What to Bring



What to Bring!

The Master Packing List

Here a couple of things to keep in mind when reading this list and packing:

1) How long will you be in Monteverde? 8 days Will the weather change during that time? Possibly

2) Airline baggage allowance (usually 50 lbs)

3) School dress code: pants or skirt below the knee, no sleeveless shirts. We are very casual, but presentable (clean jeans and a clean t-shirt are fine). Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes for outside work.

In addition to this list, any materials from the school Wishlist that you are able to bring would be very much appreciated by all! (

Dress with the Weather:

Even though Monteverde is in the tropics, our location and high altitude makes it colder, windier, and rainier than you would probably expect. No matter what time of year you come, you will want some warm clothes. Think layers: the weather often changes throughout the day. Days are typically sunny and humid, nights are chilly and wet, and rain is possible at any time.

Clothes:

• No matter what time of year you come, bring clothes for warm, cold, hot, humid, windy, rainy, sunny, misty, and foggy weather…everything! Weather changes rapidly so think in thin layers.

• Clothes that will dry quickly are good to have (It is 100% humidity here and clothes dryers are rare). Nylon pants and moisture-wick t-shirts are two recommended options. Bring a fleece instead of a wool or cotton sweater.

• September-January: You may want a warm hat and scarf

• February-May: Sunshine! Consider bringing a baseball cap and sunglasses

• Swim suit that you can wear under shirt and pants for hot springs/horseback ride.

• Bath towel (thin or microfiber if preferable as cotton towels take longer to dry)

Rain Gear: These items should be truly waterproof (not just “water-resistant”) and light-weight/breathable:

• Year-Round: poncho/rain jacket, umbrella

Footwear: We walk a lot in Monteverde, so take care of your feet!

• 2 pairs of sturdy sneakers and socks that can repeatedly get wet and muddy and that you are comfortable walking in for long distances or else sneakers and hiking boots and/or hiking sandals with good tread. We are required to wear close-toed shoes (not sandals) for our daily service projects at the school, to protect your feet

• Slippers or sandals for indoors- Ticos do not wear shoes inside

Money: Bring some cash for travelling down here, preferably ones and fives. I would recommend a family discussion about what would be an appropriate amount to budget or a few small souvenirs and snacks. For adults on the trip, you might want to bring an ATM/debit card (there are three ATMs in town) with a 4-digit PIN from Visa/MasterCard. Traveller’s checks can be cashed at the bank in town and we also have a Western Union. There are still many places in Costa Rica that do not accept credit/debit cards, so you will need cash while you’re here. Many businesses accept dollars, but it is preferable to have colones.

Other Stuff: Many travellers like to save room in their luggage by waiting until they arrive to purchase toiletries, medicines, and snack, however, we at the CFS do NOT recommend doing this. The cost of shipping things to Monteverde means that all packaged goods are expensive and many are simply unavailable. Things like shampoo and Advil are just as expensive here as they are at home, whereas batteries and books are actually more expensive. Definitely bring:

• International pre-paid calling card. Check to make sure that you can call home from Costa Rica.

• Camera/binoculars—in waterproof cases or bags!

• Headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries—it gets dark at 6pm year-round here.

• A watch with an alarm or a battery-powered alarm clock

• Extra batteries (expensive here)

• Sunscreen and insect repellent (for travelling)

• Ziploc bags of different sizes

• Money belt and day pack

• Spanish-English dictionary or phrase book

• Your passport and a copy of it in your luggage.

• Any toiletries/personal items/cosmetics you need. Bring extra contacts and contact solution if you need them

• If you take vitamins or prescription medicine, purchase in advance and bring it all with you, enough for the week.

• Reusable water bottle

• Dirty clothes bag

Kathy’s recommendations:

Essential:

- Your passport- bring it in by Thursday April 19th, so we can make multiple copies of it.

Write your name on everything you bring- including socks and underwear

Pack a backpack to include:

-a pair of pants, underwear, a shirt, socks, and a long sleeve shirt, just in case your suitcase is delayed.

