Hey team! Rebecca asked me about a packing list so i thought I’d pass all this info on to you guys. It comes from various sources including (1) your Real Life handbook, (2) our ministry contact in Delhi, and (3) some tips from myself. 🙂 I have put in red some really important stuff or things I think are most essential. …and, sorry this is so long, I just copied and pasted most of it.
Click this link for a little info about temperatures we might experience in Delhi:
http://www.delhitourism.com/climate.html
From our ministry contact:
Clothing guidelines
Guys:
Need to wear long pants to all of the ministry sites. T-shirts are fine at the orphanage, but for the leper colonies or slums, a button up or polo shirt needs to be worn. At slums and leper colonies close-toed shoes need to be worn to protect feet from any injury or contracting sicknesses or diseases.
Girls:
Anytime they are outside of the house they need to be covered from the neck to the ankles. At
ministry sites, they need to wear ankle length skirts or Punjabi suits. Punjabi suits can be purchased
and tailored here for anywhere between $6 and $20; expensive suits can be purchased for more
than $20. Shirts need to be long and cover your waist at all times. If shirts are short enough to
expose any skin at the belly, then an undershirt needs to be worn. On off days, or market days
pants and t-shirts may be worn, but they must still conform to other dress codes. In the house, girls
may wear long shorts, but if any Indian guest comes over, they need to put a skirt or pants on over
their shorts. They may not leave the house with only shorts on under any circumstances.
Need to wear long pants to all of the ministry sites. T-shirts are fine at the orphanage, but for the leper colonies or slums, a button up or polo shirt needs to be worn. At slums and leper colonies close-toed shoes need to be worn to protect feet from any injury or contracting sicknesses or diseases.
Girls:
Anytime they are outside of the house they need to be covered from the neck to the ankles. At
ministry sites, they need to wear ankle length skirts or Punjabi suits. Punjabi suits can be purchased
and tailored here for anywhere between $6 and $20; expensive suits can be purchased for more
than $20. Shirts need to be long and cover your waist at all times. If shirts are short enough to
expose any skin at the belly, then an undershirt needs to be worn. On off days, or market days
pants and t-shirts may be worn, but they must still conform to other dress codes. In the house, girls
may wear long shorts, but if any Indian guest comes over, they need to put a skirt or pants on over
their shorts. They may not leave the house with only shorts on under any circumstances.
o Dress clothes for church and ministry sites: For guys dress
pants and a dress shirt, for girls, Punjabi suits or long skirts and nice shirts. Girls need to bring a scarf to wear as a head covering during the services. This is important and respectful to their culture, so please wear it regardless of your personal feelings towards the issue.
Other packing items:
o Cool, comfortable clothes for markets and house
o Headlamp
o Durable sandals and close-toed shoes for foot protection
o House slippers/shoes for inside
o Extra batteries for camera, headlamp, etc.
o Electric plug adapter & Current converter as needed for electronics
o Wristwatch: to be on time
o Seasonings for cooking:
Cinnamon
Ranch powder
Season all
Taco seasoning
Garlic powder
Others as preferred.
o Sleeping mask
o Earplugs
o Baby wipes
o Hand sanitizer
o Sun screen
o Bug spray with DEET (works best)
o Medicine:
Airborne/Emergen-C
Anti-nausea
Anti-diarrhea
Headache medicine
Ciprofolaxcin (stomach antibiotic)
Anti-malaria pills (doxycycline or malarone, you will need a doctor’s prescription!)
Tums/Pepto
Band-aids and Neosporin.
———-
From your Real Life handbook:
Needed by ALL, for your personal suitcase or bag:
1. Bible, lots of pens (people always lose these!), Sharpie marker, Notebook/Journal
2. Journey given to you by AIM
3. All necessary medications with refills.
• If you use an inhaler, bring an extra one. Please have your pharmacy and doctor’s number with you
personally at all times in case of emergency and we need to speak with them. You will not be able to get
refills in-country.
4. Sleeping bag, pad, sheets and an expandable travel pillow.
• We ask you to you bring a crushable sleeping bag that can be packed inside your own personal suitcase.
• There are no mattresses at Training Camp and many places you will go while out on the field you will not
have mattresses, so your sleeping bag and/or pad can act as your mattress.
• You will want sheets so that you can lie on top of sleeping bag when it’s hot here in GA or on the field.
