It has been a little over a week since I’ve been back from the Philippines, so I would like to share some tips.

1. Bring bug spray/lotion and a benadryl stick. Some people got lucky, but not me (I had maybe 10-20 bites by the first week in the field).
2. Bring a rag. You will be sweating a lot!
3. When it is raining season (I believe June-October) bring a raincoat and umbrella.
4. Bring wipes or toilet paper where ever you go.
5. Bring business casual clothes for the office and the conventions. They usually color code during the week (Mon. = white, Tues. = blue, Wed. = white/beige, Thurs.=blue, Fri.=whatever you want)
6. Bring sunblock and sunglasses (FYI: Many Filipinos love using their umbrella to block the sun as well)
7. Bring a big water bottle. Make sure you stay hydrated!
8. Download Grab (it is equivalent to Uber)
9. Download books and bring some card games. You will have a lot of down time in the field
10. When in the field wear jeans, leggings, or flowy pants. They dress more conservative in the Philippines.
11. Bring a swimsuit whenever you’re in the field or wear a shirt and shorts. You’ll never know when you’re gonna need it.
12. Don’t make plans to travel until you get to the Philippines. NAMD interns are in the field majority of the time including weekends.
13. Bring a small blanket. Surprisingly it might get cold at night.
14. Download spotify premium and download a lot of songs! You might have long travels (over 5+ hours).
15. Bring a neck pillow and/or an inflatable one. Living conditions in the field vary, so you don’t know what it will be like. Majority of the time you will be on the floor with a sleeping bag.
16. If you plan to travel to Palawan, get medication for Malaria!
17. Invest in a pocket Wi-Fi. You can get purchase it at Smart or Globe. Many of fieldwork places we went to did not have Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi at our condo rarely worked, so we always had to go to the mall for connection.
18. Bring a pair of old gym shoes you wouldn’t mind getting dirty.
19. You don’t need to bring a lot of cute clothes because you rarely have time to go out.
20. Be open to new experiences / food.