The day is finally upon us! I leave for Ghana tomorrow, but the hustle of the last month has left me with little time to anticipate my trip. Between graduating, moving out of Eugene, and getting everything prepared to go to Ghana, I’ve been so busy that my day of departure really snuck up on me. Fortunately, I’ve got everything packed with a night to spare, so I’ve got time to remember all those little things you forget to bring before it’s too late. I’m used to traveling out of a backpack, rather than suitcases, so my tendency is to pack extremely light. Since we’re staying in the same place the whole time, and I’m allowed two checked bags, I definitely packed more than I normally would, but I have a feeling I still packed less than most would. I’m going to spread it out into two suitcases and a backpack, but could probably squeeze into one. It’s definitely nice being able to pack without thinking too much about weight, a luxury not afforded when backpacking.
Between the packing list provided for us, my past travel experience, and speaking to students who have been in the program, I feel pretty confident that I’ll be set with what I packed. I couldn’t afford to bring every single thing on the packing list, but I think I’ve got all the essentials. If not, then I’ll figure something out when I get there!
For the sake of future students going on the Media in Ghana, I’ll include a list of the things I packed. I’ll come back to this after the trip to let you know if it was a good packing list or a not-so-good one.
- 7 – Breathable lightweight t-shirts (Black/White)
- 7 – Pair of shorts (Swim trunks, running shorts, quick dry)
- 3 – Pair of dress pants (2 greys, 1 black)
- 4 – Dress shirts ( 3 white, 1 blue)
- 3 – casual breathable button-ups (rayon, cotton, linen)
- 10 – Pair of short breathable socks
- 2 – Pair of long black dress socks
- 7 – pair of breathable quick-dry underwear
- 1 – Dress shoes ($12 from Goodwill)
- 1 – Birkenstock slides
- 1 – Cheap breathable sneakers ($15 from Macy’s)
- 2 – Ties
- 2 – Belts
- 1 – Sunglasses
- 1 – Thin windbreaker (waterproof)
- 1 – Headlamp
- 4 – Used textbooks to donate (cinema studies, communication, reporting, and AP guide)
- Coat hangers
- Vitamins
- 2 – Packs of coffee grounds
- 1 – Box of Emergent-C
- 1 – Mio Sport drops
- 1 – Box of Kind Bars
- 1 – Box of cheese crackers
- Mouthwash
- 2 – Sunscreens
- 2 – Bug sprays
- 1 – Small thing of laundry detergent
- Aloe Gel
- Goldbond
- Toiletries bag with personal necessities
- Money Belt + small side pack
- Plug travel adapter
- Notebooks
- Pens
- Water bottle
- IPad with books on it
- Laptop
- Malaria pills
- External Hard drive
- Dominos
- Playing Cards
- A pillow
- Twin bed sheets
- Thin blanket
After typing all of that out it seems like a lot of stuff, but I swear it fits super easily into two small suitcases and a backpack. Hopefully, I’ve got all my bases covered, and whatever I’m missing I can get from another student or somewhere in Ghana. I feel pretty well prepared, and am really looking forward to getting there! It’s been raining in Portland the last few days, so I’m ready for some sun!