Insights and Lifehacks

Before travelling to Afghanistan, my packing list was a mess of confusion. I knew women had to cover, yet Afghanistan is unbearably hot in summer. Anxious and unsure, I reached out to a former male colleague who had already spent nearly five years there. My text to him carried all my stress: “What would you advise me to pack?”

Knowing my polished, formal style from our time working together at the US Embassy, he replied bluntly:

“Zarina, it is not work in the city. It is a UN Mission — you need everything practical and easy to move around in an unpredictable, unsafe, underdeveloped country with poor infrastructure. Don’t pack too much, especially clothes. Only practical things.”

I shot back: “Easy for you to say — you’re a man. I need your advice on what a woman should wear and what is necessary there.”
He admitted he wasn’t sure, and simply said:

“Whatever you pack, make sure you feel practical, mobile, and comfortable.”

So I arrived, and after quarantine I spent my first week at work wearing a scarf as much as possible in the windy, hot weather, along with loose trousers and a long jacket covering down to my knees. I felt suffocated under the layers but told myself: This is the cultural side of mission life. You must embrace it as a tolerant, educated, well-prepared professional. No complaints allowed.

Until one day, I saw a Dutch colleague cycling across the compound in a flowing white summer dress, bare thighs and open shoulders catching the sun. I stood there sweating under my scarf, jaw slightly open, fixing my headcover and wiping away the sweat trickling down from my hairline. That evening, I rushed back to my room, pulled out the lighter summer clothes I had packed “just in case”, and quietly adjusted my “mission dress code” for compound life.

💡 Lifehack: Always pack a mix of conservative and casual clothing. Cultural norms matter outside, but compounds often allow relaxed dress — and having both options keeps you comfortable and respectful.

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After Afghanistan, when I was sent to Iraq, I felt a little more prepared. My closest friend had spent around four years in northern Iraq and had been to Baghdad multiple times. She gave me detailed descriptions of the environment, climate, and daily realities. Her advice helped me realize that this time, I could bring more of the clothes and personal things I felt comfortable in, because I would likely be spending a year or two there.

I wasn’t wrong. Even though the stereotypical perception about Iraq paints it as an Islamic country with strict dress rules for women, my experience in Afghanistan had taught me that UN compounds are more liberal environments, and most of my time would be spent there rather than in local communities.

When I arrived in Baghdad, all those perceptions of rigid conservatism melted away. Iraq was nothing like the flat images shown in the media. It was ancient, magnificent, and layered with contrasts. I saw women walking confidently in leggings and low-cut tops, others fully covered in black abayas, and still others in chic hairstyles, carrying children while shopping with their husbands. The diversity defied any single category.

In that mix, my moderately conservative clothing fit in perfectly — professional enough for the mission, yet not out of place in the local environment. And to my delight, I also discovered another truth about Baghdad: packing space should always leave room for food adventures. The kebabs, the desserts, the richness of the local cuisine — these were impossible to decline.

💡 Lesson: In Iraq, especially if you are based in Baghdad, pack for the heat (30–40 degrees for most of the year), but don’t overthink conservatism inside compounds. A balance of practical, modest clothing works well.

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By the time I reached South Sudan, I thought I had mastered the art of packing — until the tropical heat and humidity humbled me again. Breathable clothing and rehydration salts became the things I wished I had more of.

💡 Essential: In tropical missions, carry lightweight fabrics, mosquito nets, insect repellent, and oral rehydration salts.

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And in every mission — Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan — I came to treasure the small things that kept me sane. Snacks from home, a journal, even a framed photo made sterile rooms and stressful days feel more human.

💡 Resilience trick: Always bring one or two personal items — snacks, tea, books, or photos. They don’t weigh much but they keep your spirit steady.

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Looking back, each mission reshaped my understanding of what it means to “pack” for life in conflict zones. Afghanistan taught me humility and the balance between cultural respect and personal comfort. Iraq showed me the danger of stereotypes, and how diversity and resilience live side by side in places the world too often misjudges. South Sudan reminded me that sometimes the environment itself — heat, humidity, mosquitoes — can be just as demanding as cultural rules. Together, these experiences taught me that packing is not just about clothes or gear; it is about preparing yourself to adapt, to endure, and to find small anchors of comfort in unpredictable worlds.

The right suitcase won’t make your mission easy — but it will make it survivable, and sometimes even comfortable.