Peace Corps: Cameroon Packing List

This list has been compiled by Volunteers serving inCameroonand is based on their experience. Use it as an informal guide in making your own list, bearing in mind that each experience is individual. There is no perfect list! You obviously cannot bring everything we mention, so consider those items that make the most sense to you personally and professionally. You can always have things sent to you later.  As you decide what to bring, keep in mind that you have an 80-pound weight restriction on baggage. And remember, you can get almost everything you need inCameroon. Shirts and dresses, for example, can be custom-made inCameroonfor less than $10.

Luggage should be flexible and lockable. Frameless backpacks and duffel bags are very practical choices. Remember that you will be hauling your bags in and out of taxis and trains and often lugging them around on foot. The most important qualities are that they be durable, lightweight, and easy to carry. Bring receipts for any equipment (cameras, radio/cassette player, etc.), as these help in case of a robbery, and officials sometimes ask for them at the airport.

General Clothing

• Professional clothes, slacks, button-up shirts, blouses and skirts (women). You should have business casual clothing

• Casual clothes for informal and after work occasions

• Pictures of clothes you might want to have made (clothing patterns or photos from catalogs or magazines)

• Good-quality cotton shirts in dark colors (the dust in the air during the dry season and the sediment in the water year-round quickly cause light-colored clothing to become permanently discolored)

• Plenty of good-quality underwear, boxers, socks, and bras

• Sweater

• Rain jacket

• Two more formal outfits (female teachers, especially, should bring several nice-looking dresses they can wear in the classroom until they can have some clothes made in-country)

• Durable jacket (i.e., jean jacket or fleece)

• Shorts

• Bathing suit or swimming trunks

• Hats or baseball caps

Shoes

• One pair of comfortable dress shoes

• One pair of sandals for general use (e.g., Tevas or Chacos) and another pair for work

• One pair of running shoes

• One good-quality pair of work or hiking boots (especially agriculture Volunteers)

• Waterproofing lotion for leather boots (if you bring boots)

Personal Hygiene and Toiletry Items

• Antibacterial wipes or hand sanitizers (useful when traveling)

• Any vitamin supplements or herbal remedies you take other than multivitamins, which may be provided by the Peace Corp

• Items that smell good, like lotions, incense, soaps, and sachets

• A three-month supply of all prescription drugs you are currently taking

• Two pairs of prescription eyeglasses (if you wear them), plus straps and repair kit

• Sunglasses

• Hair clips and ties

• Initial supply of toiletries (if you have favorite brands, bring enough to last two years)

• Sanitary pads (the Peace Corps usually supplies tampons, but they may not always be the size you want)

• Hair-cutting scissors

• Makeup and nail polish (hard to find and expensive locally)

Kitchen

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Plastic storage containers and Ziploc-style bags of assorted sizes (large containers are good for organizing items such as medicines, film, and clothing)

• Good kitchen knife and knife sharpener (if you’re attached to a certain kind or quality)

• Swiss army knife or Leatherman tool (very important to many Volunteers)

• Favorite recipe book

• Packaged mixes (sauces, salad dressings, soups, soft drinks)

• Favorite spices

• A variety of open-pollinated (recyclable) vegetable seeds, if you like to garden

Miscellaneous

• 12 passport-size photos (make sure to have them in hand when you arrive; Peace Corps/Cameroon will need them the day after you arrive for in-country documents)

• Three-month supply of any prescription medications. (also bring tampons and vitamins, if you feel you must have them)

• Anything that will make you happy and feel at home (personal touches)

• Map of Africa and/orCameroon(those available here are not very accurate)

• Travel-size games, such as Yahtzee, Scrabble, and Uno, as well as playing cards

• Art supplies (paints, brushes, paper, colored pens, and crayons)

• Books (each Peace Corps satellite office has a library, but classics are hard to come by)

• A favorite writing utensil, with replacements or refills

• Stationery and an assortment of greeting cards

•U.S.stamps (returning Volunteers can take mail home for you)

• Addresses of people you may want to write

• iPod, Walkman, MP3 player, Diskman, etc. (with speakers)

• As much music as you can pack

• Weekend-size backpack

• Bandannas

• Extra absorbent “swimmer’s” micro-fiber towel (small and great for traveling)

• Sleeping bag (good for overnight stays at other Volunteers’ homes) 

• Bicycle shorts and gloves (a helmet, repair tools, and an under-seat bag are provided by the Peace Corps)

• Heavy-duty duct tape (good for everything)

• Compact flashlight (e.g., Maglite)

• Concealable money pouch or belt

• Plastic water bottle for travel (e.g., Nalgene)

• Rechargeable batteries and battery charger

• Reliable watch (durable, water-resistant, inexpensive)

• Travel alarm clock

• Combination padlocks

• Solar-powered calculator

• Good-quality portable umbrella

• High school grammar books and literary anthologies (for English teachers)

Note: Some Volunteers suggest boxing up excess things you can’t fit in your luggage so your family can ship them later.