Packing list for Ghana

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Revision as of 12:22, 18 March 2011

Packing List for Ghana
Packing Lists by Country	These lists has been compiled by Volunteers serving in Ghana based on their experience. Use it as an informal guide in making your own list, bearing in mind that experience is individual. There is no perfect list! Packing list for Ghana Training in Ghana Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Ghana Health care and safety in Ghana Diversity and cross-cultural issues in Ghana FAQs about Peace Corps in Ghana History of the Peace Corps in Ghana	See also: Pre-Departure Checklist Staging Timeline For information see Welcomebooks

The packing list below has been compiled by PCVs in Ghana and is based on their experiences. The list has been divided into the following sections: Luggage/Suitcases, Clothing, Shoe's, Toiletries, Electronics, Cooking ware, Accessories, Financial, Items Peace Corps Provides, Packing Tips, and Other Important Information.

With the exception of the last three sections, each section is organized into three categories: The Backpacker, The Traveler, and The Settler. These three categories differentiate the importance, cost, and availability of each item.

The Backpacker can be described as a person who only packs the essentials that can be ergonomically placed inside one or two backpacks with a week-long trip in mind. They pack with the intentions of buying more according to the environment of their destination. Therefore, the list below are the items PCVs feel are the most important, cannot be easily found in Ghana, or are really expensive.

The Traveler is a person who packs with the intentions of a being lightweight but include a few nonessential items. The list below is in addition to The Backpacker list but these comfort or nonessential items can be bought in Ghana if you do not have high standards. That means that the following items are not found everywhere but in most large cities and some market towns, where market towns are typically within an hour or town of most PCVs. These items are moderately priced.

The Settler is a person who packs with the purpose of establishing permanent residence in Ghana. They are people who pack everything in The Backpacker and The Traveler lists and exceed the one luggage weight limit at the airport . . . for both check-in bags. They pack with the intention of purchasing only disposable items in Ghana. The list below is of luxury items that one could bring if you budget for a small boy to help you carry your bags. These items can usually be easily purchased in Ghana and are relatively inexpensive.

Important Notes:

• If applicable, each category is further divided into sub categories to distinguish gender-specific items.
• This list is not all encompassing but it is a good starting place.

Luggage/Suitcases

Although airlines have pretty restrictive luggage policies these days, have no fear. Since you are now working for Uncle Sam, Peace Corps will purchase you a full-fare ticket on a U.S. airline (one ticket from your home of record to staging and one ticket from staging to Accra, Ghana) which should entitle you to at least two check-in bags and one carry-on bag at no cost. If you really want to make sure how much you can bring, its best just to call the airline. If the airline charges you for luggage, Peace Corps will reimburse you for any fees you incur (assuming you meet Peace Corps' baggage size and weight limitations – to be sent before staging).

As of March 2011, the two U.S. Carriers that fly to Accra are Delta and United (click on respective airline for baggage policies).

The Backpacker

• 1 Hiking backpack or bag (Should be able to live out of 4-7 days for)
• 1 Rolling duffel bag (come's in handy when consolidating other bags, especially those that have loose straps)
• 1 Day-pack (IE. standard size backpack)
• 1 Carry on/shoulder bag
• TSA approved locks for backpacks, suitcases, etc.

The Traveler

• 1 Money belt

The Settler

• TBD

Clothing

You are forewarned that you will have to HAND WASH all of your clothes or pay someone to which is hard on clothes. Cotton clothes are the most durable, practical and comfortable. FYI, you can buy back the clothes you donated in the past to Goodwill and Salvation Army here for cheap in the markets.

Furthermore, tailors are everywhere in Ghana. And even though they are not all created equal, you can have almost anything made because labor and material is cheap. Ghanaians really appreciate seeing PCVs wearing Ghanaian-tailored clothes, be it traditional or modern. In addition, the cloth that is bought here is strong enough to endure hand-washing, and it is also breathable.

The Backpacker

• 25+ Pairs of cotton underwear (half for the first year, the other half for second year)
• 5-7 T-shirts (pretty cheap here)
• 1 Business casual outfit and shoes
• 1 Pair of shorts (for home/sleeping)
• 1 Adjustable belt
• 3-6 Pairs of socks
• Workout/exercise outfit or clothes
• 1 Hat for the sun
• 1 Lightweight waterproof jacket
• 1 Long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt or fleece (You will get cold at least one night, trust me!)
• 5-7 Bandannas/Handkerchiefs (You will sweat a lot, trust me!)

