I am officially over halfway through my race! So here’s a packing blog! DISCLAIMER: I don’t really know what the men packed. So. Keep that in mind if you’re a guy. Also, your packing will vary depending on your route. My first country was Romania in winter, but now I live in the Dominican Republic, so I packed for pretty much all circumstances. Keep in mind that your route could change (mine changed 4 times!) so a versatile wardrobe is essential. Be prepared for everything to get ruined or taken, but don’t just bring casual clothes. Don’t overpack, but realizing that you under packed could be worse. You can always drop stuff if you don’t want to carry it, and you can also buy anything you need overseas. My biggest advice is this: DON”T STRESS! The race teaches you that everything you thought you needed isn’t really that important anymore.
CLOTHING
TOPS: Since you’ll be packing for pretty much any type of weather, it’s best to bring light layers. In most countries, it’s important to dress nice, so keep that in mind when you choose your shirts. I brought 3 plain t-shirts to wear with skirts and jeans, and 2 graphic tees for manual labor or just hanging out at home. A long sleeve or a flannel is good for chilly mornings or sleeping. AIM dress code is that your bra straps can’t be showing, and most ministry sites want your shoulders covered, so keep that in mind. Remember to bring things that you like, or else you’ll want to drop them the first month!
- 4 t-shirts
- 1 long-sleeve
- 1 nice shirt
- 1 Flannel
- 1 tank top
BOTTOMS: Don’t listen to other packing blogs, you will want a pair of jeans, maybe two. My first country was Romania, and I wore jeans to ministry every day, so our girl population went through a pandemic of trading jeans daily. Athletic shorts are good for working out or around base, but you probably won’t be able to wear them to ministry. Dress code says they have to be past your fingertips for women, so I got two pairs of 5” Sandy River shorts from Colombia and I love them. Even if you aren’t going to a “cold” country, nights can get pretty chilly everywhere so definitely bring leggings or sweatpants. For ministry in the Dominican Republic, I wear a long skirt or dress every day, but don’t bring more than one because I promise you’ll trade with your squad.
- 2 athletic shorts
- 1 pair cute shorts
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of Leggings/ sweatpants
- 1 long skirt or dress
UNDERWEAR: I’m serious about bringing 30 pairs of underwear. You won’t want to buy them overseas and you definitely don’t want to run out. I rationed mine and kept 15 unused for the halfway point. Swimsuits have to be one-piece, and some places make you wear shorts while swimming if you are a woman, so be prepared for that!
- 30 pairs underwear, 15 per semester
- 5 pairs of socks, 2 warm pairs
- 5 bras
- 1 swimsuit
OUTERWEAR: Again, even if you aren’t going to a “cold” country, bring a sweatshirt! I’m currently in the Dominican Republic and I wear it almost every night. I also brought a thin North Face puffer, which I barely ever use, but I don’t regret bringing, since it weighs next to nothing and I can shove it in a stuff sack.
- 1 sweatshirt
- Raincoat
SHOES: Shoes are SO important! Athlete’s foot is a thing, so take care of your feet! Be prepared for all of them to get nasty, but don’t be afraid to bring a nice pair, because depending on your ministry you’ll want to still look cute.
- Shower shoes- I brought crocs and I LOVE them! They weigh nothing, and they are so comfy. Other people brought tevas or chacos, but I’ll advocate for my crocs any day.
- Tennis Shoes- for working out or manual labor. My ministry has mostly been evangelism, so I don’t wear these as much, but they’re still useful just in case!
- Nice sandals- I packed Birkenstocks and wear them every day in the DR. You’ll want something nice to wear to church or evangelism, so I recommend bringing them even if you don’t wear them every day.
- Cute sneakers- Converse or air forces! All my ministry has been evangelism, and I have to wear a nicer outfit pretty much every day. Closed-toed shoes are best because the streets overseas get pretty gnarly and I personally don’t enjoy stepping in whatever debris washes up in Dominican gutters.
