While most any personal item can be purchased in Belize (shampoo, bath towels, etc.), the selection can be limited compared to what you are accustomed to at home.  You should therefore bring any personal items that are especially important, such as medication, eyewear, footwear, etc. 

      In selecting items for your time in Belize, be practical as well as flexible.  Again, the tropical and jungle environment can be brutally hot with scattered downpours usually in the afternoon.  Bring clothes that dry fast and are not heavy if they get wet.  We recommend light  kackis or hiking pants.  But when you get more comfortable and if you are not in an area with much foliage you could wear shorts (but be aware of bugs!).  Wide-brimmed hats are good protections against the sun; also bring lots of sunscreen.  One pair of sturdy hiking boots is highly recommended for your trip, and you should know that no matter how nice and expensive the boots are you will wear them down.  Your boots should be comfortable and waterproof, or fast-drying in case they get wet.  Lastly, a day pack would be good for carrying your lunch and note book during survey or when traveling to site visits. 

      If you are partial to certain tools that you’ve used in the field in the past we ask that you bring them for use in the excavations.  Favorite items owned by many archaeologists might include a Marshalltown pointing trowel with a 5-6 inch blade, a small line level, a retracting-blade tape measure marked with metric graduations, maybe some brushes, and a whisk broom.  If you want to start your own ‘dig kit’ we suggest "Forestry Supplies" and "Ben Meadows" (available online).

      Here is a list of the items you should consider bringing on your trip:

  

Personal Items:

photocopies of essential documentation (passport, etc.)

large back-pack (large enough for a weekend trip)

small day back-pack (large enough for a day in the field)

bathing suit for the rivers and beach

long-sleeve work shirts, t-shirts

light sweater/sweat shirt for the morning car ride

long pants

short pants

work socks

hiking boots, sneakers, sandals (TEVAS or some other open toed for walking in the river)

sunglasses

toiletries

sunblock (factor 25 or more!)

sunburn cream

insect repellent

flashlight and extra batteries (rechargeable are always good)

alarm clock

camera

small binoculars

books

tunes

 Please note that the mosquitoes were horrific in 2009 and 2010.  We are suggesting that you bring light long sleeves and other items to cover yourselves to stop getting bitten by bugs.  Some students last year brought hats with facial nets with them and they were much happier.  Some students joked that it might be advisable to bring bee keeper outfits to prevent from getting bitten.  While we think that this may be extreme, we do want to tell  you that the bugs can be bad at times.  The solution is to have the ability to cover up when they get bad.

Required Fieldwork Items

mason’s trowel (no larger than 5 inches - see Marshalltown)

3-5 meter measuring tape (make sure its metric)

Suggested Fieldwork Items:

work gloves

pocket knife

personal water bottle

 

Most Important

a smile