Males:

• 2-3 Pairs of slacks/pants: if you're a teacher you're going to live in these. Also if you're a bit on the heavier side now, you'll probably lose weight, so consider bringing one pair that is slightly smaller.
• 3-5 Collar dress shirts (you will definitely need these if you're a teacher)
• 1 Pair of board shorts (for swimming)
• 1 Pair of shorts

Females:

• 2+ Dresses (more if you are a teacher)
• 2+ Blouses (don't bring anything too fancy, bring more if you are a teacher)
• 2 -3 Lightweight knee-length skirts (bring more if you are a teacher)
• Conservative swimsuit
• 2 Sport bras
• 8 Bras (Definitely bring bras, you can buy them here, but it's awkward, so bring enough to last. Also if you can get away without using an under-wire do so, since it's really hard to hand wash with it)

The Traveler

• 1 Pair of sturdy pants: something comfy that you don't mind getting dirty
• 1 Pair of jeans
• 1 Baseball cap

Males:

• 5-10 Undershirts
• 1 Extra belt

Females:

• 1-2 Pairs of knee-length shorts or capris
• 2-3 Cami-tanks

The Settler

• Scrub bottoms
• 2 Pairs of wool socks

Shoes

The Backpacker

• 1 Pair of dressy shoes or sandals
• 1 Pair of durable sandals (IE. Chacos, Teva's, etc)
• 1 Pair of sneakers
• 1 Pair of flip flops (for the shower and just walking around; can easily be purchased here)

The Traveler

• 1 Pair of hiking boots (especially if you're an environment or health/watsan volunteer)
• 1 Extra pair of flip flops
• Running shoes (these are available in Ghana but are expensive, bringing a couple of pairs would be a good idea if you are into running)

Females:

• 1 Pair of flats

The Settler

• TBD

Toiletries

The Backpacker

• Toothpaste, toothbrush, and floss

Pack enough to last at least through the 10-week training.

• 2-4 Deodorant sticks (it is hard to find stick deodorant in Ghana, so unless you are okay with roll-on, bring a few with you & have more sent later)
• 1 Towel (camp towel preferable)
• Nail clippers/tweezers
• Q-tips
• 1 Travel size soap, shampoo, and conditioner
• 1 Sturdy hairbrush/wide tooth comb
• 2 Bottles of shampoo/conditioner (Use shampoo bars from LUSH, they save on space and smell nice. You can buy shampoo here, but it's either really expensive or really bad, so shampoo bars are the way to go)
• Personal medication (Bring a three-month supply of all medications, including birth control pills, you are presently taking)
• Over the counter medications (Most are provided in the first aid kit)
• 2 Pairs of prescription eyeglasses (if applicable) - If you wear eyeglasses, bring two pairs with you — your current pair and a spare. If a either pair breaks, gets stolen, etc., the Peace Corps will replace it only once, using the information your doctor in the United States provided on the eyeglasses form during your examination.
• 1 Eyeglasses strap/holder
• 1 Screwdriver for eyeglasses
• 1-2 Pairs of sunglasses
• Contact solution - virtually impossible to find in Ghana

Males:

• 2-year supply of aftershave (the antiseptic here burns!)

Females:

• 80 Tampons: Bring the O.B. brand, you don't want to deal with applicators here (Also tampons can be used as packing peanuts in packages if you're friends and family feel ok with doing that).

PC does provide a limited amount to volunteers.

• Leave in conditioner
• Face wash

The Traveler

• 1 camping towel
• Disposable razors (you can buy cheap razors here)
• Lotion
• Hand wipes or hand sanitizer (maybe one bottle/packet, but most of the time you really just need soap and water to get your hands clean)

The Settler

• Travel-size toilet paper (you never know when nature calls!)
• Travel size toiletries bottles (smaller travel size bottles that you can refill from your big bottles)
• Shower cap
• Shower robe

Electronics

There are a few important things you must know when bringing electronic equipment to Ghana. Please read the Electronics Guidelines section for more information. Expect to have electricity if you are a teacher.

The Backpacker

• 2 Flash drives (at least 8.0 GB total capacity)
• 1 iPod/mp3 player with extra headphones (If you have one, bring it. If you don't, buy one because you will have a lot of downtime and you will need a break from reading all the books you read.)
• 1 Socket/outlet adapter/voltage converter (Please read the Electronics Guidelines section for more information.)
• 1 Point and shoot camera with memory card, battery, and charger
• 1 Head lamp
• 1 Flash light
• AA/AAA batteries: Make sure they're rechargeable and bring a charger for them, you'll be happy!

Quality batteries, like Duracell, are expensive and only found in Accra.

