Kristin’s China Adoption Packing List

{July Travel}

www.joyinthewaiting.com

LUGGAGE:

• 2 Motherlode backpacks for carry-ons. These things were amazing and have so much room! Very thankful we had these. If you’re wanting a backpack, this is the one to get! My hubby got the bigger one and I got the smaller one. These will be used for many years.
• 2 suitcases. These were normal suitcases that we’ve always had and worked fine. 
• 1 small children’s backpack for sweet P (3 yrs old). Very glad we had this. She loved having her own bag with special toys and snacks.
• Packing Cubes - LOVE these things. I could fit 2 weeks of clothes in a little cube (roll your clothes, don’t fold). These save so much space and it’s a lot easier to find things.

CARRY ONS:

• Adoption paperwork in folder with name and phone number on outside - We took this one and it was perfect!
• Thumb drive with scanned documents (backups, just incase!) - never needed but was comforted in having it
• Passports
• Extra Passport photos (3 of each)
• Information Sheet: Hotels, Insurance, Doctors, Consulate contacts, Agency contacts
• Sunglasses
• Cash/Debit cards
• Converter
• Travel toothbrush/toothpaste - A must for the long plane ride!
• Wet wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Deodorant
• Footie socks for walking around plane - Had these on the way and packed them in luggage on the way back: Regretted it! My feet froze. Definitely recommend
• Light sweater - Even though it was July when we traveled, I was glad I had this for the plane and hotel rooms
• Gum
• Ginger tea bags - did not use
• Green tea bags - did not use, the drinks on the plane were fine 
• Travel water bottle
• Travel Pillows
• Chargers for phone, ipad, laptop
• Contact solution
• Contacts
• Sunglasses
• Face Wash
• Makeup
• Chapstick
• A few toddler outfits (incase luggage is lost) - nothing got lost
• Simple Language Chinese for adoptive families book
• Reading material for plane - If you like to read, I highly recommend a Kindle Paperwhite to keep reading material light weight and all in one place. LOVE mine.
• A few clothing options for us incase luggage gets lost
• Essential oils (Peppermint, ginger, thieves, vetiver, lavender) - VERY thankful for these!
• Medical masks - forgot to bring, did not need

MEDICAL:

• Immodium
• Cipro
• Amoxicillin
• Phenergan - I have a VERY sensitive stomach and was worried about foods there. Not once did I need it or get sick. Maybe some Tums every now and then but that’s it. Mainly because things were spicy. That being said I stuck to “safe” things like noodles, rice, and dumplings! :)
• Bacitracin
• Benadryl (adult and child) - used a few times for her
• Ibuprofen (adult and child)
• Peppermint Tums - used these
• Thermometer - used often, glad we had
• Bandaids - YES
• Neosporin
• Essential Oils (peppermint, digize, lavender)
• Sunscreen
• Aloe
• Nail clippers - used on her, glad we had  
• Bug Spray - used, her province was very rainy and buggy
• Allergy Nose Spray
• Z-Pack
• AZO
• Travel first aid kit
• Disposable gloves (if your child has picked up parasites) - forgot to pack, did not need (thank ya Jesus!)
• Eye drops
• Turmeric capsules

3 YEAR OLD GIRL:

• 1 nice outfit for consulate appointment
• Several girl hairbows - Glad we had. Everyone thought she was a boy if she wasn’t wearing one. There are no gender specific colors over there so wearing pink didn’t matter.
• Shoes. Wasn’t sure size so guessed. Wrong. Luckily our guide took us to “Walmart” there and we got some that fit
• Lavender lotion, 1 scent only (to establish a scent for bonding). Very thankful for this. She still uses this every night and loves it.
• Diapers (wasn’t sure if potty trained) - She was! Didn’t need.

