I am a chronic over-packer and this applied to my move to Sint Maarten as well. This was the trip of a lifetime: two years living on a beautiful tropical island to pursue my lifelong dream. This wasn’t just packing for a vacation, it was packing your whole life into a handful of suitcases.

Ideally, I’d recommend packing the essentials first and then keeping extra items to a minimum. Whatever you bring either needs to go back with you or stay behind.

Essential items

• Everyday clothes for class- most classes do not have a dress code outside of using common sense.
• Sweatshirt- The climate in St. Maarten is hot and humid year round but the classrooms are very well air conditioned. Most students bring sweatshirts or blankets to longer lecture days because of this.
• Scrubs- 2-4 pairs should be enough for most people. These will be worn in anatomy lab and some clinical medicine sessions. The busiest lab weeks happen in Semester 2 during the Musculoskeletal module (but I believe this was about 3 times in a single week at the peak time. Maybe 4 times at the very most).
• Closed-toe shoe for lab- I just used an old pair of running sneakers but make sure you’re okay with getting rid of these shoes after you are done with wet lab.
• Business attire- 2-3 outfits, these will be used for clinical medicine small group sessions once a week in first semester. They will also be worn for several simulation labs, integrated cases, and research symposium.
• Flat/comfortable close-toed business shoes
• An outfit for White Coat ceremony- many women wear modest dresses or slacks and a blouse. Most men wear slacks and a button down.
• Exercise clothes- I worked out 5-6 times a week because it is one of the ways I relaxed after studying.
• Swim suit and flip flops/water shoes- AUC is less than a quarter of a mile from Mullet Bay. This is a great place to relax, play intramural volleyball, or swim.
• Extra electronic accessories-headphone tips, Apple Pencil tips, chargers, etc. You might be able to get these items on the island but it can may take longer than you’d like or be more expensive.
• Medications- I think som prescription medications can be filled at the nearby pharmacy but it is easier to bring them with you. Also, generic medications (ibuprofen, decongestants, etc) can be bought on island but they are more expensive here.
• Bug spray- the island can have a lot of mosquitoes at times
• Sunscreen
• Medical equipment outlined in the student guide- stethoscope, otoscope, tuning forks, Snellen chart, etc.

Items to bring if you have space

• Toiletries and cosmetics- there are less options within walking distance of the school and they are usually more expensive than they are in the states. After my first semester, I knew what was available and planned accordingly.
• Extension cords- sometimes you just need to charge your whole study set up at the same time or the outlet is in a less than ideal location. Surge protectors may also help protect your devices.
• Linens-bedding, towels, etc. might be less expensive to bring with you than to purchase on the island. These items are also typically sold further away from campus so if you will need to take a car or taxi to buy these items.
• Headphones – Noise cancelling is a great feature if you like studying in shared spaces. You will be watching a lot of lecture content so these will get a lot of use
• Portable power bank- These are useful for charging your phone when the power goes out. The school and many apartments have generators but several do not. Some outlets are not backed up to the generators so plan accordingly.

What you can probably leave at home

From my experience, these are items that I brought but would recommend not bringing.

• A large pot and pan- I was worried that my apartment would not have adequate cooking supplies but I ended up not needing to use these two items.
• Bug catching device- the island has a lot of mosquitoes but I overestimated how many would fly into my apartment. The one I bought was effective but not as needed as I was expecting.
• Snorkel- some people snorkeled at the nearby beach but I never used my gear.
• Hard copy books- most of our class resources are digital or you can use hard copies from the library

How to acquire anything else you need once you get to the island

The grocery stores within walking distance of the school are usually well stocked with basic items that you will need for your time on the island. Additionally, the dorms and many apartments in the area come stocked with basic cooking supplies, plates, bowls, cups, silverware, etc.

You can generally find what you are looking for at the local stores or by taking a care to the larger grocery stores on the island.

Most students sell a large portion of their belongings when they leave the island. This is usually done through a post in the WhatsApp student groups or through the many “AUC Classified” pages on Facebook. These pages are great for getting items at a reasonable price.

If none of these options have what you need, you can make an account with FourStar Cargo and ship items through them. (This is a relay where your item is mailed to their Miami partner, shipped via ocean or air to the island, and then dropped off at the school).

Thank you for making it to the end! Please keep sending in your questions and I will answer them.