Things To Bring #3 - Sleeping Gear

This particular topic falls under the "personal preference category."  Many volunteers brought tents and either placed them on top of one of the cots in the general sleeping area or pitched them in the hallway.  I personally wouldn't recommend it as it seems to me that a tent would block airflow from the fans.  I slept on one of the army-style cots without bringing a sleeping pad and found it to be quite comfortable.

I decided not to bring a sleeping bag and I'm glad I didn't.  Instead I bought a Coleman Strauts Fleece Sleeping Bag Liner (photo below) for $17.  The nights are so hot and humid that a sleeping bag is overkill in my opinion.  However, depending on the flow of fans around you (see photo above), there can be a cool breeze blowing necessitating a thin layer of protection such as the aforementioned sleeping bag liner.

I also purchased the Coleman Fold and Go Camp Pillow seen below for $10.

The ultimate solution with respect to comfort is reserving a room at the Hotel Auberge du Quebec.  The hotel is within a 15 minute walk from Hopital Adventiste d'Haiti (not recommended at night or unaccompanied) or a 5 minute tap-tap (cab) ride.  One member of our team stayed there and was very pleased with the accommodations.  The restaurant service is incredibly slow so order an hour before you want to eat.  Order a soda at the bar while you wait and entertain yourself with stories from fellow expat volunteers.

Yes, this really is a picture of the pool at the Hotel Auberge.  Although I didn't take advantage of the opportunity, I'm sure that a quick dip would have been a welcome respite from a long, sweaty day in the operating room.