5. Unbreakable water bottle
• These can be purchased at outdoors stores, and are a necessity. We will not be using cups in most
locations-your water bottle will be your constant companion.
6. Full-size Personal hygiene items (deodorant, soaps, shampoo/conditioner, fingernail clippers, toothbrush and paste, toothbrush cover).
• Many of these are hard to find in other countries.
7. Your drama outfit.
• Ladies: Two solid black t-shirts, and One solid black skirt. Make sure that lifting your arms over your
head, no skin shows.
• Guys: White or khaki pants, two solid white t- shirts, black pants, Two solid black t-shirts.
8. Clothing
• Ladies: A skirt or dress for church.
• Guys: Proper church clothing packed for your location. Check the site specific dress code guidelines.
• Bathing suits: one-piece suits for gals and for guys modest swim trucks will be fine. No Speedos.
1. Bible, lots of pens (people always lose these!), Sharpie marker, Notebook/Journal
2. Journey given to you by AIM
3. All necessary medications with refills.
• If you use an inhaler, bring an extra one. Please have your pharmacy and doctor’s number with you
personally at all times in case of emergency and we need to speak with them. You will not be able to get
refills in-country.
4. Sleeping bag, pad, sheets and an expandable travel pillow.
• We ask you to you bring a crushable sleeping bag that can be packed inside your own personal suitcase.
• There are no mattresses at Training Camp and many places you will go while out on the field you will not
have mattresses, so your sleeping bag and/or pad can act as your mattress.
• You will want sheets so that you can lie on top of sleeping bag when it’s hot here in GA or on the field.
5. Unbreakable water bottle
• These can be purchased at outdoors stores, and are a necessity. We will not be using cups in most
locations-your water bottle will be your constant companion.
6. Full-size Personal hygiene items (deodorant, soaps, shampoo/conditioner, fingernail clippers, toothbrush and paste, toothbrush cover).
• Many of these are hard to find in other countries.
7. Your drama outfit.
• Ladies: Two solid black t-shirts, and One solid black skirt. Make sure that lifting your arms over your
head, no skin shows.
• Guys: White or khaki pants, two solid white t- shirts, black pants, Two solid black t-shirts.
8. Clothing
• Ladies: A skirt or dress for church.
• Guys: Proper church clothing packed for your location. Check the site specific dress code guidelines.
• Bathing suits: one-piece suits for gals and for guys modest swim trucks will be fine. No Speedos.
• One nice outfit, nothing fancy, but something you could wear to a graduation or other celebration.
9. Host gifts.
• These will most likely be given out at the end of your trip. Your team will buy a basket and put together the stuff you brought, along with your financial donations, to give your host pastor or pastors. Please bring one small gift for a man, one for a woman, and one for a child. Great gifts are ball caps from your school or home state, candy made in your area, neat writing pens, Christian books or resources (some of the pastors speak English well), Christian t-shirts, etc. Please make sure that the gifts you bring are things that you would personally like to receive. These must be carried in YOUR bag.
10. One huge plastic jar of Peanut Butter.
• This will be lunch for most of the trip! Also, if you like jelly, bring a plastic squirt bottle of that as well,
chances are you will not be able to purchase jelly in country. Pack it in a Ziploc in case it leaks! Do not
bring anything in a glass jar – it will break!
11. Ziplocs.
• You need to bring two big gallon-size boxes of Ziplocs, plus one smaller box. (take them out of their boxes, roll them up in rolls and rubber band around them)
12. Towel and washcloth
• A fast-drying towel is best and will keep mold out of your suitcase. Big fluffy towels are much more
trouble than they’re worth on the field, as they don’t dry well and make your whole suitcase smelly.
13. Shoes
• You need shower shoes for when you take a shower. (I recommend super-cheap flip-flops)
• Comfortable shoes for walking such as tennis shoes. Sandals are ok in some locations but not in others,
check site-specific list to see if closed-toed shoes are needed for your site.
• These will most likely be given out at the end of your trip. Your team will buy a basket and put together the stuff you brought, along with your financial donations, to give your host pastor or pastors. Please bring one small gift for a man, one for a woman, and one for a child. Great gifts are ball caps from your school or home state, candy made in your area, neat writing pens, Christian books or resources (some of the pastors speak English well), Christian t-shirts, etc. Please make sure that the gifts you bring are things that you would personally like to receive. These must be carried in YOUR bag.
