You will bring one carry-on suitcase for your own things and one large suitcase for donations and camp supplies
Suggested daily wear: tank tops or t-shirts, shorts, khakis and shorts, sport shorts… think casual and breathable clothes, it’s hot there! Dry-fit/fast drying sports clothes are ideal.
Casual sun dresses or skirt and nice top, skirt/dress below the knee and shoulder covered so you are appropriate for Mass. They dress more conservatively for going to church. Plus, we are conspicuous visitors. Do be neat, conservative.
BEFORE PACKING Spray Premethrin on your cloths a day or two before packing so it’ll dry on your clothes. That plus deet will be the way to repel mosquitoes.
Swimsuit and cover up – two piece OK
Sandals, flip flops, or tennis shoes. (Note: flip flops cause trouble. Be sure to use them only when appropriate, within the hogar compound) Consider Keens or any toe-covering sandals that can be used for the whole trip. LL Bean and Land’s End have versions of them, too.
A hat to keep the sun off
Light weight PJ’s
To wear travel day – sneakers and a sweatshirt.
Sleep aids
- whatever you usually do plus
- ear plugs
- eye mask
- face cloth that you can wet and put on your face at night
- small battery-powered fan
- headlamp for reading in bed
- reading material
$200 (approx) $40 or more to Sisters for food, driver, and expenses. For souvenirs and restaurants, have $1’s ready.
Exchange rates – you don’t usually get this good a rate at the store. You can calculate the value in USD then make an offer.
One US dollar to Dominican peso
One Dominican peso to US dollars
You can also use credit cards at some restaurants, grocery stores, and shops.
Water Bottle – something sturdy. The best are the metal kinds. They provide plenty of clean, filtered water.
PERSONAL TOILETRIES AND DRUGS
Bar of soap, consider presoaped, disposable face cloths for these trips, two per day.
Box/Small packets of Kleenex
Shampoo (put in a small plastic bottle if you can)
Toothpaste/ toothbrush (some bring more than one tooth brush)
Razor
Contact solution
Travel pack of baby fresh wipes
Deodorant
Sanitary protection
Non prescription pain reliever
Insect repellent 25% – 35% DEET not 100% OR 20% Picaridin
Steroid cream for insect bites
Sunscreen!!!!! (I use a physical block – Vanicream. I am fair skinned and burn easily. The sun is strong there.)
Sunburn lotion
Band-Aids and antiseptic salve (small first aid kit if you can)
Some also bring allergy medicine like Claritin or Zyrtec because some tend to get cold-like symptoms towards the end of the trip, maybe because of the pollen, dust, and wind.
Stomach – Miralax packets or fiber for constipation. Loperamide (Immodium) and/or Pepto pills are all easy to pack. TIP: to prevent travelers’ constipation, start on the Miralax on your travel morning. Read the directions for timing.
Bring single-serving hydration powder packets, such as Liquid IV, Powerade, to ward off dehydration. If you can find them with sugar, that’s the best. Some also like Emergen-C packets to get an immune system boost to adjust to the new environment.
Notebook for personal reflections
Phone/charger (their outlets are the same as ours)
A picture of your passport on your phone (or a color copy)
Small photo album of your interests and family. The girls are always interested about our lives and so several travelers thought it was fun to show pictures of their families, friends, homes, and MN winter to the girls. A picture is worth a thousand words, especially if you don’t know much Spanish.
Flashlight with extra batteries, I like a headlamp
Target/plastic grocery bags (bring at least 5)
Fingernail clippers/emory board
Probiotic – optional, some swear by it. I’ve never tried it.
Souvenir note: Coffee, cigars, rum and larimar jewelry.
OPTIONAL USEFUL ITEMS
Fanny pack or backpack for outings
Spanish speaking aids (Spanish/ English dictionary)
Reading/listening material for night
Peanut Butter and/or Nutella- a big jar to share with the girls during meals
Your own snacks to discretely eat in your room without the kids knowing. These should be tightly/individually sealed in factory packages inside ziplocks to not attract bugs, especially ants.
They will supply
Hand soap
Sheets and a pillow
Towels
Mosquito netting the beds
Leave at Home
Hair dryers, irons, and fancy/expensive jewelry
Airplane items
My “1st class” bag: Paying for coach, but want that 1st class experience? Get both by packing a small bag of upgrades:
Hand sanitizer, chapstick, small facial moisturizer (I save any samples for this), hand lotion, ear plugs, eye mask, instant spot remover, gum, small toothpaste and toothbrush, ear buds, and a pen (to fill out customs forms). Optional mask.
Plus a bottle of water and a snack.
Campamento 2026 