OTHER:
- Baseball cap (if you don’t wear this at home, you probably won’t care to wear it on the field, but I’d bring it anyway just in case!)
- Sunglasses
- Winter hat- I only wore this in Romania, but I would still bring it in case your route changes! Yes, that can happen, it changed for my squad 3 times and all you can do is adapt.
- Masks- You’ll lose these like crazy, so bring more than you think you’ll need.
GEAR
For my race, I never used my tent after training camp. Still, it depends on the country and your route could totally change, so I wouldn’t drop your tent when you leave campus. Don’t skimp on gear, you’ll be living outside for a month and you’ll regret getting a cheap rain cover on those wet Gainesville nights. Same goes for sleeping. On the field, you’ll probably have a bed, but get a nice sleeping pad in case it’s uncomfortable.
- Footprint- SO important! My campsite turned into a swamp the 3rd week and I was thankful for my footprint, which kept the wet ground from soaking into the floor of my tent.
- 2 person tent- I first used my brother’s one-person tent for Boot Camp, but there wasn’t enough room for me and my 9 month’s worth of stuff. Your tent is your home for a month, so get comfortable in it. I got Kelty Dirt Motel 2, and I loved it!
- Sleeping pad- pretty much everyone got Thermarest Prolite; it’s a bit more expensive than the average pad, but it’ll be your bed for possibly all of the race so if you splurge on anything, splurge on this.
- Sleeping Bag- I got a 20 degree Kelty sleeping bag and love it! The extra fluff for cold weather made the hard ground exceptionally comfortable.
- Sleeping Bag Liner- basically a sheet for your sleeping bag. Good to keep the bag clean, or to use in countries where it’s to hot to sleep with a full bag.
- Travel Pillow- Some people brought full-size pillows, but I like my Themarest pillow. Make sure you get a large. Bring a pillowcase for sure.
- Headlamp- Saved my life in Gainesville. Make sure you bring extra batteries!
- Wristwatch- You won’t always have your phone and knowing what time it is is so important!
- 2 camp towels- Order the biggest ones, camp towels run small. I’d bring 2 in case one gets dirty.
- Day pack- Just my old North Face backpack from school. You’ll want it to carry your electronics, books, and whatever else doesn’t go in your big pack in travel days.
- Day pack rain cover
- Big Pack- I got a woman’s 65 Ariel from Osprey, and love it. Some people went to an REI outlet to get fitted for theirs, but I just ordered mine on Amazon. Gap Year doesn’t do many travel days, so most of the time your pack is just sitting under your bunk as a storage unit. Still, get one that’s comfy and carries all your stuff.
- Rain cover- Used this for travel day to protect against pickpocketing in the train station. Also, you probably don’t want your stuff to get wet in case it rains while moving around.
- Air porter- So your pack doesn’t get ruined on plane rides! I just got one from Osprey. Make sure you put your name on it!
- Packing cubes- for your clothes. SO important to keep your clothing organized instead of just throwing it into your big pack. I got mine from Eagle Creek. They came in a pack of 2 larges, a small, and a laundry bag. Definitely keep the laundry bag.
TOILETRIES
You’ll likely be able to buy most products in country. Dove sells stuff everywhere. But if you’re particular, pack for the whole nine months. Here’s a list of things I originally packed, but I wouldn’t worry about bringing 9 month’s worth of shampoo since you’ll most likely just drop you bottle at the end of each country and buy a new one when you settle down again.
- Face wash
- Face Moisturizer
- Sunscreen, bug spray
- Body wash
- Shampoo/ conditioner
- Extra mini bottles
- Toothpaste, toothbrush, whitening strips
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Hairbrush
- Scrunchies, hair clips, hair ties
- Deodorant
- Q tips
- Hand sanitizer
- Body/ clothing spray
- Camping mirror
- Contacts/ solution
- Razor and blades
- Makeup- This totally depends on what you normally do. I only brought concealer and mascara, some girls brought more, and some brought none. If you’ll want to wear it, bring it!