• wipes (2 packs) - used these every day!
• Ergo carrier - Glad I had, carried her often. Great for bonding.
• Take and toss bowls - used these often, so glad we had!
• Spoons
• Bottles
• Blanket (2) - VERY glad we brought these. She loved having her own blankets for bedtime and the plane
• Toys (try to limit to small) - Bring toys that are small, and that you don’t mind throwing away. Things that light up she loved most. 
• Bedtime book (to start bedtime routine)
• Small inflatable beach ball (recommended)
• Stacking cups - This was her favorite during bath time!
• Sun hat - did not use. Forgot a swimming cap and wish we had. It’s required for pools in the hotels there
• Socks (4)
• Swimsuit (1)
• Summer rompers/dress (10) - YES the cooler the better for July travel. These were perfect for her.
• 2 pair pants - sweat/workout type pants. Something comfy just to wear around hotel and plane
• PJ’s (2)
• 1 nice go home outfit

CLOTHES FOR ME:

• PJ’s (2)
• Sun dresses and skirts (4) - 1 dressier for consulate appointment
• Capris (3)
• Shirts (5)
• 15 undies and 3 bras
• Keen Rose shoes
• Sketchers Go Walk 3
• Flip Flops
• Swimsuit and cover up - Don’t forget swimming caps (must use in China). We forgot and had to purchase
• Rain Jacket - Glad we had! Her province was very wet and rainy

CLOTHES FOR THE HUBBY:

• Swim trunks
• Boxers
• Keen shoes
• Flip flops
• Nicer Consulate appointment outfit
• Shorts (5)
• Shirts (5)

TOILETRIES:

• Q-tips
• Disinfectant wipes
• Feminine items
• Hair spray
• Hair gel
• Hair ties - used these a lot, it was so hot my hair was always up in a bun
• Travel conditioner (all hotels had shampoo but not always conditioner, glad we had)
• Face wash
• Lotion
• Thieves Disinfectant Spray
• Antibacterial Wipes
• Toothbrushes for everyone
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• EXTRA Contacts
• Contact solution
• Glasses
• Razors

HOUSEHOLD:

• Small dish soap (for cleaning utensils, etc…)
• toddler cups/bowls
• Tide travel packs - These were awesome to wash clothes in sink
• Paper towels
• Ziplock bags - used them ALL, glad we had
• Dryer sheets - just to help make things smell better.
• Reusable shopping bags
• Clothes pins - Did not use, hung wet clothes around hotel room
• Travel diffuser for oils
• Small scissors - used a few times to get things open

FOOD:

• Gerber puffs
• Gerber yogurt melts
• Power bars
• Crackers
• Goldfish - She loved these! Glad we had
• Cheerios
• Ginger hot tea bags

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO:

• Nikon D750 (for photo and video)
• 24-70 lens
• CF cards
• Battery
• Charger
• Card reader
• Laptop
• Laptop Charger
• GoPro
• GoPro stick
• GoPro charger
• ipad - Glad we had because it kept her distracted during the medical days but WARNING: Your child will be addicted to it when you get home. Luckily she finally let us trade her iPad for a leap pad :)

GIFTS:

• 2015 “year of the sheep” American stamps
• Eos Lip gloss
• $2 Bills
• Candy
• Bath and Body Works items
• *We did not bring enough gifts. I wish we had nicer gifts for our guides but those gifts were given to the consulate workers. Bring more. More gifts is better than not enough. Nothing elaborate, small gifts are fine. They won’t open them in front of you. They love items that are special to your state or town. Made in USA.

MISC

• Cash - As new as possible. $50 and $100’s
• Small notebook - thought we would need for notes, but never used
• Pens - didn’t need, hotels had
• Gum/Mints
• Books/Magazine/ipad
• Headphones
• Travel pillows
• Chinese Childrens Music -
• Youtube children channels - glad we had for the medical day
• Journal - did not have time to write in this because we blogged every night.

My piece of advice is DO NOT STRESS about this. I stressed over packing for no reason. Your child has gone this long with limited resources and will be fine until you get home. This isn’t a vacation, only pack what you need. The best piece of advice given to me was: “Bring lady toiletry essentials and medicine. Everything else can be purchased in China.” And it’s true! You won’t starve and you won’t go without. Your agency and guides won’t let that happen. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. Congrats on your joyful journey! Blessings  ~Kristin