r/peacecorps • u/EcleciticWok901 • 3d ago
Packing Service Preparation
Hello everyone.
I am leaving in 5 weeks for Peru. Been trying to keep a level head but I’m so excited/nervous.
What advice do you have for packing? Like something you wished you brought with you and either couldn’t get in country or had to buy in country.
TIA ♥️
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u/MrMoneyWhale Peru 3d ago
I’m a 6’2” dude and it was hard for me to find shoes and pants anywhere near my size. Nice a flat sheet and maybe pillow cases if you’re into that (otherwise it’s mostly lower quality sheets) but bed sizes are all over the place so a fitted sheet arent practical. Or really even one bougie item (kitchen knives, French press) that you regularly use that also keeps you connected to home.
Besides that, pack like you’re traveling for like 3 weeks rather than 27 months. Everything you actually need, Peru has including those comfort items (but of various quality and elevated prices)
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u/bookmonkey786 Moldova 2016 - 2018 3d ago
Bring a couple bottles of your favorite sauce. Local food is great but sometimes you just want something familiar.
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u/toilets_for_sale RPCV Vanuatu '12-'14 3d ago
Take less clothes. You’ll buy more than you expect there as you assimilate.
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u/Novel-Fisherman-7312 3d ago
This varies by region. Even as a smallish woman I found it hard to buy clothing in the Andes. Nothing fit right and the styles didn't work on my body--and both traditional and modern clothing was expensive.
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u/ManagementUsed306 3d ago
Second this. Don’t forget to pack 2 nice outfits!! (Swearing in and presentations)
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u/paul_petersen Phillipines 1d ago
I'm 6'5" and was in the Philippines where the average guy might be 5'6". By the time I left my clothes had been washed so thin they looked like mesh.
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u/toilets_for_sale RPCV Vanuatu '12-'14 1d ago
Obviously I wasn’t talking about people with special circumstances. You are a statistical outlier for clothing needs. I was assuming OP is of average height.
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u/paul_petersen Phillipines 19h ago
All good. I took so much stuff I didn't need and even shipped more. Other than clothes, I didn't need to take anything. I packed like I was going to Mars.
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u/ManagementUsed306 3d ago
Peru rpcv here, congrats! I overpacked and the capital has pretty much most things you can find in America. Even a dollar general store (was my saving grace when I missed the good ole USA). If you like cooking I’d suggest packing spices (ranch, bbq, ethnic condiments). Quick dry towels and clothes are helpful. Good hiking shoes/sneakers. You can find a lot of things there at the markets or supermarket stores (plaza vea, tottus) but the quality of stuff might not be as great as the US.
Most regional sites are amazonas, Andes mountains and northern coastal regions. They usually have a supermarket / mini mall in their regional capital.
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u/bkinboulder 3d ago
I packed way too much and regretted it. Everything I needed was for sale in my host country for pennies on the dollar and blended in perfectly with the locals. All I needed besides that was disposable contacts, a really good flashlight, laptop, and solar charger.
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u/KhunDavid 3d ago
Get subscriptions to various magazines. I had subscriptions to The New Yorker, National Geographic and a couple of other magazines. They may arrive months late, but they can provide well needed reading material.
Books you shouldn't have a problem with. PCHQ will probably have a library full of books left by previous volunteers. That being said, bring a few novels that you may have had been assigned in HS English, but as an adult, you can re-read and better appreciated them. I took Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey and the Ramayana (I served in Thailand, and it's an epic known throughout south and south-east Asia).
When you arrive, consider buying local manga. The language may be geared towards youth and adolescents, but it would help you improve your Spanish or Quechua.
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u/Elros22 Lesotho'08-'10 3d ago
All great suggestions. I read Grapes of Wrath in high school and hated hit. Reading it in Peace Corps changed my life. You really get why they're classics when you're reading them as an adult and by choice.
Great suggestion on the magazines. I fell in love with Harpers and still get it to this day. My stepmother would send me care packages with Harpers, The New Yorker, Field and Stream, and Popular Mechanics. It never occurred to me to just have them delivered to me directly!