- Feminine products- Ok, ladies, let’s talk about periods. Honestly, I was terrified of having my period on the race but it hasn’t been that bad. Pads are everywhere, and you’ll be able to find American brands if you are particular. Tampons are a different story, most foreign countries don’t use them, so if you exclusively wear those, I’d pack for the whole 9 months. A lot of girls use the diva cup, but definitely remember to bring your own wash, and try it out at home before committing to it for 9 months.
ELECTRONICS
- Computer- Not a necessity for everyone, but if you plan on blogging regularly, it’s nice to have. i-pads are a nice alternative that don’t weigh as much.
- Phone
- Chargers!- bring extra, you’ll probably lose them.
- Power strip- not everyone on your team will need this, but likely there will be only one outlet in your room, so a power strip is so useful.
- Earbuds/ converter- I brought air pods, but I’m glad I also brought earbuds for the 2-week period where my pods were nowhere to be found.
- air pods
- Battery twinkle lights- I LOVE my twinkle lights! I hung them in my tent and my bunk beds, so I don’t have to use my headlamp or phone light all the time.
LUXARY
Don’t go crazy on these, you don’t have an unlimited space. Abandonment doesn’t mean to cut everything you enjoy out of your life, it means putting God before those things.
- Art supplies- I love my watercolors! I brought a tin of paints, brushes, and loose paper. If you are creative at all, these are a perfect option for Sabbaths or making fun cards for people!
- Guitar/ small instrument- be warned, if you bring a guitar, your squad will probably ask you to lead worship. It is honestly such a blessing to them, so if you do music, it’s worth the extra weight on travel day.
- Camera- if you are a photographer or videographer, bring your camera! My teammate spent the entire time in Romania using her photography skills to help our ministry’s social media ministry. You have a skill that is in high demand, so take advantage of it!
- Hair straightener/ curler- I use my squamate’s straightener occasionally, it isn’t necessary, but it can be fun sometimes.
- Nail polish, remover- I didn’t paint my nails before the race, but honestly it makes me feel put together when I’m not. Just bring one color and trade with the other girls on your squad!
- Snacks- Don’t over pack these! There will be Target runs where you can get your favorite yummies.
- Hammock- I dropped my eno after training camp, but it was so nice to ‘hang’ out in. I apologize for the pun.
- Novel- I read a lot at home, so having a book was comforting. I also traded around with others on my squad, so if you do want to read, don’t bring a whole library. Others brought their Kindles, so that’s an option too!
OTHER ITEMS
- Bible!
- Pens and highlighters
- Journal
- Sticky notes
- Superglue, scotch tape, scissors- You’ll use these more than you expect. If you don’t bring them, you’ll be borrowing them more than you expect.
- First-aid kit: after bite, vaseline, bandaids, Neosporin- Team Leads all have first aid kits, so don’t go crazy, but I don’t regret bringing my own supply of band aids.
- Tums- I made the mistake of taking one too many tums at training camp. I would only bring them if you use them at home and have a sensitive stomach.
- Ibuprofen- any pain reliever! I don’t use it much, but I’m really glad I have my own supply.
- Medications
- Deck of cards
- Nalgene
- Wallet- Make sure your cards work internationally! Most likely you’ll be taking cash out of an ATM to spend, so make sure your card works for that too. Keep some USD for emergencies.
- Passport!
- Vaccination cards!- take pictures of these!
- Notecards- for scripture memorization
- Hand broom- so good to clean out my tent during training camp.
- Tote bag- I LOVE my tote! 100% recommend for ministry when you don’t have a backpack-amount of stuff to carry.
- Ziplock bags- Helpful for literally anything.
And that’s it! I hope this was helpful friends! Pack what you need, and pack a few things you want too. Don’t stress too much– the Bible wasn’t lying when it said that the Lord will provide. You’ll learn so much on your race, so don’t be scared about letting a few material things go, I promise they won’t matter to you once you see everything that the Lord has in store for you these next 9 months.
