Packing List for Ethiopia...

So oddly enough, I've been having a lot of people emailing me for advice about staying in Ethiopia, especially for those that are considering staying between court and embassy.  So the next few posts will be about long-term stay in Ethiopia.  And when I say long term, I mean planning for about 2 months in Ethiopia.  We ended up being there for 3 months, and we ran out of many items, formula being the most important.   So the following list is certainly not exhaustive, neither is it necessarily for everyone.  Not everyone may need or want all the items we packed.  We found that we used almost everything we had, and we were very glad we had it. Oh, and keep in mind that this packing list was for us and our 8 month old twins (at the time), so that is what we packed for. 

Clothing for Babies

10 outfits each

1 Sweatshirt each

Robeez Shoes (these were awesome to have because they stay on!)

10 pairs socks each (tight ones)

Hair Bows (for a girl)

Swimmy Diapers (in case you hit the Sheraton.  Trust me.  You will want to.)

Swimsuits

2 or 3 Sleepers each

Bloomers (for a girl)

Diapers

Size 2 & 3 (We counted on about 8 diapers per baby per day)

Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream (Desitin smells awful!)

Wipes (1-3 wipes per diaper depending on “content”)

Changing Pad (this is a lifesaver!)

Feeding

Plastic Bowls for food

2-4oz. Playtex Bottles with disposable liners for trip home (target brand is great!)

Stage 1 & 2 foods

4 Dr. Brown’s Bottles

1 Bottle Cleaner brush

Plastic Baby Spoons

Formula (1 can lasts about 3 or 4 days between the 2 of them)

Gerber Oatmeal (they LOVE this!  And it goes quite a ways too.)

Gerber Rice Cereal

*When it comes to formula, yes, you can buy some kind of funky brand of formula in Ethiopia.  Keep in mind that the cans are smaller, though, and are a bit expensive.  If you can, I would pack formula and bring it with you.  If you can't, rest assured that you can buy some there. 

Mischellaneous for Babies

Nail Clipper

Snot Sucker

Meds for Babies

Baby Tylenol

Baby Ibuprofin

Gripe Water

Pedialite

Nasal drops

Lice Meds

Medicine Dropper

Toys

5 Board Books

Plastic Rings (the ones that connect)

2-3 Stuffed Animals

Bouncey Balls

Blocks

*Don't overdo it on the toys.  They will not need many, and we found they loved playing with water bottles and boxes just as much as their toys.  Still do!

Toiletries for Babies

Shea Moisture or Carol’s Daughter Hair product

(I used Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey while in Ethiopia to tame the frizzies)

Shampoo and body wash (I used Aveeno for both hair and body while in Ethiopia)

Towels

Washcloths

Miscellaneous

Camping Lantern (battery powered) – for when the electric goes out (we were REALLY glad we brought this with us)

Flash Lights

Citranella Candle if it is bug season

Air Freshener (Febreeze, Candle)

Matches

Powder Laundry Detergent

Clothes Pins

Bug Spray

Dirty Laundry Bag

Plastic Bags for dirty diapers on the road (to contain the smell while traveling)

Dryer Sheets (left these in our closets to keep things smelling a little fresh)

Blankets for babies (one nice fluffy one is nice to have with some thinner ones)

Books for reading

Journal

Pens

Cell Phone Chargers

Cell Phone (you can often get a sim card to put in your cell phone once in Addis)

Laptop

Duck tape (for packing on the way home)

Luggage scale (bought a cheap one from walmart so we could weigh our stuff for the trip home)

Sewing Kit

Voltage Adapter/Converter (sometimes more than one is nice if using more than one appliance at the same time)

External Hardrive for pictures

Meds for Adults

Zyrtec-D  for allergies (you can only get one pack at a time under your name)

Vitamins

Probiotics (these really help!)

Nasal Spray (you won’t regret it! it is very dry in Addis Ababa!)

Ibuprofin (don’t forget it!)

Cipro (get this from your doctor.  You will need it at least once.  It’s an antibiotic for stomach bugs.  It has to be prescribed, but you shouldn’t have to go see the doctor.  Just call and tell them what it is for. Find out if there is a different dosage for Kynzi & Karston.)

*I can't stress enough how much vitamins and probiotics help while in a foreign country.  The first time we got sick was when we ran out.

Clothes for Adults

1-2              Sweatshirts

2-3              Pairs of pants

7-10            T-shirts

1-2              longsleeve shirts

2-3              Tanktops

1                 Swimsuit

4-5              pairs of socks

1                 Pair of walking sandals (I recommend Chacos!  Mine have lasted for 11 years

                   hiking through about 11 different countries.)

1                 Pair of sneakers

1                 Pair of dressier shoes

10-15         pair of underwear

2                bras

1-2             skirts

1-2             nicer shirts/blouses

1-2             pairs of pajama bottoms

1                Swimsuit

1                Pair of flip flops

*It all depends on the season for clothes, but Addis Ababa is usually nice and warm for the most part.  I think it is in the mid-70's to mid-80's year round.  The only time when it is really different is during rainy season in July-September, a time we were not there.  You will find it to often be cool in the evenings, which is really nice.

Toiletries for Adults

Ponytail Holders

Barrettes

Bar Soap (10-12 Bars) *

Hairbrush

Shampoo *

Conditioner *

Toothbrush

Toothpaste (2)

Face Lotion

Body Lotion

Facial Cleanser

Q-Tips

Makeup

Razors (5-10)

Kleenex (can be bought in Ethiopia but it is not very soft)*

Nail Polish (fun on days when you get bored)

Nail Polish Remover

Nail Clipper

Contacts

Contact Case

Glasses

Hair Dryer

Curling Iron

Flat Iron

Dental Floss

Sunscreen

Tweezers

Tampons/Pads

Liquid Hand Soap and dispenser (this isn’t a necessity but was nice to have)*

Deoderant (2)

Hair Product (spray/gel/detangler)

Thermometer

*-these things can be bought in Ethiopia, but are usually a little pricey.  If you don’t feel like packing them, though, you can always get them once you are in Addis.

**-Another great packing resource is Ashlie Fulmer's blog here.