Packing for the Islands
It seems like a lot but its mostly mental space
What You Can Expect
Generally pack loose, lightweight clothes. Island summers in Greece are hot (86–100°F) and humid. In the evenings, it cools down but only a little (68–80°F ) You can also expect strong winds. For the first three weeks you’ll be spending your mornings on the dig, in the hot sun. In the afternoons and evenings, it will be more leisurely: there will be time to visit the beach or sit on the patio and relax before dinner. We’re assuming that you’ll go to dinner most nights with the other students. Plan your wardrobe accordingly. Zombos’ rooms have a kitchen sink, hot plate and small refrigerator, so you can keep snacks and cold water in your room. For the last week, you’ll be working inside the museum. If it is air-conditioned, it may be quite cold.
Muckwitch?
Meds / Undies / Credit-Bank Card / Keys / Wires / ID / Toothbrush / Charger / Headphones
What is Muckwitch? That’s easy. It’s a mnemonic like “Do kindly please come over for green soup.” to remember biological taxonomy (domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species). Or, remembering that all of the American Great Lakes have “homes” (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior). If you had five minutes to pack for a weekend in the country, what would you throw in your backpack? “Muckwitch” is a simple list: Meds, Undies, Credit/Bank Card, Keys, Wires, ID, Toothbrush, Charger, Headphones. (And your phone, I suppose.) An even shorter list might be Wallet, Keys, Phone.
The Essentials
In a rush, all you really need is a credit card—traveling abroad, your passport and a credit card. You can pick up almost anything you’ve forgotten along the way. It could be incredibly inconvenient to forget your keys, lose your boarding pass, or drop your phone in the ocean. So. Beyond the essentials, pack:
Documents
- Paper copies of your passport and travel documents (boarding pass, tix)
- Paper copy of your emergency contacts (family, personal doctor, medical services, lodging addresses, U.S. embassy)
- Paper copies of prescriptions and immunization records
- Paper copy of lodging information for your destination(s)
- Photos of your passport, bank card, credit card, insurance card and prescriptions kept on your phone
First Aid
- Prescriptions, preferably in their original bottle
- Antacids
- Painkillers (aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen)
- Antihistamine
- Cough drops
- Imodium or Pepto-Bismol
- Dramamine
- Melatonin
- Antibacterial wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
- Tissues
- Neosporin or Bacitracin (antibiotic cream)
- Cortisone (hydrocortisone cream)
- Assorted bandages or gauze & tape
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Nail clippers
Gear
- Phone
- Wires
- Charger
- Headphones
- Headlamp
- Electric outlet converter
- Laptop?
Apps
- International Student Card
- FlightAware
- Google Translate
- Google Maps (save offline map of islands)
- Airline App (Norse Airways)
- Star map (Stellarium or SkySafari)
- Trail Sense
- FreeNow (Greece’s version of Uber)
- Wifinity (helps find wifi)
On the Flight
- Passport
- Boarding pass
- Wallet (Cash, ID, student card, insurance card, bank card, credit card)
- Phone (loaded with offline music, audio books, games, whatever.)
- Headphones
- Charger/Wires (there is usually an outlet under your seat)
- Laptop?
- Sweater (planes can be icy. Bring a jacket, fleece, or blanket)
- Socks (compression socks?)
- Snacks (Protein rich bars, nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, jerky. Skip things that need refrigeration or squish easily)
- Mints or gum (to make your ears pop)
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs
- Toiletries (a small bag of essentials: lip balm, aspirin, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc. )
- Sunglasses (for when you get off the plane)
Checked Bag
- Tee-shirts / tank tops
- Shorts
- Swimsuits (Two. One to dry on the line while wearing the other)
- Bras
- Hat
- Gloves
- Long pants
- Water shoes / Flip flops
- Walking shoes
- Socks
- Underwear
- Sundresses (not too floaty—its windy in the islands)
- Night-out clothes
- Fleece / Sweater and Pants / Leggings for air-conditioned places
- Sarong / Beach cover-up
- Beach towel (or a sarong to use as wrap skirt, shade)
- Washcloth
- Sunglasses
- Dust Mask
- Beach bag / Day pack
- Travel Adapter for Greek electrical outlets
- Hand Sanitizer
- Multiool (absolutely not in carry-on, but okay in checked bag)
- Waterproof phone pouch (for beach days)
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Sewing kit? (needles, thread, pins, safety pins, buttons, snaps)
Toiletry bag
- First Aid (see above)
- Lip balm
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Feminine hygiene
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Face cream
- Hairbrush
- Sunscreen and Aftersun (aloe vera)
- Insect Repellent
- Hair ties
- Q-tips
- Laundry supplies? (hand laundry soap, clothespins)
Packing for the Dig
- Day pack
- Water bottle
- Snack
- Hat with wide brim
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- T-shirt
- Sturdy shoes or closed shoes (no sandals on the excavation)
- Long trousers (to avoid injuries & scratches from plants)
- Garden gloves
- Dust mask
- Hand sanitizer
Don’t forget to call your parents!
They are probably worried about you. Are you getting enough sleep? How’s the food?
Check in every two or three days