Packing List

If you know me (especially if you've helped me move!), you'd know that I never pack light. I was at the airport in San Francisco to South Korea and found out that it costs over $400 USD to have overweight luggage! I started throwing away everything that was heavy...some things I regretted, others I haven't thought twice about. We were allowed 1 big luggage (50 lb limit), 1 carry on (hiking bag), 1 "personal" bag (which was really my backpack). Here's what I ended up with after I purged my life:

Clothing:

- Shirts: 2 tank tops, 1 t-shirt, 1 University of Michigan sweater, 3 sleeveless shells (turquoise, salmon pink, and purple), 2 cardigans (navy and purple), 3 polo shirts [NOTE: I completely regret bringing the polo shirts, they were ugly! I should have brought something more fashionable!]

- Bottoms/Dresses: 2 pr black khaki pants (big mistake, because they faded overtime... polyester slacks would have been a better choice), 2 skirts (black and floral), 2 pr jeans, 1 pr sweatpants [NOTE: I should have brought a pair of shorts because Mongolia gets HOT]

- Business: one black blazer, 3 collared button-up shirts

- Other: 2 infinity scarves, jewelry, 2 University of Michigan hats, 5 pr of socks, shoes (2 pr flip flops, 1 pr casual shoes, 1 pr black dress shoes, 1 pr hiking boots, 1 pr winter boots), 10 pr underwear, 3 bras, 2 sports bras, 2 prs of heavy-weight long underwear, 2 prs of lightweight long underwear

- Outerwear: 1 Canada Goose coat, 1 aviator hat, 1 pr gloves, 1 fleece jacket [NOTE: I had a fleece-lined rain coat shipped to be later which has been a Godsend]

- Electronics:1TB external hard drive with DVDs, exercise videos, and music loaded, Laptop, Kindle with a ton of books on it, Flash drives, iPod, camera, extra laptop power adapter charger, 2 kindle chargers, rechargeable batteries (8 AA and 8AAA, plus the charger)

Toiletries

- Toothbrushes (4), toothpaste (4), and floss (10)

- 2 pr Rx glasses (transitional lenses)

- 2 pr sunglasses

- 4 Diva Cups & wash solution

- Antibacterial body soap

- Deodorant

- Small mirror

- Shampoo (1)

- Conditioner (1)

- Hair oils (I combined lavendar, jojoba, peppermint, avocado, and tea tree into a water bottle and sealed it)

- Combs (1 detangler, 1 rat tail, 2 picks)

- Bobbi pins

- Shears

- Pantiliners

- Fingernail clipper

- Hair bands

- Lotion

- OTC meds [NOT necessary, Peace Corps gives you more than enough]

Other:

- Multi lugage bag stacker

- Luggage locks (2)

- Laptop backpack

- Hiking backpack

- Swiss Army Knife

- Travel mug

- Nalgene water bottle

- Plastic storage bags

- Coffee

- French press

- Onion soup packets

- Flashlight and LED headlamp [LED headlamp ended up being unnecessary because I live in an apartment, and I used the flashlight during training to go to the outhouse at night]

- Cards (regular and UNO)

- Duct tape

- Index cards

- U.S. flag

- University of Michigan flag

- Family photos

- Candy

- Band-Aids

- Undercover money belt

- Camp/solar shower [used during training only...after that it was pointless because I have a shower now]

- Ove' Glove (1 pr)

- Headphones (2 pr)

- Colloquial Mongolian language book and audio CD

Host family gifts

- Travel mugs filled with candy (1 for my host mother, and 1 for my host father)

- Finding Nemo sticker book

- Optical illusions coloring book and crayons

- Michigan photography book

Peace Corps provides us with a medical kit equipped with Band-Aids, tape, safety handbook, antacid tablets, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleaner, ace bandages, butterfly closures, calamine lotion, cepacol lozenges, condoms, dental floss, antihistemine, insect repellent, iodine tablets, lip balm, oral rehydration salts, thermometer, Sudafed, cough drops, scissors, sterile gauze pads, visine, antifungal cream, and tweezers.

NOTE: If you're a plus-sized or tall person, it is only wise to bring enough clothes to get you through a typical week, plus 1 or 2 fancy dresses. Stores don't carry my size (not even close...I think about 65% of American women wouldn't be able to shop here), so when I need something I have to order it from the US and pay substantial shipping. Also, women of color should bring makeup! There will NOT be shades of your color here in Mongolia!