So you're getting ready to go on the World Race.
You're excited, nervous, scared, and on top of the world! I've been there. Every little thing either makes you laugh or cry. You dream about being on the field while simultaneously not wanting to leave the comforts of home. You're trying to balance video chats and Facebook conversations with your new World Race squad family, while spending quality time with family and friends at home before you leave. You're trying to wrap up your life at home while looking forward to being out of the country for 11 months!
And then, there's the looming prospect of packing.
How the heck are you going to pack everything you need for 11 months in a measly backpack? Trust me…no matter how big a pack you buy, when it's time to put your gear inside it, it's going to seem impossibly small. You may or may not having what's known as a "packing meltdown." There may have been a night before I left when I attempted packing and ended up sobbing on my bed like a two-year-old late for a nap.
This will be part one of my packing blog. I'll discuss clothing and hygiene gear.
If you're anything like me, you've stalked numerous blogs on what to pack. Now, a LOT depends on your route. Not all routes will be bushwhacking through the jungle. My route so far has included college ministry in Harbin, China (big city!), physical labor outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand, laid-back work in an orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, super laid back cleaning and prayer ministry in a small northern Malaysian town, teaching English in Sanda, Japan, Unsung Heroes in cities all around Albania, physical labor/outreach in Vidin, Bulgaria, and prayer ministry in a small village in Draganesti-Olt, Romania. So I've been in more big cities than I have boondocks. That being said, there are teams on my squad who have had different experiences, so you never really know! You also have to take into account weather/climate changes. We started with fall weather in China, had three months of humid summer weather in Southeast Asia, froze our butts off in Japan and Albania, had some nice spring weather in Bulgaria, and have had a chilly and rainy month in Romania.
"So how the HECK am I supposed to pack for all of that, then?" you may be wondering. Well, I can't really tell you that. You alone know what clothes are comfortable for you and what you like to wear for different types of weather. I will counsel you to PACK WHAT'S COMFORTABLE. Pack T-shirts and jeans if you feel comfy in those, or pack Dry-Fit if that's all you wear in the States. But really, you don't need to rush to buy out REI's clothing section.
I packed:
-a few pairs of shorts -four T-shirts -a nice short-sleeved Target shirt
-a pair of jeans -two skirts -an African wrap skirt
-a long-sleeved tee -pajama pants -three sports bras
-14 pairs of underwear (BRING LOTS OF UNDERWEAR. You will not regret this)
-a normal bra -three pairs of socks -a swimsuit
-a fleece jacket -a rain jacket -two pairs of compression shorts
Since leaving, I've gotten rid of the two skirts, all but one pair of shorts, three T-shirts, two sports bras, my jeans, my fleece, and my pajama pants. I've replaced them with another pair of jeans, a different skirt, a sarong, Thai pants, two T-shirts and a tank top, an underwire bra, two sweaters, a cardigan, a zip-up hoodie, a flannel, a winter jacket that folds up small (thanks, Caleb!), and more socks. You will drop things for different reasons, and you'll also want to buy fun things to wear from the different countries! So don't bring anything you're super attached to…or do and let God teach you about not putting worth in objects. Also, people in other countries WEAR CLOTHES. Shocking, I know. You can find just about anything you need to wear at stores (even secondhand stores! Those do exist overseas!) or markets.
Here's a picture of the packing cubes I chose: http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-cube/d/1321
Confession: I don't really like them. Get these instead: http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-specter-cube-set/d/1229
Let's talk about footwear. I brought a grand total of two pairs of shoes on the Race. My beloved TOMS, and a pair of Keens. I didn't like Chacos, but a lot of Racers swear by them. Try on Chacos in the store if you're not already a Chacos zombie fan and realize that you'll need to break them in if you buy them, which I've heard can be painful, but worth it. My TOMS have been awesome! I wear them all the time at home, so they're comfortable to me, and since I've been in a lot of cities, they've been a good walking shoe. I made sure to bring my vegan pair, since the leather can smell really bad after awhile. You may also want to pack flip-flops for hot climates and showering. But you can also pick these up for cheap anywhere where flip flops are the official footwear of choice (I did and dropped them before we left for the cold weather). In Malaysia, before we flew to Japan, I also bought a pair of boots for the colder weather. Realize that you may need to budget some extra money for clothes and other things. I knew I didn't want to lug around boots the first half of my Race, so I planned to buy them in Europe. Then my route got changed and I bought them a little early, but I had still budgeted for them and got a better deal in the long run. Go Asia! If you're a runner, bring running shoes. If you love tennis shoes, bring those. Again, bring what's comfortable!