10. One huge plastic jar of Peanut Butter.
• This will be lunch for most of the trip! Also, if you like jelly, bring a plastic squirt bottle of that as well,
chances are you will not be able to purchase jelly in country. Pack it in a Ziploc in case it leaks! Do not
bring anything in a glass jar – it will break!
11. Ziplocs.
• You need to bring two big gallon-size boxes of Ziplocs, plus one smaller box. (take them out of their boxes, roll them up in rolls and rubber band around them)
12. Towel and washcloth
• A fast-drying towel is best and will keep mold out of your suitcase. Big fluffy towels are much more
trouble than they’re worth on the field, as they don’t dry well and make your whole suitcase smelly.
13. Shoes
• You need shower shoes for when you take a shower. (I recommend super-cheap flip-flops)
• Comfortable shoes for walking such as tennis shoes. Sandals are ok in some locations but not in others,
check site-specific list to see if closed-toed shoes are needed for your site.
14. Extra spending money, and some kind of hidden pouch to keep your money in and close to your body so you won’t get pick pocketed. We recommend that you do not bring too much extra money as it could get stolen, the best way to get more money is to bring an ATM card with you. Most locations it is easy to find ATM machines.
FINALLY, you guys, here are some quick tips from me:
–bring MUCH LESS than you think you need! You WILL buy clothes and other items there! Except for underwear. Bring plenty of good durable underwear. About ten pairs. I am serious 🙂
–shoes: ONE pair good tennies. ONE pair durable sandals (Chacos, Tevas, Keens…) ONE pair shower shoes.
–I would self-limit your personal items to ONE SUITCASE & one daypack that you can manage to hoist & carry by yourself for a mile! You never know when traveling…really. Also, this leaves your “other” suitcase for possible needed items to bring for our ministry. (more on that later)
–bring a little pumice stone / scrub brush which really helps doing laundry by hand.
–don’t bring too much cash. There will be ATMs in Delhi, though they will charge you–but you will be charged a fee for exchanging dollars to rupees anyways, so just don’t bring cash! 🙂
Team, I just wanted to emphasize that you should try to bring a lot of peanut butter and jelly. The packing list says one jar of each, but if you can bring 2 or 3, that would be fantastic!!!!! Don’t go overboard, but it helps the team if you can bring a good amount. Additionally, do not put peanut butter or jelly in your carry-on luggage on the way to Georgia–it will get confiscated!
Good luck packing. Please feel free to use this post to ask me and Katie any questions you might have about packing!
Question:
What about laptops and MP3 players?
Oh, and just to be clear —
Would it be best to pack everything in a suitcase, duffel bag, or those 50 lb. hiking backbacks? Does it matter?
Good questions Brittany.
Laptops and MP3 players are fine, assuming there’s not any content on them that is going to distract from growing closer with God or bonding with your team–for instance, AIM says that iPods should not have secular music on them if you bring them. Further, you should not bring anything that would ruin your trip if it was stolen/lost/broken/etc. Also, you have to make sure that if you needed to charge these items you brought the right converter/transformer or else your electronics will get ruined, and you have to be willing to not charge your electronics should something for the whole team need to be charged instead. So, if you want to bring electronics knowing all of that, it’s completely up to you.
It doesn’t matter what you pack everything in. Once we get to India, we’re not going to be moving around a whole lot so you don’t have to bring any special type of bag. Whatever you feel most comfortable bringing is what you should bring.
Are there any “ministry items” that we need to bring?
We’ll let you know about ministry items SOON. For now just work on your own packing 🙂
ps Katie — i love this picture of you!
Question:
I have been assuming that along with our personal bag we are to bring a book bag as well. I don’t remember hearing one way or another; is this correct?
Brittany- as per airline regulations, you can have a carry-on and a personal item when you travel.
Kathryn-that’s totally up to you! take a look at weather forecasts and decide if you’d like to bring one. Know, however, that if the heat is really bad, the team would probably buy a fan.
Great questions!
The personal bag we’ve been talking about is one of the suitcases that will hold our stuff, right? Not the carry on?
Oops I forgot one question: should we all bring some of those spices or should we split them up?
Also, do we need the anti-malaria pills if we’re going to be in the city the whole time? I don’t want to get malaria, but I’d rather not take medication if it’s not needed.
question…
do we need to bring a small fan or anything incase it’s hot at night?