When packing for a field school it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. You may be packing for anywhere between 1 week to 6 weeks and there really is so much to consider, especially when travelling internationally! Having attended the 2024 Romania: Sânpetru Bioarchaeology and Excavation field school, I’ll provide a list to prep for travel to a 4-week field school that involves an excavation. There are many packing lists online, and your director may send you a packing list, so I’ll focus on the things that were most surprising and proved to be invaluable.

Getting to Sânpetru took about a day, over 20 hours, in total. This included taxis, shuttles, trains, and planes! I opted to use a large duffle bag for my packing so I was ready for anything, which came in handy a few times because the train stations can get crowded and train cars don’t always have room for bigger suitcases. I used packing cubes to pack my clothes extra tight so I could fit as much as I could in my duffle bag. I chose to pack enough clothes for about ten days. I knew that Transylvania would provide a variety of weather patterns, so, I packed a few t-shirts that I didn’t mind getting dirty, a few tank tops, some short and long leggings, two long sleeve, lightweight button ups to protect from the sun, and two pairs of weatherproof work pants, and a rain coat. Work gloves, a sun hat, and stretchy close are also a must. For field trip days I packed lightweight dresses and tops. I prioritized lightweight, easy to fold things, that could be layered. For shoes I packed a pair of sandals, walking shoes, and two pair of waterproof boots, so I always had a dry pair while the other dried out.

For toiletries I only packed travel sized essentials and bought things like body wash and lotion in Transylvania. What I found most useful were face and hand wipes because I used them constantly. In the field you may not have access to running water to clean your hands before lunch, or, your roommate may have the shower before you when you get back after a long day and it is very nice to be able to refresh yourself. Also, if you need menstruation products be aware that what you normally use may not be available in your host country. It is also good to have things like travel toilet paper and wipes because you never know the public bathroom situation. Heads up, at least in Transylvania, you may need cash to use those public bathrooms! Something nice about packing toiletries is that theoretically they’ll be used up by the end of the month, leaving room in your luggage for things to buy!

One of the biggest surprise items to me that I found to be invaluable were baggies! This is the number one thing I would suggest to make room for in your luggage. In my normal travels I bring baggies for random organization, so I already thought to bring a bunch for my trip. I found that I used them constantly, often repurposing ones that weren’t dirty and going on a hunt for more in our local store. The obvious reasons would be for things like packing your lunch or keeping toiletries from spilling in your suitcase. But, I found myself using them to keep my phone and personal items dry during rain and clean from dirt and dust. They can also come in in handy for outdoor bathroom situations with toilet paper and period product trash. The second set of items would be invaluable would be a first aid kit full of things for yourself and to share. I brought bug spray, antihistamines, and itch creams. I also brought pain medication and all-natural sleep medication, and powered electrolytes, among many other things. Packing them in separately labeled baggies helped minimize the space the bottles would’ve taken.

Overall, it can be really hard to pack for an extended amount of time, especially in a completely new, international location. Remember, you’re there to work for the most part, so prioritize work clothes that will keep you comfortable that you’ll wash at least once a week. Bring one or two cute outfits that you don’t mind repeating. Then, when it comes to toiletries, most places will have the basics, so prioritize those health and hygiene things that you can’t live without. Last bit of advice, try packing everything at least a week in advance so you have time to change things and buy last minute items.