Packing for a Year in the Field

This August (pandemic permitting) I will embark on a year-long field season in Peru. For the first 6 months I'll conduct interviews and archival research in Lima, before heading to a series of four remote sites across the Peruvian Andes.

The clothing and equipment I bring must therefore be able to take me through changing seasons and varying terrains. I will need to be able to dress professionally for interviews with officials in the city and be mobile and self-sufficient in the mountains. What's an anthropologist to do?

Of course, I'm not the first person to squeeze my life into a few pieces of luggage. These are some of the resources I've found most helpful when creating my packing list:

• https://chrisblattman.com/2009/04/21/field-work-in-the-tropics/

• https://chrisblattman.com/2010/07/24/what-to-bring-to-the-field/

• https://medium.com/@ingridcarolinaramnparra/whats-in-a-field-researcher-s-bag-982938c26987

My plan is to take one 55 liter backpacking pack for travel the Andes, with an additional large suitcase which I will store in Lima while I'm in the mountains. I'll also take a large purse which can fit my computer, a small purse to use around town, and a lightweight daypack for carrying my electronics on longer hikes.

Clothing & Footwear

• 1-2 nice outfit(s) - for professional meetings, special events, etc.

• 1 pair of leggings - to transition dresses to winter, or use as base layer for warmth

• 1 week's worth of tops and bottoms that are versatile, easy to mix & match, and can handle harsh laundering

• 3-4 sets of tops and bottoms that can serve to sleep in/exercise in/lounge in/layer

• 1 scarf - for cold weather, to use as a travel blanket/pillow, to dress up an outfit, etc.

• Cold-weather outer layers (insulated puffy jacket, light jacket, versatile sweater, hat, gloves)

• 1 pair of comfortable professional shoes

• 1 pair of comfortable/versatile sandals

• 1 pair running/hiking shoes

• 1 pair cold weather, water-resistant boots

• 1 pair of flip flops - for hostel showers, working at home

• 1 pair of lightweight house slippers (like the kind offered by some hotels) for dirty and/or cold floors

• A week's worth of socks (wool preferred for quick drying) and underwear

Health & Cleanliness

• Toiletries that can’t be easily purchased in country

• Mesh laundry bag

• Quick-dry towel + wash cloth

• Lightweight sleeping bag liner (for added warmth, sketchy hostel beds, etc.)

• Sleeping eye-mask + earplugs (for airplanes & roosters)

• Inflatable neck pillow for long flights

• First aid kit – dose of antibiotic (e.g. Cipro), anti-diarrheal, thermometer, little packets of tissues (use as TP in a pinch), hand sanitizer, Emergen-C or tea packets for a quick boost, pain reliever, cold medicine, anti-histamine (e.g. Benadryl), altitude medicine, antibiotic cream, emergency blanket, gauze, band-aids. And a copy of Where there is no Doctor.

• Water treatment systems (Grayl press filter, collapsible 10 L water bag, and chlorine tabs)**

• Reusable water bottle

• Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen

• Bug spray and anti-malarial meds

• Lip balm and a small container of good lotion for dry, cold mountain air

Useful travel gear

• Multitool with scissors**

• Headlamp

• Suitcase locks

• Notebooks (3 small and 1 large), pens (a few colors), highlighter, paper clips, fine-tip sharpie, pencils, post-its, some colored pencils for sketching

• Superglue, duct tape, needle and thread, a couple of ziplock bags to keep stuff dry, safety pins

• Travel docs holder with closure (clear)

• Copies of passport, itinerary, embassy & important numbers, Visa, IRB permissions, vaccine records – also emailed to self and to an emergency contact

• Spare credit card in a separate location, some extra money in a discrete stash

• Business cards

• Protein bars, bags of nuts when actively travelling

• A quality backpack, with a rain-cover/travel case to protect it at the airport

• Dry bags

• Gifts for informants?

Electronics

• Computer + charging attachments / converters / cords

• Flash drives and external hard drives for file backups (keep in 2+ different locations)

• Unlocked durable cell phone + local SIM card - can also make recordings feel less obtrusive in interviews

• Recorder + external microphone (for off-grid interviews)**

• Extra batteries and memory cards

• Power bank and solar panel chargers (for Andes)**

• Camera

And some additional packing tips I've picked up along the way:

• Roll clothes, don’t fold – keeps them less wrinkled and more tightly packed.

