Packing ‘light’ for World Youth Day

By Sara Angle
One in a series

HERSHEY, Pa. — Pilgrims attending World Youth Day have been told to pack light, so what exactly does that mean when you are taking a week long trip to a foreign country? Well, I thought I’d share what I’ll be bringing, for anyone curious. Attending WYD and still haven’t loaded your suitcase? Maybe this will motivate you! I’ve included:

— Cotton shirts and lightweight cotton skirts (church-appropriate with shoulders covered and skirts at the knee).
— Breezy cotton dresses to beat the heat.
— Some gym clothes so I can get in a nice run (perfect way to see a new city!)
— Cotton PJs.
— Plenty of socks.
— Three pairs of closed-toe shoes (with so many people, feet are bound to get stepped on).
— One pair of sandals (let those piggly-wigglies breathe!)
— One bathing suit (you never know).
— One hat to keep the sun off my face.
— Umbrella and poncho. (I’m a Girl Scout, be prepared!)
— Belts and scarves to dress up anything I decide to re-wear.
— A yoga mat for sleeping outside with the other pilgrims on the final night (too hot for a sleeping bag).

Pilgrims were told to pack light!

Not pictured:

— Lots of underwear! Of course.
— Two bottles of sunscreen.
— Dry shampoo for in-between hair days.
— Madrid guidebook.
— Hand sanitizer and toilet paper (you’d be surprised how many European bathrooms leave out the essentials).
— Reusable water bottle.
— Basic over-the-counter medications (because its a pain to read labels in another language if you are sick!)
— Do-it-all soap (good for washing YOU and your laundry in a hotel sink!)

Happy packing and safe travels to all of you headed to WYD! For everyone else, keep your eye out for my adventures. Oh, and I’ll also be bringing a lot of electronics to make sure all our readers are up to date on the latest happenings at WYD!

Sara Angle, 21, is a senior at Villanova University and has written for CNS from Rome and Washington. She enjoys traveling and soaking up the culture of her surroundings, be it through food, fashion or faith, and looks forward to covering WYD for CNS — from the big events to the off-beat adventures. Sara loves reading and writing (but not arithmetic) and dancing like no one is watching. You can also follow her on Twitter @CatholicNewsSvc. She’ll be using the hashtag #SaraInMadrid.