Well, here it is—a very (very) detailed list of items I'm bringing to Ghana. Some of these things are specific to the job that I’m doing in Ghana (art teacher), and some of them are for my aspirations to do some serious traveling, hiking, and mountain climbing (Kilimanjaro!!) while in Africa. The clothes section is a little blurry because I'm perpetually adding and eliminating items. There is a separate section for things that I will be shipping because they don’t fit into my two bags. I have weighed this list, and it all fits under the 80 lb limit, except for the extra items to be shipped and those in my carry-on backpack.
Clothes
4 t-shirts
4 tank tops
1 athletic tank top
half slip and full slip
3 pairs athletic socks
1 button-down athletic shirt
bathing suit
25+ pairs underwear
long athletic shorts
short athletic shorts (for at home)
1 fleece
1 capri pant
1 lightweight cotton pant
1 hiking pant
1 pair skinny jeans (are there hipsters in Ghana?)
1 athletic short sleeve shirt
2 mid-length skirts
4 smartwool socks (for hiking)
leggings
lots of bras
belt
1 nice dress
kurta (you know, the Indian tunic)
5 blouses
2 sports bras
rain jacket
1 base layer long sleeve
2 long sleeve performance shirts (for out in the sun)
2 sunhats
*note—there is some give and take with the clothes; some things will get discarded at the last minute and other things will get stuffed in.
Shoes (I’d rather have a few too many than not enough)
running shoes
Keens
Chacos sandal
Chacos flip-flop
dress shoe
dressy sandal
casual sneaker
hiking boots
Superfeet inserts
Household
1 set of sheets
Ziploc bags
camp towel
wash cloth
knife (?)
spatula
Electronics
various camera memory cards
mini calculator
camera
Kindle w/case
3 pairs earphones
shortwave radio (Kaito)
ipod
ipod charger
Macbook laptop
external hd
surge protector
laptop sleeve
waterproof sack for laptop
AAA batteries
computer lock
camera charger
AA batteries
travel alarm clock
Toiletries
bar soap
deodorant
toothpaste/toothbrush
bar shampoo
lens cleaner
face sunscreen
lip balm
exfoliating glove
sanitizer
small sunscreen
make-up
nail clippers
small mirror
80 tampons
hand wipes
Misc.
4 notebooks
umbrella
world atlas (small)
tiny address book
4 packs blank index cards
Swiss Army knife
blank CDs
empty folders for paperwork
small sewing kit
packing tape, duct tape, blue tape, scotch tape
safety pins, needles
mini binoculars
world map poster
pack of normal cards
Uno cards, SET cards
2 headlamps
Ghana Bradt book
West Africa Lonely Planet
small spray bottle
monthly planner
2 knee braces (for running)
pack cover
money belt
2 water bottles
Camelback hydration (hiking)
bubbles (for kids)
L.A./Hollywood t-shirts for host family
super glue
eyeglass repair kit
hiking poles
luggage lock
earplugs (enough to share!)
extra pair of glasses
spork (thanks Peter)
small collection of spices (thanks Peter)
watch
sunglasses
photo album of friends and family
chain and lock (?)
bike helmet (?)
purse/bag
seeds
movies/tv shows on computer
Art Supplies
scissors
erasers, highlighters, markers, pens, sharpies, pencils, microns
exacto blades
sketch pad, drawing pad
Shipping to Ghana (for hiking Kilimanjaro, etc.)
tent (maybe)
sleeping bag/ liner
down jacket
gloves
warm hat
small skillet (?)
lots of books (for various academic/career pursuits)
