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FIGURING OUT WHAT TO PACK
How can you possibly know what you’ll need for the next six to twelve months of your life? What sorts of clothes will you want to wear? What if they don’t have Power Bars where you’re going and you just gotta have one? Here are some useful tips.
Packing can be particularly stressful because it brings to the surface all of the unknowns of your impending trip. You really can’t predict what will happen and it’s not possible to bring everything you’ll need. Think about it practically and do your best. Remember that, in many situations, you’ll be able to buy necessities in your host country, especially if your destination is a relatively stable and developed nation.
Our main suggestion is to pack only as much as you’ll realistically need during your stay abroad. You’re not really going to wear ten pairs of shoes or read a suitcase-full of your favorite books, so don’t bring them. Be practical. What’s the weather like in your host country during the time you’ll be there? Make sure to bring clothes that match the climate as well as your own personal style. Do you plan on hiking or camping? Consider hiking boots and a sleeping bag. Can’t live without your hair dryer? Find out if you’ll need to bring a power adapter.
“Ziploc bags are your best friend. You can use them to bring just enough toiletries for the length of your trip. If you want to go on weekend trips, get a gallon-size Ziploc, fill it with everything you need, and your packing will be quick and easy.”
History major,
Study abroad in Mexico and Great Britain,
Dartmouth College ‘98
If you own a laptop computer, you might consider bringing it along: You can watch bootlegged Simpsons episodes on the plane, instant-message your friends from your new apartment, and write a term paper under a palm tree in the local botanical gardens. While many universities abroad have excellent computer facilities and 24-hour access, others don’t, and having your own setup could be a very good thing. At the same time, remember that you’re bringing an expensive and bulky piece of equipment with you, and you’ll have to take care of it for the duration of your stay. Make sure that you’ll have somewhere safe to store it if you go traveling, that you’ll be able to deal with the extra luggage pounds, and that your insurance will cover it if it gets damaged or stolen.
If packing gets overwhelming, it never hurts to make a list. Even if you hate doing this, make one anyway—you can rip it to shreds when you’re done packing.
DON’T SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH! If you need to bring any type of medication, make sure to have the entire supply you’ll need while you’re away. (Claritin in rural Siberia? Not likely.) Also, be sure to carry with you the necessary labels and prescriptions for each medicine. Customs officers might get awfully suspicious if they find plastic bags full of unlabelled pills in your possession.
Always keep all of your essentials—money, medicine, documents, picture of your significant other, teddy bear from when you were five, etc.—close to you when you travel, both initially and once you arrive in your country. You never know when your checked luggage will end up on another continent or your bags will suffer some other awful fate.
Copyright © 2002, 2003 by NATAVI GUIDES.
Check out more student advice on studying abroad...
• CHOOSING YOUR HOST COUNTRY
• DEALING WITH CULTURE SHOCK
• WORKING WHILE STUDYING ABROAD
• BEATING REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK
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