-a book to read in the airport, and if you will take personal responsibility- an iPod to listen to

-several pens and pencils, a small notebook or composition book for journaling

-a camera-if you are willing to take responsibility for it

-lightweight binoculars if you are willing to take responsibility for them

-any medications you must take daily

-any personal hygiene items that are essential for the first day

-an empty refillable water bottle

-an international calling card- Gloria will explain

-a couple of granola bars or similar solid snack

-your spending money in a small wallet

-some people use those neck pillows on planes and for the bus ride

We will check our suitcases at the airport-be sure it weighs less than 50 pounds

Pack in your suitcase:

-4-7 pairs of pants- a mix of jeans and quick dry hiking pants

-2 pairs of knee length shorts or capris

- 7 tshirts- The CEC school dress code does not allow sleeveless shirts

-4 long sleeve shirts that you can layer over tshirts

-a fleece hoody

-a raincoat and a poncho-waterproof

-a compact umbrella that will fit in your backpack

-a second pair of sturdy sneaker or hiking boots that you know are comfortable

- 7 pairs of socks

-a pair of flipflops or sandals to wear inside the hotel

- a swimsuit

-a headlamp or flashlight for night hikes, extra set of batteries for it

-2 or 3 sets of pajamas that you are comfortable being seen wearing by the whole group

-underwear for the week

-a water-resistant watch

- sunglasses

-a hat or baseball cap for sunny work outside

-a pair of gardening gloves- we will all be working in the dirt

- a not-revealing swim suit for the hot spring

- a towel that is not too bulky

- toothbrush, small toothpaste, small shampoo, small sunscreen,

- a weeks worth of personal hygiene items

- a deck of cards or small game you enjoy

- if you wear glasses, I recommend that you throw in an old pair for emergency glasses

- a few gallon zip lock bags for keeping your stuff organized and a Sharpie to label stuff you accumulate

- a string back pack that you can use for little hikes

I am sure I will add more as I think of it

For Friday night, everyone should arrive at UFS between 8-9 pm.

-Bring a pillow, sleeping bag or blanket, and if you want- a sleeping pad or air mattress that is easy to inflate and deflate. We will be sleeping on the carpet in the library. We will leave our sleeping gear in Kathy’s room for the week.

-You should have a shower, teeth brushed, ready for bed. Lights out by 9:30 because we will be getting up at 2:30 to hop on the bus when it pulls up at 2:45 am. If you are comfortable, you can sleep in the clean clothes you are wearing and they will be the clothes you wear on the plane. If not, then pack so that you can get to the clothes you need without getting everything out of your suitcase.

We are all going to wear our United Friends School tshirts to the airport- it helps groups get through security and makes it easy to spot each other. I would recommend a long sleeve shirt to wear with it because it may be chilly on the plane or when we arrive.

Kathy will pack for all to share:

- a laptop or iPad

- generic shampoo and body wash for the boys shower and the girls shower

- a full size toothpaste for anyone to use

- a travel clothesline and some clothespins for hanging up damp clothes

- a couple of laundry bags for us to put our dirty clothes in for one emergency trip to the laundrymat

- a big generic bug spray to share

- a big generic sun screen to share

- cards, dominoes

- tissues

- a small hair dryer

- Medical supplies: Motrim, Tylenol, Ace bandage, ice pack, Pepto-Bismal, Claritin, Neosporin antibiotic lotion, Benadryl pills, Benadryl anti-itch lotion, Immodium, various size Band-aids, gauze, tape, scissors, travel size First Aid kit for everyday outings, tweezers,Cough drops, Throat-care tea bags, extra zip lock bags, Sharpie, thermometer, hydrogen pyroxide,

- Tape and scissors

- Needle and thread for emergency sewing problem

Gloria and I will keep all of the student’s passports. We will each have a set of the forms you all signed and had notarized and a copy of your passport. Students will also have a copy of their passport and a copy of their emergency contact info with them in their backpacks, in case of an emergency.

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