Hostel Preparedness Kit

As Returning Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), we don't have a lot of money to spend on our trip. Accommodation is a huge expense when traveling, so we have opted to stay in dormitories at hostels in Europe and Africa.

Each hostel has it's own pros and cons, and you can read reviews about plenty of them on HostelWorld.com. Some of the reviews are actually pretty funny!

Regardless of which hostel you stay at, the PCV part of us means we always travel prepared. So in case you find yourself staying at hostels on your travels, be sure to bring the following, just in case:

- A chitenje or some sort of quick-drying towel, since most hostels do not provide them

- A bar of soap, since most do not provide soap to wash your hands in the bathroom

- A roll of toilet paper, just in case

- Ear plugs

- Something to put over your eyes to sleep, like a bandanna, for when your roommates want the light on way too late

- flip flops for the showers

- instant coffee and powdered milk, since most hostels provide some sort of hot water facilities