The Traveler

• 1 Laptop/Netbook with waterproof case (It is absolutely feasible to bring a laptop or netbook. However, have a mindset that whatever you bring you are willing to part with it. That is because their are many hazards like viruses and theft. Please read the Computers section under the Electronics Guidelines tab for more relevant information.. Therefore, bring a computer at your own risk!
• 1 External hard drive (At least 500GB for all the TV's and movies you'll watch during your down time. Also bring new stuff for the older volunteers, we'll love you for it)
• Small portable speakers

The Settler

• Kindle

There are enough books, but bring one at your own interest.

• Digital SLR Camera
• Solar charger
• Radio

BBC is broadcasted in Ghana.

• Cell phone (if you want to get it unlocked here in Ghana)

Cooking ware

You can easily buy most kitchen supplies here — dishes, pots, glasses, and utensils. But if you are particular about your kitchen supplies (as the quality of these might not live up to the standards you are accustomed to in America), then there are a few items we highly recommend bringing:

The Backpacker

• A good-quality small non-stick Teflon fry pan
• Two dozen Ziploc baggies (freezer bags are best)
• A good-quality small cutting knife (knives here in Ghana are of poor quality)

The Traveler

• 1 Set of utensils
• Powdered cheese (in general, cheese is difficult to find in Ghana)

The Settler

• Drink mixes
• Powder sauce packets
• Seasoning (Italian, taco, etc.)

Accessories

The Backpacker

• 1-2 sturdy water bottles (IE. Nalgene)
• 1 Travel alarm clock
• 2 Rolls of duct tape
• 1 Multi-tool/knife

Leatherman's Skeletool or Swiss Army Knife is great but remember don't pack it in your carry-on.

• Books

Even though there is a well-developed collection of books at all of the offices and an unofficial system of exchanging the most popular books, you may want to bring a couple of your top choices to last through the 10-week training.

• Pictures of family and friends (including the 4-legged ones)
• 10 Extra passport pictures (they can be used for visas if you choose to travel to neighboring countries)
• 1 Pair of scissors
• Small games or deck of cards

These are like travel chess boards, Yahtzee, Frisbee, American football, soccer ball, etc.

• Ziplock bags
• 1 Set of earplugs

The Traveler

• 1 Paper hand fan
• 1 Set of sheets: (You can buy sheets in country but they're typically poor quality, so bring one good set with you, you'll be happy)
• Photo album
• 4 Folders (PC will give you about 4 clear plastic folders throughout your training)
• 2 Notebooks/Journals (definitely journals, cheap notebooks can be bought here)
• 15 Envelopes (letter size and manila; you can also buy envelopes in Ghana)
• Host family gifts: Definitely!!!! Good ideas: headlamps (Ghanians love our headlamps), multi-tools (if you can find some inexpensive ones), small toys, and American candies.

The Settler

• Guitar

Ones of decent quality can be purchased in country.

• 1 Travel-size iron
• 1 Small tent or any camping gear (there are some places here like the beach where they allow you to camp for cheap)
• 1 Sleeping bag with liner (Don’t' bother, you're not going to need a sleeping bag, it's too hot)
• 1 Nylon hammock with mosquito net (During the hot season a lot of PCVs sleep outside in a hammock. Unfortunately you won't know if you have a place to hang a hammock until you go to your site, so it's kind of a gamble.)
• 1 Travel-size pillow
• 1 Small sewing kit: Tailors are everywhere here, so you can buy needle and tread easily.

Financial

Although all PCVs receive a per diem during training, a sizable move-in allowance (from which you can buy items for your house/room and a cell phone), and a regular living allowance, it is always a good idea to bring some extra financial resources in the event of an emergency:

The Backpacker

• Cash $100 USD

The Traveler

• Travelers checks: $100 - $200 USD (use American Express – they never expire)
• ATM card

Verify the card has the VISA logo and,

Verify the card doesn't expire during your service and,

Notify card issuer of possible overseas use

The Settler

• Credit Card

can only be used in large cities

Verify the card is either a Visa, American Express, or MasterCard

Verify the card doesn't expire during your service and,

Notify card issuer of possible overseas use

Items Peace Corps Provides

• Mosquito net
• Water filter
• First-aid kit (For a list of items in the first aid kit click here)
• A bunch of books - there are plenty of books here that we all trade around, so just bring one or two that you can read and then pass on
• Travel Guides/Map of Ghana (There are a ton of Ghana, West Africa, and other travel guides here in the offices. Plus you’ll get a map when you first come to country.)
• DO NOT BRING A BIKE HELMET! They can be bought after training and COSing volunteers donate them or sell them for cheap. Save that space for something important.

Packing Tips

TBD

Other Important Information

• As a Peace Corps volunteer, you are eligible for many discounts offered by companies selling footwear, clothing, outdoor gear, electronics, and more.
• Check out the Ghana Price List (under construction), for prices of goods and services here in Ghana.

Ghana Homepage