I also brought two hats, a baseball cap and my Tilley. I enjoy wearing both of them!
BRING AS MUCH UNDERWEAR AS YOU CAN STUFF INTO YOUR PACK. I know I already said this, but it bears repeating. This is one of the most valuable pieces of advice I received from an alumni Racer (thanks Caleb!) and it's been something I've been eternally grateful for. You can also set aside a pack of new underwear to crack open halfway through the Race. There's nothing worse than having no clean underwear, but I've avoided that by having 14 glorious pairs. Even if I only do laundry once a week or 10 days or something, I still have some clean underwear to chill in while I wash the rest. Also, four of those pairs are Ex-Officio underwear, which are expensive, but worth it, especially if you're out in the jungle. You can wear them for days without them smelling or itching.
Okay, now let's talk about hygiene stuff. Bring shampoo that you love. It will make transitioning from home a little easier. And bring it in a travel bottle. Then when you run out, you can split the cost of a new bottle between teammates and divvy it up. Chances are, you may find something similar in a country (I found Herbal Essences in Malaysia!), but if not, just find something that works (not Head and Shoulders in Thailand though). Bring a washcloth! And bring body wash that smells good. There's nothing better than stepping out of a shower and feeling like you smell awesome. Even if you have to put on musty clothes right after. Also, bring a real towel. My original squad leader, Zach, told us this, but none of us listened. I have two quick-dry towels that I loathe, but I keep them for travel day showers, because they do dry quickly. They just don't dry YOU effectively OR quickly. They also REEK after only a few months. I bought a real towel in Malaysia and I don't regret the extra space it takes up. It's so worth it to be able to dry off effectively, especially now that I'm in colder climates!
BRING A FEW STICKS OF YOUR FAVORITE DEODORANT! Especially if you're a guy! It's hard to find stick deodorant in some countries (although I've found it for exorbitant prices in some places). And there's not much selection even if you find it. Bring a few sticks of your favorite scent! (Or more if you sweat a lot)
WARNING TO MEN—GIRL TALK AHEAD!
Okay ladies, time to get real. You may be wondering what having your period will be like on the Race. You may be worried about having to stuff your pack with enough products for the year. Some of my squadmates did this. (Realize also that there are other women around the world that do, in fact, have periods, so there ARE products overseas, just not what you may be used to) A few are on birth control and will only have a few periods the whole Race. And others, including me, went the Diva route. The Diva Cup is amazing. It's a gross concept, admittedly, but once you get used to it, it's fabulous. You can leave it in for 12 hours, which is a gem on long travel days (which are ALL travel days on the Race) and it takes up almost no space in your pack. It also weighs nothing. I just make sure I have extra baby wipes or toilet paper on hand to clean it when I empty it, and I deep clean it in the shower. I also brought a full-sized bottle of Diva Wash, which was an extremely good life choice. Not only does it clean the Cup really well, it's also helpful to clean certain areas, especially if you can't shower too often.
OKAY GUYS, YOU CAN COME BACK NOW!!!!
Other assorted things you may want to think about are contact solution (I know it takes up a ton of weight, but it's really expensive overseas), chapstick (bring as MUCH as you can carry…we all know those things disappear), and body spray. I packed two travel-sized Dove body sprays, and have been extremely thankful I did. They're still going strong, I have a choice of what I want to smell like, and I am super popular at debrief (I mean, I am anyway, but this just ensures it) I found them at Target, and they were worth every penny. Smelling good is important to me, and it's nice when I can smell like a normal person for a time. Get used to smelling bad, though. #worldraceproblems
Stay tuned for part two!
