weird,
honestly I don’t get it…. One guy in my group brought 1 duffel with him that
wasn’t even all that full and didn’t think it was weird- maybe it’s because
there’s only so many combinations of pants and t-shirts or button downs, and
girls have a million options but come on guys, it’s two years for god sakes,
and no one wants to see you walking around in a nasty stained ripped up t-shirt
because you only brought one pack of hanes v-necks, think ahead.
For baggage, I recommend one large rolling suitcase, maybe a
large rolling duffel ( I went with llbean’s rolling duffel it’s great) and one
regular duffel, you’re going to want a little extra room in at least 1 of them
because you will get a ton of papers and other important things like your
mosquito net, books from the library, a fire detector and med kit during
training. Also bring travel locks
for when you ship 1 of your bags to your site in country.
Ok so here goes my suggestions for packing for morocco
- first
of all this whole business casual thing is more or less bullshit, you’ll wear
this outfit for swearing in and staging stateside. I recommend a nice looking
skirt paired with a practical shirt or blouse or cardigan that could also
double as something you would feel comfortable wearing day to day. You don’t
need heels, or dress shoes or a Hilary Clinton get up- think more school
teacher then wall street
- 2-3
skirts- for me, I wear skirts a lot and I think they’re great because you can
wear as much or as little underneath them as you want
- if
you’re a pants person, bring 2 pairs and then maybe 1-2 extra pairs because
hand washing will destroy them.
- 2
pairs of leggings, cotton or quick dry/wicking. if you wear skirts a lot I recommend
these to wear underneath and 1-2 pairs of winter weight or long john leggings
for the winter time.
- 1
pair of shorts to wear around your house in the summer time.
- 2
cardigans or long sleeve shirts, cardigans should ideally be long (to the butt
if possible)
- 1-2
t-shirts or other shirts I recommend something not too tight, because if they
cling onto your lady parts, or are low cut you may get some unwanted and un-fun
attention
- 2-3
warm layers (I used coming to morocco as an excuse to go to the Patagonia
outlet, and my merino base layers have done me really well) I recommend 3
because there will be a time when you’re wearing 2 of them, then have to wash
them because they’re dirty, and then you will be cold if you don’t have an
extra one, also there will probably be a day you put all 3 on
- so
to go along with the winter layers, I also suggest you think of long sleeve
summer layers, places like Patagonia and underarmor and other sports gear
places make great summer weight layers, I recommend at least 1 of these, 100
degrees in a taxi will feel much nicer if your clothes are wicking moisture for
you.
- -1
vest- winter jackets are a little superfluous down south where I am, so if you
have a jacket that can be a vest or a jacket that might be ideal because you never
know where you will end up.
- 1
-2 long tank tops to wear as a layer or to cover up a little more
- 1-2
scarves (to hide your lady bits- I highly recommend this especially if you are
blessed in the chest)
- 2
pairs of sweatpants
- 1
sweater and 1 sweatshirt, depending on your mood
- winter
hat and gloves
- underwear,
then extra underwear and then some more extra underwear for your mom to send to
you
- -socks,
then more socks to save for later
- 1-2
pairs of winter socks
- warm
slippers to wear around your house (honestly one of the best things I have with
me)
- shoes,
I suggest 1 pair of hearty sandals (Birkenstocks, chaco’s) and 1 pair of
traveling shoes (toms, keens, sneakers etc) and if you work out a lot something
to do that in (running shoes, vibrams etc)
- sleeping
bag ( I suggest 0-20 degree)
- sleeping
bag liner
- hiking
backpack for your carry on to use for any trips you take, rolling suitcases are
good for your checked but if you have to go somewhere for a training etc it’s
nice to have a hands free option and something easier to drag through crowded
trains and buses
- re-useable
shopping bag
- day
bag/backpack/messenger/purse etc for your day-to-day uses
- kindle
- iphone if you have one for a more portable internet possibilities/games
- CAMERA- i forgot this the first time around. i have a canon g12 and i love it. it has great quality without being too bulky or even looking that fancy. im a big fan.
- iphone if you have one for a more portable internet possibilities/games
- CAMERA- i forgot this the first time around. i have a canon g12 and i love it. it has great quality without being too bulky or even looking that fancy. im a big fan.
- computer
and computer stuff
- 2
external hard drives- 1 for your computer back ups and one for the “electronic
souk” where you will trade tv shows and movies with fellow pcv’s at every
training you go to ever
- journals
if you’re the journaling type
- my
mom gave me the idea for something called a “smile folder” it’s just a folder
where I put in things that make me happy, letters, pictures, magazine pictures,
things to decorate my house… I think this is invaluable because there will be
bad days, and it’s nice to have something that can cheer you up no matter what.
- If
you’re a crafty person do not deny this part of you! In my carry-on I brought
8lbs of seed beads, crochet hooks,
knitting needles a cross stitch and 2 skeins of yarn- I have used every single
one of them. You can get some stuff here, but if you have a portable craft, or
can’t imagine your life without scrapbooking or something make sure that
happens.
- Yoga
mat
- Workout
dvd’s if you have any
- Toiletries
you like, your favorite shampoo, soap, deodorant and perfume, I recommend all
of these and maybe a little extra, or buy some and set it aside for someone to
ship to you while you’re home. It’s the little things that make you happiest
- Moisturizer!
You will need this for sure, bring extra.
- A
nice knife and if you’re really picky a veggie peeler, but you can purchase a
veggie peeler here, a nice knife though makes your kitchen so much better
- Measuring
cups and measuring spoons
- 2
packs of ziplock bags, big and small
- Peanut
butter
- If
you have any spices you cant live without (ie mrs dash, lawrys seasoned salt,
garlic powder etc ) I’d recommend that too.
- Gifts
for people (think card games like uno or something, local specialities such as
maple syrup, books, I have a hard time with gifts, I still haven’t figured it
out to be honest)
- Small
fleecy blanket (they have one from Columbia I think that zips into a pillow and
zips out into a blanket- super cool)
Wow. I totally come off as an over-packer even online. Oh
well. After that think of things that make you happy- for me until I went home
a year in I was never truly happy in my bed because im really picky about my
pillows, so I brought my favorite pillow back with me.
Also if you have packed everything and then realize you’re
unsure about some stuff, like I did, make a pile somewhere, or put them in a box and leave them with
your parents or a friend in case you want them. It’s a lot easier then trying
to give directions to your distant desires via email or skype.
I don’t know if anyone will find this helpful. But I guess
this could also work for anyone who is also moving far away and having to get
rid of their stuff. So I apologize for any of you who find this useless. For
those of you who find it helpful, enjoy.
3 comments:
This totally does not seem like overpacking to me at all! When I went to Japan for a year, my two suitcases were way more ridiculous and overpacked than yours. And when I came back, I think they might have weighed twice as much as me, what with the rice cooker, bread maker, and pounds of food/souvenirs I brought back. I'm actually impressed with your restraint :)
well.. i didn't so much say that this is exactly what i brought. to be honest my suitcases were a lot more full then this, and definitely didn't include helpful stuff like, no business casual stuff, less serious jacket and more legitimate summer stuff that didn't make me die becasue i had to wear a million layers. this is more of a composite.
i honestly have anxiety dreams/moments at least once a month about how im going to get my stuff home. im either going to be paying out the ass for shipping, out the ass for overweight or crying as i leave stuff behind. we shall see. my mom is visiting in april so hopefully she can take some stuff back for me.
when it comes to packing i have zero restraint.
ps who are you meeee?
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