Wednesday, June 23, 2010

How (Not) to Pack for Russia

The two days before I left, I drove myself crazy trying to figure out how on earth to pack for a month-long trip to Russia. Even if I were to do this again, I think I would still feel almost as lost. So the most helpful thing I can do is make a note of what I was grateful to have with me, what I missed, what was a burden, and what I was glad to have left behind. And again, I like countdowns.

Top 5 Best Things I Brought to Russia
5. Small vanity mirror - You can't always count on having access to a mirror, and I prefer my hairdos not to be the product of blind guesswork.
4. Travel-size rolls of toilet paper - Public bathrooms often don't supply toilet paper, so I always carry some in my coat pocket. Also, now that I have a cold, it doubles as tissue.
3. Umbrella - Near as I can tell, in Russia, if there is no snow on the ground, that means rain is possible that day.
2. Extra garbage bags, shopping bags, and ziploc baggies - For whatever reason, bags are hard to come by in Russia. At the store, you frequently have to pay if you want a bag. The small baggies help my personal sense of organization, shopping bags are convenient for carrying things, and I use a garbage bag to throw my dirty laundry in.
1. Sleep mask - Without it, I never would have survived the White Nights of June.

Top 5 Things I Wish I Had Brought
5. Hand sanitizer - Actually, I did bring some, but I think it became the only casualty of my encounter with a pickpocket in the metro, so I just wish it hadn't been stolen. They don't sell hand sanitizer (anywhere that I can find), and I really miss it. Soap and water in public bathrooms is even rarer than toilet paper.
4. Better shoes - I brought a really good pair of stylish, waterproof high-heeled boots that are similar to what a lot of Russian women wear, but for many reasons, they weren't practical in the glubinka. The tennis shoes I brought, on the other hand, are not waterproof, as I came to discover. For the entire week I spent in the glubinka, my feet were wet from rain and mud puddles.
3. More versatile wardrobe - Layers, layers, layers. Sometimes it's cold. Sometimes it's hot. Sometimes it's cold then hot then cold in the same day. I should have brought more over- and undershirts.
2. Room in my luggage to take gifts back home - I brought more stuff than I needed, and now I'm stuck dragging it back with me. To this I must somehow add the mountain of books given to me, a painting, and tons of Vepsian crafs.
1. More gifts from America - I brought gifts for my hostess here, for Tamara Pavlovna, and then a bundle of 4 small American flags to give to kids. This lasted me about 4 seconds. Now when people give me gifts, I can't reciprocate with a little something from America.

Top 5 Things I Wish I Had NOT Brought
5. Towel - A lot of the time, the towels they give you at hotels in Russia are small by American standards. Knowing about this and not wanting to deal with it, I brought my own. Looking back, it is easier to get used to the obnoxiously small towels than to worry about dragging my own with me wherever I go, especially after it's already wet.
4. Books - I brought reading material in case I got homesick for English. Little did I know, my blog has worked fine to satisfy my longing for the language, and I don't have time to read. If I did have time, I would read in Russian. I could use the practice, and nowadays, if I do read in English, I have a difficult time switching back to Russian when someone wants my attention. "Yes, what did you—erm, da, chto?"
3. Flip flops - The ground is always wet.
2. Water bottle - This was useful on the train and plane, but in Russia, the tap water is too dirty to drink without boiling it. Since I've arrived, I've bought bottled water instead.
1. So many clothes - Russians, like Europeans, tend to wear the same outfit every day until it's dirty. That means you can get away with bringing only 2-3 outfits for a long trip if you like, and just wash your clothes in the sink as needed. You may be thinking, "Ew, gross, I'm not doing that," but trust me, it's much better than dragging a suitcase full of a bunch of different outfits everywhere when no one expects you to change your clothes daily.

Top 5 Things I'm Glad I Didn't Bring
5. My retainer - I have enough trouble with the many fricatives and affricates (sounds) of Russian without a retainer impeding me. My orthodontist will be furious.
4. Credit Card - Most places only accept cash, and my credit card company would charge me $5 per transaction if I tried to use mine abroad.
3. Swimsuit - The water is too cold for swimming, but the Russians who want me to swim don't accept that as a good excuse for not jumping into freezing cold water. However, they do understand the excuse that I simply don't have a swimsuit with me.
2. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. - They sell these things in Russia for a decent price. If you are going to the provinces, buy conditioner while you're still in a large city like Moscow or Petersburg, since they don't always stock it.
1. Hair dryer, flat iron, etc. - Even with a transformer, it would have fried. If you need a hair dryer, buy one when you get here, or if you're staying in someone's home, borrow theirs. They probably have one—most people hate going to bed with wet hair and will yell at you if you try.


In general, less is more in my experience. If those of you planning trips to Russia have questions along the lines of "Do they sell X in Russia?", ask. I'm happy to tell you what I know or find out for you.

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