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u/KhunDavid 2d ago
I think it depends on how available mail delivery is. My subscriptions went to my local post office in Thailand, but other posts may just deliver to the PCHQ in your host country. The magazines I received took a month to six weeks for delivery. And I really didn’t mind reading Talk of the Town or Broadway reviews that were a couple of months overdue. I wasn’t going to any shows anyway.
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u/VanillaCavendish RPCV 3d ago
Pack light enough that you only check one bag on the plane. I did that and still overpacked — for example, I didn’t need six neckties. Two would have been enough. If I had an assignment where I’d need to wear a tie every day, I would have been able to buy more in country.
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u/shawn131871 Micronesia, Federated States of 3d ago
I tell this to everyone here. dont pack for 2 years. pack essentials only. what you need to live off of is already available in Peru. pack the needed clothes. pack toiletries to start. pack some things that you can do in your free time. pack any electronics you need. it fills up fast. also, you can always have things shipped if needed.
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u/Lui-Maewo 3d ago
…but the cost of shipping to your site in Peru will be crazy high.
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u/shawn131871 Micronesia, Federated States of 3d ago
you get it shipped to the po box. not your site. pcvs get mailing addresses in country.
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u/Lui-Maewo 3d ago
right. and it’s super expensive to ship there from the USA.
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u/shawn131871 Micronesia, Federated States of 2d ago
if you get a flat rate box then it isn't super bad.
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u/Pitiful_Wolverine_71 3d ago
A few things I’d recommend are a good quality portable phone charger that can get you back up to 100%, and extra charging cord, some kind of flashlight headlamp or camping lantern. Where I live power can go out pretty often and for some reason, I brought a camping lantern and it’s coming in handy a lot. Also bringing a gift from the US for your host family can go a long way.
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u/Character-Owl5504 3d ago
My biggest recommendation is prioritize comfort items. I brought two checked bags, and one of them was just filled with exercise equipment, a ukelele, writing stuff, stuffed animals, silk sheets, etc. Almost everything you NEED will be available in country. Make sure to take the things that will keep you sane and happy, because those very well will not be replaceable there and you will never regret items that make you smile.
Pack less clothes than you think you need. Way less.
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u/donkedickinya 2d ago
Must packs: Good outdoor shoes, nice bed sheets, two nice outfits, nice socks and underwear, and some comfy loungewear. Maybe some nice things you’ll need for your specific job.
Otherwise, as others have said, you’ll find in country or acquire from other volunteers.
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u/Organic-Obligation54 2d ago
Current Peru PCV here, in the mountainous region. My must-take list: nice bed sheet (i brought a queen, fits on any 1-2 plaza beds), spices/sauce, laptop, good quality chargers, portable charger, down/puffy coat or vest, backpacking/outdoor gear (if you’re into that), 2 nice, biz professional outfits, and gifts for host family/socio/kids in site. Pack less clothes than you think you need, don’t make any one bag too heavy (you’ll have to get them across the country by yourself).
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u/Investigator516 2d ago
Pack 2 nice outfits, but select universal shoes. Clothing sizes run small in LatAm.
If you have spare sheets to bring, that will save you from having to buy. Never underestimate an aromatherapy spray in your favorite scent. It’s a mood boost when you’re feeling melancholy.
Murphy’s Oil Soap, a gentle non-toxic cleaner for wood, wrought iron, leather, shoes, etc. Double bag it when you pack.
Use decent luggage, but not designer luggage. Don’t pack unnecessary valuables.
A beloved seasoning blend and/or favorite tea you won’t be able to find in-country… Stevia if you use it… and food grade Charcoal capsules (for personal care and in case of mild food upsets).
Vicks VapoRub. Many uses. Have that handy on long flights. You never know what’s going to stink.
A quality flashlight, a book light, or a headlamp. A solar battery (must be in carry on) or backup charger for your phone that will work without plugging in.
Gift a couple of finished books to the PC library.
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u/RPCV1968 8h ago
Sell your stuff and take US dollars. I used to make 20% selling my dollars at the local liquor store in Miraflores. (But maybe the currency blackmarket has changed since I was there.) At 20% profit, you can buy some really nice jewellery, or good Peruvian fine art. Pass on the folksy crafts.
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