While you can technically find most things in Bots, your days of entire aisles dedicated to shampoo and conditioner are over (or at least for the next 26 months). So, this packing list is more about bringing things that are key for maintaining your sanity and that are difficult to find/expensive/limited in options in Botswana.
•A backpacker’s backpack. I don’t think it’s necessary, but it’s definitely convenient (rolling suitcases aren’t so great when you don’t have tarred roads). They’re good for longer trips too.
•I brought a lightweight sleeping bag with a compact bag, so it shrinks down real nice and fits in my daypack with a few changes of clothes for short trips.
•REI towel – the kind that are super thin and soak up a lot of water. They’re great for traveling because they don’t take up much room and dry extremely fast.
•Laptop, if you were thinking about it. Most of us don’t have internet at our offices, so it’s handy to have to type up emails and whatnot before going to the internet café. Also nice for watching movies on the weekends!
•External hard drive. You’ll be taking lots of pictures over the next two years. It’s good to have a place to back them all up so you can reuse memory cards.
•I suggest bringing 2 memory cards so for long trips or whatever you always have a spare in case one fills up.
•Pictures!!! Lots of them! They’re cheap and easy to print off in the states. Do it while you can, cuz it’s hard to find places where you can do it here and its expensive when do find a place. They help to make your new home homier.
•Any makeup or health care products that you are particular about. ***Here is where I also recommend bringing a luxury item or two, because they do wonders from making a bad day not so bad.
•Hand sanitizer. I’ve only looked for it a few times, but haven’t ever seen any. Because toilets can be difficult to find (and ones with running water and soap are even more rare), I always carry some with me.
•For the ladies: tampons. I can find one brand at one of the stores in the larger village near mine, but that’s it, and they are expensive. I brought a bunch with me and have had more sent since.
•Other things that you can probably find here, but that I brought with me and found useful: string (I brought it to crochet but forgot how, so now I use it for lots of other things!), Ziploc bags (lots of them, all different sizes), and moist wipes (handy for those days when there’s no water/traveling/etc.)
That’s all I can think of for now. I’ll add more if something important comes to mind! Good luck! And here’s a piece of advice. Take it or leave it. Don’t worry so much about luggage weight. If you’re over, just pay the fee. It’s a small price to pay for having everything you want with you! (and it would cost just as much for someone from home to send it to you)
ADDITIONS!!!
-Batteries: I brought a few AA and AAA. The batteries here are really expensive and I've been informed by others that they're crap. So they don't take up much room. Pack a few spares.
-Blank CDs: For sharing music/movies/whatev with other PCVs, or for putting pictures on to send home to fam and friends. Also waayyyy cheaper in the states than here.
-Anti-virus software: If you're bringing a laptop, make sure it's got a decent anti-virus program. Computers and people's memory sticks are virus ridden!
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