• Use packing cubes to keep clothing tidy and organized.

• Pack bulky/heavy items at the bottom (towards suitcase wheels or base of backpack).

• Stuff socks into shoes to keep shape and save space (shoes are also a good place for delicate items that could get crushed).

• Wear bulky items on plane (boots, coat).

• Don’t take jewelry, electronics, or other valuables that would be hard to replace.

• Back up all your data, all the time, and keep the backups in different locations.

• Write up field notes every evening.

• Keep track of expenses for grant reimbursement.

What did you take to the field? What did you wish you had taken?

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**UPDATE: What worked and what didn't?

Well, the pandemic did not permit, and after 1.5 years of delays I shortened my field season to 6 months. This packing list still served me well though, especially through changing seasons, altitudes, and climates. But hindsight is 20/20 and I learned some lessons along the way.

Things I didn't need:

• I did not end up needing my water treatment system, because I was able to purchase and carry bottled water with me to most locations. However, I did keep some chlorine tabs in a small first aid kit along with my medicine and emergency gear, which gave me peace of mind that I would have potable water in a pinch.

• Likewise, there was sufficient access to electrical outlets that my power bank and solar charger went unused, along with my extra recorder.

• Although I did need my multitool at one point, it was confiscated at airport security, so I had to improvise. (The lesson: don't bring a multitool in your carry-on...)

• Finally, a camera can be both bulky and a liability, so I was pretty selective about where I took it. But it can also be a really useful way to document your observations, so if you decide to bring one, exercise caution.

• The neck pillow was a luxury that was definitely worth it for the international flight, but stayed in Lima the rest of the time.

Things I needed that I didn't have:

• A cup to use to rinse my toothbrush, etc. because the water from the sink was not potable.

• A long skirt. Ladies, where there is no bathroom while traversing through the mountains, a skirt really comes in handy.

• I forgot to Scotchgarde my boots before I left. This was a mistake which resulted in occasional cold, wet feet.

Things I was really glad to have:

• My headlamp. It can be really wonderful to be able to use both hands at night instead of having to hold a phone.

• All the layers. In the cold mountain air, the more warm layers, the better. Hats are crucial, as are dry socks for sleeping. You can always take layers off, but if you don't have them with you, you simply stay cold.

• Ear plugs. So. Many. Roosters.

• Cheap, thin house slippers. Having something rubber underneath my feet was crucial when walking around cold and/or dirty floors.

• Dry bags and rain cover. You never know when you might get caught in the pouring rain and don't want all of your clothes or electronics to drown in your backpack.

• Quick-dry travel towel and wash cloth. This one is self-explanatory.

• Sleeping bag liner. Not only does it add a little extra warmth, sometimes it's really nice to have an extra layer between your body and whatever old mattress/blankets you happen to be sleeping on.

• Tissues. Always have some extra toilet paper in your pocket. If you don't have it, it's inevitable that you'll need it, whether for your nose, your hands, or obvious other reasons.

• Bar Soap. Before I left, I cut a bar of Doc Bronner's Bar Soap into small cubes, and always had a few cubes with me when I travelled. This was extremely useful, because there were many places that had running water but no soap. And hands get dirty.

• Suitcase locks. It's just not worth the risk, especially with sensitive data and electronics.

• Sun protection. Sunburns make everything worse and the sun can be especially fierce in the mountains and near the equator. I bought a bottle of Neutrogena 100 SPF sunscreen in Lima and ended up wearing it every day.

Other advice:

• Know before you go. What will the weather be like? What is the terrain? Plan ahead and do some research to save yourself a headache later.

• Pack as light as possible, while allowing for contingencies. For example, when I went to the mountains, I would usually pack one set of clothes to sweat in, one set of clothes to sleep in, and 2-3 sets of clothes to alternate wearing. Synthetic material and wool were better for insulating at night, while thin, long-sleeved cotton shirts offered the most protection and versatility in the changing temperatures throughout the day.

I hope you have found this list useful. What has been your experience? Is there anything you wish you had brought while abroad, or that you wish you had left at home?