The following is a re-examination of my previous packing list.

Clothes Definitely take this section with a grain of salt. First, I am a girl. Which makes a portion of it n/a for boys. My clothes are generally size 3-5, and my shoes are 6.5. So they pack small, and I knew I could buy things that fit me over here. That being said, my biggest regret was not packing more of my summer clothes because it doesn’t take up too much room and then I wouldn’t have to waste so much time shopping/bargaining here. Most of the clothes here does fit me because I’m small, but that doesn’t make it less ugly – and I’d rather save my money for travelling.

  • Cotton socks x6 pairs + wool socks – Smartwool
  • Underwear x20 (all of it) [Girls: Yes, I brought sexy underwear & comfy ones. Besides the fact that you really just never know... Less material=dries faster]
  • long underwear (check out Wintersilks) [can be bought here too, but not necessarily in your size or exactly what you want]
  • strapless & regular bras
  • Pants: jeans, black pants, khakisx2, capris (all non-wrinkle, machine washable)
  • Pjs
  • swimsuit [yes, I've used it on multiple occassions]
  • workout shorts
  • 2 pairs shorts
  • 3 easy-care non-wrinkle black skirts (short, mid, & long)
  • Tank-tops x6
  • Basic tees x3
  • Button down shirts x5 (one casual for layering)
  • Two long dresses (casual dressy)
  • My Horny toad zip hoodie
  • [winter coat, winter clothes, gloves, scarves, & hats all bought here]

    • Shoes

  • all-purpose walking sandals
  • flip-flops [Can be bought here if your feet are small]
  • tennis shoes (worn during travel so they don’t take up valuable luggage space)
  • black dress shoes
  • teaching shoes – found a cheap pair of black Dr. Scholl’s shoes @ Wal-mart, comfortable and durable.

    • Toiletries – Just enough to get through the first 2 months of training. Most toiletries can be bought at site, don’t expect to be able to find every brand you see in America. Rare or limited things: Deodorant, shaving gel & fancy razors, tampons (only OB is available here)

  • Cheap Pantene travel shampoo & conditioner bottles filled with pricy Biolage… healthy hair for at least 2 months! (I don’t think they’re technically supposed to last that long, but they do for me)
  • Bar of Dial
  • body sponge (makes the bar soap last for months!)
  • Face stuff
  • Shaving gel, shaver, 8 blade refills, baby bottle of Nair, tweezers [They don't do anything with their body hair here - so if you did decide to go au naturale I guess you'd fit in]
  • Amazing compact towel
  • Hairbrush, hairties
  • Deodorant x4
  • Contacts & solution (just 1 bottle) – 1 years worth of contacts stretched over two years, I’ve done it before! [I've found a Chinese brand no-rub solution here that works for me, there's also Renu & some other brands I recognize]
  • 2 pairs of glasses in accordance with Peace Corps regulations. [I wear my glasses a lot more than I used to because the pollution here makes contacts unbearable]
  • Toothbrush & travel tube of Colgate complete
  • refillable travel box of Q-tips
  • 10 sticks of lip balm Burt’s Bees
  • Couple tubes of my favorite lipstick/gloss
  • Don’t click on the following if you’re a squeamish boy. My diva cup, This effectively removes the need for tampons

    • Teaching supplies

  • Multi-colored Sharpie markers
  • SparkNotes: Daily Sparks (I got the critical thinking and writing ones) [I don't use these as much as I thought I would]
  • [Since I've been here I had a friend send me "Would You?" and "Book of Questions" - Great for English Corner]Electronics
  • Digital camera: memory card, new batteries, charger [I bought a new one since I've come here bc my old one finally broke down]
  • My iPod mini
  • Laptop: travel surge protector, plug adaptor (most places in China don’t need them though), security cable, Fusion 12 messenger bag

    • Miscellaneous

  • Tiny sleeping bag [Absolutely love this thing: it's kept me warm through the winter & I take it whenever I go to stay at shady hotels around the country]
  • My pillow (hehe – I’m so spoiled)
  • travel alarm clock [A Must, most hotels don't have clocks]
  • Italian seasoning
  • Little mag-lite
  • Checkcard. [My Bank of America card works at all the Bank of China ATMs, there's a 1% service charge, and I only use it for big withdrawals]
  • Dramamine for the long flight.
  • Luggage locks – Airport security approved (this site has free shipping)
  • Games: Uno x2, regular cards x2
  • Coffee table photo album with pics of “typical” America, holidays, etc. doubles as gift for host family
  • [Insert books here - I only brought two, but with all the books people keep giving to me to read that's been more than enough - these can also be sent to you by M-bag and save you a lot of hassle]
  • pocket knife – Leatherman Squirt S4
  • all my photos, music, and sentimental things are in my laptop’s hard driveThings that were recommended but I have not needed
  • A fancy Nalgene water bottle [they sell knock-off water bottles that work just fine here]
  • earplugs [My dad brought me some when he visited even though I didn't ask for them--they actually are handy when sleeping on trains]
  • Converter [electronics are usually dual voltage, check if you're not sure]
  • Watch (haven’t owned one for years, I’m allergic to metal and most watches have metal clasps)
  • Rain gear [why?]
  • Dustless chalk [They provide plenty of chalk in my classrooms]
  • Duct tape. travel sized duct tape!Things that I have bought here and wish I’d saved more money for
  • 3… Yes 3… cell phones. (okay so they’re the cheapie Xiaolingtong phones that only work within your city, but still, that adds up) – I live in Chongqing, other people have gotten by fine with just their home phone.
  • Sweaters and other winter clothes. It gets COLD.
  • Travelling expenses in general. If I had just saved $1000 back home I could really be enjoying my vacation time.